Reviews (1)

Great idea and how-to book
My husband and I had a landscape plan drawn up that included a pergola.Since my husband rebuilt part of our fence, he wanted to tackle the pergola himself.So, I bought him this book and he really loved it.
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Subjects:  1. Design & Construction    2. Design and construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Garden Design    5. Garden Furnishings    6. Garden structures    7. Home Improvement / Construction    8. House & Home    9. Landscape Horticulture    10. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    11. Outdoor Structure Construction    12. Garden design & planning    13. House & Home / Outdoor & Recreational Areas   

Subjects:  1. Architectural & Industrial    2. Architecture    3. Fiction - General    4. Landscape    5. Subjects & Themes - Landscapes   

Reviews (1)

Greenroofs.com Recommends the Standard of Roof Garden Design
Greenroofs.com inaugurates our new Recommended Readings column with this highly informative reference standard for roof garden aficionados and design professionals alike.While Roof Gardens is clearly focused on the more traditional concept and practice of creating aesthetically pleasing garden space on flat roofs, Mr. Osmundson does address greenroof technology and the industry's advances in the field.In particular, the German market is credited for testing and developing highly effective yet lightweight greenroof components and systems, and case studies are presented.Read more

Subjects:  1. Flowers - General    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. General    6. Home Gardening    7. Horticulture (Specific Aspects)    8. Landscape    9. Roof gardening    10. Roof gardens    11. Garden design & planning    12. Gardens (descriptions, history etc)    13. Specialized gardening methods   

Reviews (2)

Landscape for Screenwriters
"Landscape Narratives" is a source book for screenwriters searching for thematic ideas. As writer and director, it helps me to decode places as textual landscape of my stories. Inspired by the readings I havewritten several short films, mostly dealing with the way fictionalcharacters react to landscapes. Chapter 4 discusses time-altering devicesfound in landscape: jump cut, flashback, fade etc. plot structuringtechniques also used in film. It is a joy to reread this classic book aswould a traveller journeying home.

An intimate redfinitive of one's perception of space
Potteiger and Purinton team up in what in essence is a cultural geographic survey of the American Landscape. The anthropologic influence of nature is explored. Chapters deal with broad topics such as restoration ecology andurban renewal, and each is seen through the an intensely personal lens.This is a bit of a breath of fresh air, given that similar books in thisgenre are more about the author's personal philosophy than the true impactsof man's manipulation of nature.Fortunately the Potteiger and Purinton'slens is filtered through the eyes of real characters, characters rich inpersonality and chalked full of lore. Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Garden Design    3. Gardening    4. Landscape    5. Landscape Design And Planting    6. Landscape architecture    7. Landscape design    8. Architecture / Landscape    9. Landscape art & architecture   

Reviews (4)

Good reference book.Wide spectrum of gardens shown
This book is serving as a good reference material for me.Living in the a sub-tropical region, where water is short and the hot/dry seasonis similar to a mediterrean climate I have been successfully using some of the garden ideas to landscape my own garden.I would recommend this book for the garden enthusiast who wants to start a garden where the soil is not idea and water is scarce,or just for some
Good overview of the mediterranean garden
Living in Colorado, sun-drenched, low-water gardens are pretty much required (at least in my yard:I have about 10 sq. ft. of shade). This book provides an attractive overview of the Mediterranean garden style using some textual descriptions and many photos, with an emphasis on pics of Italian and southern California gardens. Even though many of the classic Mediterranean garden plants are not hardy for me, this book is still useful for studying the structure and design elements of a Mediterranean garden. My only complaint is that the photos appear washed out.I'm sure this was deliberate --- these are "sun-drenched" gardens, after all --- but it makes the detailed structure and the individual plants difficult to discern.

Defines the Aesthetic
This an important work for those concerned with garden design.There are many examples of the Mediterranean Style, with emphasis on French, Italian, and Californian interpretations.The volume is light on text and heavy on pictures (and they are of exceptional quality).At times, the captions neglect to inform the reader of the dominant plant's identity.This is a good introductory volume for the hobbyist and would be a valuable tool for designers to use with clients to clarify and illustrate the style.Great advocacy for use of drought tolerant plants. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Climatic - General    2. Garden Design    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Gardens    7. Landscape    8. Mediterranean Region    9. Mediterranean climate    10. Mediterranean-type plants    11. Plants    12. Garden design & planning    13. Gardening / General    14. Gardens (descriptions, history etc)    15. Specialized gardening methods   

Editorial Review

Dan Snow builds stone walls without benefit of mortar or other binding material. This ancient dry-stone method is experiencing a revival, and Snow's Read more

Reviews (5)

Not a "how-to"
This is not a "how-to" book - it's better than that. It's a "why" book. The author expresses in his understated manner the "why's" of working with stone and for anyone who feels about stone the way he does (and I do)it is a delight to read - and look at. This book is absolutely inspirational and a joy.

