Reviews (79)

There was never any old school, but if there will be then this will be it
A great book based around debunking everything preached before about growing grass and then shows the results of some good growing. It is no longer just about producing a one in a hundred photograph magazine quality plant, but having lots of them and with the potency to back it up.
Well worth getting if you are thinking about growing
This book does not remind me of anything I have read before. It looks a way more professional than most for these types of books. It has a very workable plan to produce the best results in the smallest of spaces to big basement grows if you want. The strategies are clearly laid out and explained in sufficient detail.Readers can find plenty of pictures, diagrams and illustrations with instructions. It is very motivational. The clear and easy writing style should appeal to anybody. Good luck.

A great reference.
Bravo! Finally a book that not only tells gardeners how to avoid wasting your time chasing bugs but also how to end up with a fine canopy of thick buds.
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Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Crop Science    2. Field Crops    3. Marijuana (Pharmacological Aspects)    4. Pharmacology    5. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    6. Popular Culture - Counter Culture    7. Reference    8. Sociology    9. Technology    10. Gardening: plants   

Subjects:  1. Flowering Plants (Angiospermae)    2. Flowers - Perennials    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Perennials    7. Pruning    8. Techniques    9. Gardening / Techniques    10. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (23)

Great Book. Quick Shipment. Greaat seller.
The book was delivered in a timely manner, well packaged. Would buy from this seller again.

The author enthusiastically shares his passion and experience with grape growing and winemaking
This book is clearly written and easy to read. In addition to the educational aspects, the author effortlessly recounts his own home winemaking experience and shares his passion for it. I found the tables and calculations extremely helpful. A lot of attention is paid to describing the technology and chemistry of the homemade wine. However, the author puts even more emphasis on choosing and correctly growing the right grape at the right place and calls it "your single most important decision". That's why the first chapters on the grape varieties and basic viticulture techniques are especially helpful for beginning grape growers. I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it!
WoW what a book !!!!
I have read a lot about this book so I had to have it. I recently bought a small vineyard in Slovakia and I have tons of local books about winemaking. I am a real newbie and after I read these books I had an idea how to make wine, but that was not enough. I always had tons of questions, which I did not know who to ask. Well Jeff Cox answers them. When he describes the wine making process he does that very precisselly that a newbie like me would underestand it. I am looking forward to use his tips this autumn. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Fruit    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Organic    7. United States    8. Viticulture    9. Wine and wine making    10. Wine and winemaking    11. COOKING / Beverages / Wine & Spirits    12. Gardening / Fruit    13. Wines   

Reviews (2)

Teaming with Microbes
This book is superb. I read it in 2 days.From my own christain prospective, It clearly explains why and how God's way (Organic) is best. Best tasting, biggest, most healthy, most pest and disease resistant, and so on.Best in every way.A must have, for all serious gardener's! (Except those who think they are wiser than GOD.)Mr. Alan Terry

Garden Science that's fun to read!
Who knew anthropods, fungi and slime mold could be so facinating?This book brought the dirt in my garden and in my yard into view in a way that's easy to understand.Reads more like a great gardening artilce than a science bookBut science it is and its changed the way I think about feeding, weeds and pest control.I always knew that what was going on down there affected my plants and now I know why. A must read for gardners at all levels. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Organic    5. Organic Gardening    6. Soil ecology    7. Soil microbiology    8. Soils    9. Techniques    10. Gardening / Organic    11. Gardening: plants    12. Soil science, sedimentology   

Reviews (8)

Best Gardening problem solver you will every get.
From amateur to pro, this text of gardening problems, from the most delicate plant and flowers to the most complicated forms of trees and shrubs, this book covers all.Also as a hardbound, it is an excellent additon to any library.
Great reference book
I have a chemical lawn/tree & shrub business, and I use it.The only negative I can see is that the Home Gardener's Problem Solver covers most of this book for $30. That said, I gave my techs the home gardener's version and kept this one for myself.

Comprehensive except for lack of Organiccontrol methods
"The Ortho Problem Solver" is a wonderful reference book on pests, fungus', etc and controlling them with inorganic methods.Of course, Ortho is not known for organic pest control, but I still feel that maybe they should include this information considering that many that wish to control certain pests also live in wildlife areas--such as areas where there are birds, or are environmentalists or oriented towards this area when it comes to certain issues such as vegetables and fruit.Read more

Subjects:  1. Agricultural Chemistry    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Life Sciences - Horticulture    6. Pest Control In Horticultural Crops    7. Reference    8. Gardening / Reference    9. Gardening: plants    10. problem   

Editorial Review

Much has changed in the role and use of ornamental grasses over the past 100 years. Whereas turn-of-the-century gardeners had perhaps a dozen perennial grasses to choose from, today's gardeners have hundreds. Ornamental grasses now embody a huge array of textures, forms, sizes, colors, flowering times, and cultural adaptations. Read more

Reviews (5)

Masterful, Encyclopedic Guide Full of Helpful Photos
Rick Darke's book is typical of his work. It is extremely well written, a detailed, very thorough guide to ornamental grasses, full of helpful pictures as well as information on growing and maintaining grasses. This book should be a classic for decades to come.

Absolutely Fantastic
This is such a wonderful informational book... AND ... a gorgeous coffee table book. It is terrific from beginning to end! If you like or are interested in, or even thinking about Ornamental Grasses ... then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! I can't imagine anyone who has an interest in Ornamental Grasses NOT LOVING THIS BOOK, and would be delighted they purchased it. My only concern is that it is going to look dog-earred from my reading it over and over and over again ... which frankly takes away from its beauty on our coffee table.

Buy 2 copies...
This book is structured, written, photographed and edited with parallel purpose and effect: communication of the author's respect and regard for the book's subject and for its readers. Mr. Darke sets out to inform and does so with enconomy but in full course; when he instructs, he teaches the novice and gives pause to the critic; when he photographs he shows his passion and inspires with the nature and wonder of his subjects. The book is encyclopedic, yet its prose is always to the point with the agreeable dryness of a good, well-bodied wine. Credible, trustworthy, enlightening. This is the best gardening book I have ever read. Negatives? Only one: Mr. Darke's standards are unimpeachable; those of the book's typographer and designer, however, are not. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. General    6. Grasses    7. Ornamental Plants    8. Ornamental grasses    9. Pictorial works    10. Plants - Grasses    11. Reference    12. Gardening / Flowers / Perennials    13. Gardening: plants   

Subjects:  1. Bonsai    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Japanese Gardens - Bonsai    6. Japanese maple    7. Ornamental Plants    8. Trees    9. Gardening / Ornamental Plants    10. Shrubs & trees   

Reviews (1)

An excellent reference on native perennials
This A-Z encyclopedia features over 600 species of native plants for the American gardener. All of the plants included here are perennials which are available to purchase in nurseries and mail-order catalogs. This was the author's major criteria for inclusion and some popular plants were omitted because they are not easily obtainable in the trade.
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Subjects:  1. Flowering Plants (Angiospermae)    2. Flowers - Annuals    3. Flowers - Perennials    4. Gardening    5. Gardening / Horticulture    6. Gardening/Plants    7. Home Gardening    8. Native plant gardening    9. Native plants for cultivation    10. North America    11. Ornamental Plants    12. Plants - General    13. Reference    14. Botany & plant sciences    15. Gardening / Flowers / Perennials    16. Gardening: plants   

Subjects:  1. Floriculture    2. Flowering Plants (Angiospermae)    3. Life Sciences - Botany    4. Life Sciences - Horticulture    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Plants - General    8. Science    9. Botany & plant sciences    10. Gardening: plants    11. Science / Botany   

Reviews (15)

The Bible of Gardening for our Household
I have read a few of the reviews below, and feel compelled to add my experience.
self promoting and little information
I am surprised by the good reviews here.
good book
This book is very good.If you're into sustainable agriculture and trying to grow your own food, it is a must. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Organic    5. Organic gardening    6. Techniques    7. Vegetable gardening    8. Vegetables    9. Fruit & vegetables    10. Specialized gardening methods   

Reviews (2)

Wow! A COMPLETE textbook on Carnivorous Plants...
As a child I was fascinated by these plants, and found relatively little reading on the subject, barely able to keep Sarracenia alive. When Adrian Slack's "Carnivorous Plants" came out around 1980 or so, I devoured it! A UK text, this book became my "Bible" and opened a world of even more exotic species that I had not been aware of. As well, it was the first book to include gorgeous full color prints (though only a limited few panels) of these species. Over the years, of course, more books have been published, but all of them have been somewhat lacking.
A Masterpiece
This book is special.I'm familiar with most of the books on carnivorous plants (see my Listmania list; there are PLENTY of great ones), but this new one blew my mind. This is the rare book that can captivate (perhaps the wrong word in this context) readers of all ages and all levels of expertise.Imagine that your favorite National Geographic article has been expanded into a first-rate book, complete with phenomenal pictures, engaging science writing, environmental awareness, humor, and a sense of adventure.Rice's book explores the habitat, science, history, popular culture and mass murder that make Carnivorous plants so fascinating.
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Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. House Plants & Indoor    5. Ornamental Plants    6. Gardening / Ornamental Plants    7. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (3)

Making the Most of Shade
I love the shade and wanted to enhance my completely shaded back yard.Unfortunately a small tornado decided to damage my hundred-year old maple and now my yard is all sun.However, I am planning next summer's shade garden and this book is amazing!Has plenty of pictures, instructions, plant choices, etc.I can't wait for the new red maple to grow and make my yard shady once again.A great buy for those interested in planting in the shade.