In the Company of Stone: Wonderful Coffee Table Book
Being a native resident of Vermont this book is very precious to me.I lived on a dairy farm with dry stone walls that were very plain.Dan Snow made the process into an art form as well as for practical use.The back of the book gives locations of some of his work here in VT and NH and I look forward to seeing some of it next summer. This book is one that should sit on a coffee table to be picked up and scanned by your guests rather than sitting on a bookcase shelf.The book is not only about the work of Dan Snow but a showcase of the photos by Peter Mauss, in color as well as black & white. It is a book you will treasure.
The Art of the Stone Wall
Want to learn how to make a stone wall a piece of art instead of construction?Dan Snow will guide you in this book.A book very strong in artistic expression, not construction technique.One excellent resource is the detail in the back which provides important information on how long each project took,stone sources, and construction methods.Photographer understands the art of stone because he uses his art well to express the art of the stone.You may not learn a whole lot, but you will be inspired, and thats the strength of his work!Its not construction, its truely ART! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Dry stone walls    3. Landscape    4. Architecture / Landscape    5. Landscape art & architecture   

Reviews (2)

SPLENDORS OF FRANCE
A beautiful book from cover to cover.The images are crisp and the subject matter simply breathtaking.The French garden is the Italian Garden talken to the formal extreme.The master of the French garden, the incomparable, Le Notre, brought the formal garden to its apex, with his work at Veax le Vicomte and Versailles.This book does a wonderful job of capturing the French garden at its most spectacular.If you have any interest in formal gardens are just appreciate amazing photography and beauty in general, then i can't imagine you not loving this book.As for the the other reviews comment about this not being a self help book on French formal gardening..i concur, but honestly madame, were you going to go out and create the the Neptune Fountain at Versailles?I suggest u invest in a copy of the Sun King's notes on the gardens of Versailles, they are well written and quite in depth, I mean what else did Louis have to do, I suppose... I mean get real; it's good to be da king..

Gorgeous book
If you are looking for a coffee table book with gorgeous pictures, this is definitely a wonderful book. If you are looking for a book, as I was, that would show you photos of complete gardens so that you might create your own French-inspired garden, this is not the best choice. However, it is a delightful addition to any garden library. If you have been lucky enought to visit France, it brings back fond memories of the landscape. Enjoy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. France    2. Garden Design    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Gardens    7. Gardens, French    8. General    9. Landscape    10. Landscape Architecture And Design    11. Pictorial works    12. Regional - General    13. Art / General   

Editorial Review

Whether you have little more than a glorified big-city fire escape or a small-town backyard, British garden writer Stephen Anderton claims you can create a peaceful oasis in a hectic environment. The emphasis in Read more

Reviews (2)

A peaceful pleasure
This is by far one of the loveliest, most inspirational garden books I've ever read.Stephen's vision of how to create sanctuary within the garden is masterful.The photos and text are both well chosen to evoke a peaceful calm and show the reader how such a feeling can translate from paper to soil.I keep my copy close at hand whether I'm looking for ideas in designing gardens for clients, or just want to soothe my soul.A definite must.

For green thumbs living in the big city
Illustrated with more than 100 photographs, Urban Sanctuaries: Peaceful Havens For The City Gardener by gardening columnist, author and lecturer Stephen Anderton is a basic and straightforward guide for green thumbs living in the big city. In addition to completely "user friendly" and basic gardening advice and clearly portrayed do-it-yourself instructions, Urban Sanctuaries also features numerous "design solutions" to the creation of aesthetically pleasing home gardens that combine beauty with freshness and practicality. A fine book for anyone who wants to reap the visual, fragrant, and edible wards of introducing plant life into their city home, Urban Sanctuaries is a highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic reading lists and reference collections. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Design    2. Garden Design    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Gardens    7. Landscape gardening    8. Urban    9. Garden design & planning    10. Gardening / Landscape   

Subjects:  1. 1265-1321    2. 1265-1321.    3. Dante Alighieri,    4. Divina commedia    5. Rhetoric, Medieval    6. Technique    7. Architecture / Landscape    8. Dante Alighieri   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Business & Economics    3. Business/Economics    4. Finance    5. Landscape   

Reviews (4)

Nice ideas if you own a park
Although the landscapes in this book are beautiful, most of the properties shown were massive, complete with beautiful natural views surrounding them. It was fun to look at the pictures, but realistically, most people aren't dealing with the situations shown here. One terrace garden was shown, but it was small and unremarkable.All the properties shown are on the east coast, so the plant choices are not particularly useful for folks who live west of the Mississippi. It's an interesting way to spend a few minutes looking at the pictures, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone to use in planning a garden.

for those whohate to mow
This method has become my new gardening bible. It has an up to date, environmentally friendly, low maintenance approach. This book will not appeal to those who like large expanses of cut grass. The focus is onreducing or eliminating cut grass and massing plants. This style createsimportant habitats for birds and insects that we destroy with large lawnsand weed killers and fertilizers. And the effect is very beautiful!