Excellent book......
MAKING THE MOST OF SHADE, Larry Hodgson offers hundreds of ideas about working with the trees you now have or actually creating shade.My all-time favorite book on shade gardening has been George Shenk's classic as it was he who first pointed out the virtues and sins of various trees and bushes regarding their roots and foliage, but one of the criticisms I have of Shenk's book is the dearth of color illustrations.Hodgson's book more than makes up for this shortcoming, and he adds enough text about each possible entry to actually inform the user.I have been shade gardening for some years now, and am in the position to say...yes, that works for me, or no, that is not something I can do.
Made in the shade
This is a great book for anyone who has a lot of shade and don't know what to do with it or for those who are wanting shade! For those who already have shade, the author shows how you can have a fabulous garden using a variety of plants that provide dramatic leaf structure and some that even flower. Of course not all shade is the same and the various types of shade are explained. Some typical problems concerning shade gardening, such as dry shade or excessive moist shade, is discussed as well. Over 300 plants are profiled individually in the last half of the book. For gardeners who want more shade, a list of shade trees and shrubs is provided. Most helpful is a section of shade garden designs based on various themes (Victorian, Japanese, Native, etc.). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening in the shade    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Landscape    6. Shade    7. Shade-tolerant plants    8. Techniques    9. Gardening / Shade    10. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (15)

Colorful!
A clean and accurate book filled with great color pictures and illustrations.Scotts is a good lawn company and it shows in this educational book.I was able to analyze my grass type and disorders with this book quite easily.

Highly Recommended
I'm a first-time lawn owner and this book has been the greatest resource I've found yet. It has detailed explanations of every important topic regarding your lawn. The color pages and pictures are more than just window dressing; they make the topics easier to understand. I've tried several other books and not found anything as useful as this. In fact, a guy just joined my department at work who studied turf management in college (as part of a golf sports degree) and every tip he's given me was already covered in this book.
Probably the Best
"Holy caRRRnations, Mary. Take a look at this!", you might exclaim for seeing this book the first time. "Look at the clever propaganda of Scotts trying to sell us more of their products!" Well, you might think that . . . but you're wrong. You and I have the advantage -- yeap, GREAT advantage -- of living in the Information Age. And in the process of trying "to sell us more of their Scotts products" -- for those of you for who the glass is half-empty -- Messrs. Nick Christians and Ashton Ritchie have provided us not only with probably the best book on lawns, but invaluable information on lawn care from A to Z.
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Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Lawns    5. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    6. Reference    7. Gardening / Lawns    8. Gardening: plants   

Editorial Review

Green thumbs and non-green thumbs alike will fall in love with Read more

Reviews (23)

Lots of creative ideas!!!
I love this book!! There are so many creative ideas to get kids involved in gardening!!! I can't wait to try them!!

Inspiration Celebration!
As an elementary teacher and a future parent, I am absolutely in love with this book. Sharon Lovejoy's ideas have started my own mind to reel with possibilities and garden projects. Not only are her ideas clever and creative, but she clearly explains the entire process, from planning and preparing to ways to celebrate the harvest! Right off the bat, the book opens with "20 plants every child's garden must have". From vegetables to flowers, handmade dolls, homegrown houses for our feathered friends, mazes, and pizza gardens to sunflower houses, this book is such a gift to anyone who wishes to instill the "sense of wonder".

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots
Amazing book.Colorful, easy to read and easy to follow directions.Our sons are enjoying their garden already.Amazingly easy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children's gardens    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Gardening    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Gardening: general interest    7. Gardening: plants    8. Juvenile Nonfiction / Gardening    9. Children's All Ages   

Reviews (11)

An Orchid Education
This book is the best book I have read about Orchids. You will receive an education about types, care, repotting and growing all types of Orchids. I highly recommend this book for the beginner to the advanced grower and hobbiest.

Orchids for Dummies
Great Book for folks that are beginners with Orchids.Well Organized and easy to undestand!
Great Book!
This is a great book for beginners growing Orchids.The only drawback I saw was whether or not to prune after the blooms fall. I still don't have the answer to that question.But this book does cover a lot of other areas and was easy to follow and understand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Floriculture    2. Flowering Plants (Angiospermae)    3. Flowers - Orchids    4. Gardening    5. Gardening / Horticulture    6. Gardening/Plants    7. Gardening / Flowers / Orchids   

Reviews (4)

Understanding Orchids
A good, general reference for the advanced beginner.The inclusion of the writer's personal experiences with growing are encouraging and appreciated. Excellent photography.
One of the best orchids books I've ever seen
We have eight orchids at home, with no special greenhouse for them. The book is simple and direct, giving exact tips to take care of them. The author show his passion for flowers by writing a book for both rookies -anyone with a window can have an orchid- and professionals. From the best light for a specimen to how to get hybrids. Includes step-by-step pictures.
Great book for novice on up to expert
I've been growing orchids for 20 years and have read dozens of orchid books. This is by far the most clearly written, entertaining and informative general orchid book I've ever come across. It is filled with helpful information on orchid culture as well as anecdotes that capture the mental progression of how one goes from a single plant to a whole collection. If you can feel yourself becoming hooked on orchids this book will come in very handy as your collection expands. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Floriculture    2. Flowers - Orchids    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Indoor Gardening    7. Flowers    8. Gardening / Flowers / Orchids   

Subjects:  1. Construction - Roofing    2. Garden Design    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Green roofs (Gardening)    7. Ground cover plants    8. Home Gardening    9. Landscape plants    10. Ornamental Plants    11. Gardening / Garden Design    12. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (19)

Already a Classic!
Extremely well designed, written and photographed! What more needs to be said. Covers all aspects of Bonsai care and propogation along with a detailed description of a large variety of species. Certainly one of the very (and perhaps the) best book on the subject to date.

Inspiring, beautifully illustrated, and easy to understand
If I had this book when I first started my bonsai hobby five years ago, I would have saved myself years of frustration and would have been able to enjoy bonsai almost immediately following the straightforward instructions Harry Tomlinson presents to the reader.I can definitely recommend "The Complete Book of Bonsai" to the beginner not only for this reason but also for its eye-catching beauty, wealth of ideas, and very reasonable price considering the sheer volume of high quality photography included in its hardcover binding.
Great for beginners
I purchased this book as a gift for a beginning Bonsai grower and it proved to be just the right choice.The photos are clear and beautifully done.Instructions are concise.I would highly recommend this book for anyone hoping to start a Bonsai garden. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bonsai    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Japanese Gardens - Bonsai    6. Reference   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (155)

It's Almost Embarrassing How Much I Love This Book
I mean it...I read it several years ago, and I still keep it nearby. I can open it to any page and fall in. Yes, I love Florida, yes, I love flowers of all kind, but it's more than that. Orlean is very Annie Dillard (that's about the highest compliment I could pay to another writer) in her approach of the subject--weaving her life, her longings, the "study" of obsession, the plot of how all this will turn out in deft prose that in places, takes my breath away.

Unique hobby, unique people
An interesting story about the lure of a segment of the population that has become enchanted by orchids.The author follows one of these eccentrics, John Laroche an orchid collector all the while portraying other characters that are hooked on orchids explained with side stories. Most of these collectors seem to exhibit some type of fatal character flaw brought on by their infatuation for orchids.Fast,light educational reading that sheds some light on a unique hobby that attracts its share of unique people.
Mired down in the swamp of bad writing
A slice of life sketch of various people who collect orchids, this book gives accounts of those afflicted with the orchid obsession.While at times engrossing, the writer jumps around constantly, offers opinions as unsubstantiated facts, and leaves the reader wondering why some people are mentioned in the book at all.I was disappointed in this book and definitely did not catch the fever. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve    5. Florida    6. Flowers - Orchids    7. Gardening    8. Gardening/Plants    9. General    10. Hollywood    11. Nursery growers    12. Plant collectors    13. Polyradicion lindenii    14. Scientists - General    15. Fiction / General    16. Reading Group Guide   

Editorial Review

Is there any flower more sensuous and romantic than the rose? Rosesaren't just fragrant and beautiful; they're also easy to grow and come inhundreds of varieties and colors. Read more

Reviews (16)

It's OK...
Very informative on a broad range of all things roses, but mainly on the surface-level; a good book for dummies, but not beyond.
Rapid shippment
Book was actually better condition than described.Shippemnt and devilery were very prompt.

Wonderful Book You Must Own
I am new to rose gardens and devoured this book in no time.Very interesting and helpful insights into the world of roses and how to care for them.My book has may bent over pages that I refer to over and over again.This book is a must for any beginner to roses. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Floriculture    2. Flowers - Roses    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Regional - General    7. Rose culture    8. Roses    9. Flowers    10. Gardening / Flowers / Roses