My top choice!
I borrowed a dozen books on naturalistic planting from a friend of mine that is REALLY into gardening.All of the books had beautiful photographs and some were interesting to read but only "Gardening WithNature" told me how to design a natural garden for my house.I'm soimpressed I'm going to fork over my own money to buy it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Techniques    2. Natural gardens    3. Natural landscaping    4. Gardening    5. Garden design & planning    6. Gardening / Landscape    7. Landscape art & architecture    8. Gardening/Plants    9. Landscape    10. Garden Design    11. United States    12. Home Gardening    13. Gardens    14. Landscape architecture   

Reviews (5)

My favorite reference book
I am a landscape designer and I use this book constantly, not only for inspiration, but also for the illustrations provided on how to construct many of the architectural features shown.
Excellent primer
This is a great book to get you thinking about the underlying structure of your garden or outdoor space.Van Sweden's style is low-key yet elegant, and his ideas inspirational.

Making good bones
James van Sweden has been designing gardens for over 30 years and he is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. In this book he shares with the reader the essential role that architecture plays in organizing the garden landscape. With carefully chosen examples he shows how man-made features of the garden - paths, walls, gates etc. - create the framework for a garden that is both beautiful and easy to live with.Read more

Subjects:  1. Design    2. Garden Design    3. Garden Furnishings    4. Gardening    5. Gardening / Horticulture    6. Gardening/Plants    7. Gardens    8. Landscape    9. Landscape Design And Planting    10. Landscape architecture    11. Gardening / Garden Design   

Reviews (2)

This book is the Bible of desert landscape
One of the better things that crossed my desk last month was a copy of a new book by John Krieg titled Desert Landscape Architecture (Saint Lucie Press; ISBN: 1574442252.) Whether you are a homeowner, a contractor, abuilder, a wanna-be landscaper or a plant person, you need this book.Desert Landscape Architecture is a hands-on, step-by-step, "HowTo" book that will save anyone thousands of dollars on theirlandscape. The section on plants would make a great college text bookall by itself. There's a plant compendium with over 750 species listed.John is one of very few authors who consider all of our Southwesterndeserts, not just those in his home state of California. DesertLandscape Architecture provides the reader a better understanding of desertenvironments, climatic conditions and how man-made environments aredesigned and installed in order to cope with the harsh deserts.Bestof all, the book is written in the English language....not full of obscuretechnical terms known only to Zen Landscape Architects living in Madrid,Spain. With this book, and only this book, you'll learn about deserts,the soils, the plant life, design, basic standards of landscape design,site grading, drainage planning and whew!....much, much, more.Water-saving ideas are found by the barrel-full in the chapter onirrigation. This chapter emphasizes the critical nature of irrigationdesign and explains it as an environmental necessity, not a technicalissue. There are pages and pages of charts which contain the basicinformation needed by everyone interested in landscape design. This bookshould be required reading for every Planning and Zoning Department in theSouthwest. The author knows which end of the hammer drives the nailand his saw is plugged in and ready to rip. This is a hands-on approach,with hundreds of hints on how to plan ahead and bypass a lot of problemsthat seem to plaque a landscape job, whether it's on a new site or anexisting site that needs refurbishing. John Krieg is a former studentof the Dean of Desert Landscaping, Dr, Eric Johnson of Palm Springs,California. I spoke with Eric about John's book and he said: "John isone in a million. He knows his work and best of all, he knows how to write!His book moves right along, without a hitch. It's not just another dry oldtext book with footnotes in small print. This book will become the Bible ofdesert landscaping in the future." Sure enough, a glance at thetext shows bibliographies set in "jumbo" print and the author hasincluded personal comments on each reference cited. Simply stated,Desert Landscape Architecture is the only book you will ever need to buy.It's an investment that will easily save you several thousanddollars. I am proud to have been among the pre-publication readers ofDesert Landscape Architecture. Many times, writers get talked into being areader and when the suggestions get back to the author they are ignored.Folks, John doesn't play that way...each and every suggestion I made wasfollowed. Ditto for the suggestions made by Eric Johnson. Congratulations, John, you've written a winner!

Great source of information, Past due for deset landscapers
great idealism, finally put in to words, I was a little reluctant on some of the books sources, but found it to be for the most part to be right on. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Desert landscape architecture    3. Landscape    4. Life Sciences - Ecology    5. Regional - General    6. Arid zones, deserts    7. Landscape art & architecture    8. Nature / Ecology   

Reviews (4)

Finally Organization
Jerry Baker's Green Grass Magic is a wonderful book for people who want to know more about growing grass (the turf kind) but, don't want to be to technical. He does get into the technical aspects of Grass but those sections are delivered simply and in small chuncks with a dose of humor. What I like about Mr. Baker is that reading his books is a bit like talking withyour grandfather, he interjects tidbits about how life was and wisdom from his Grandma Putt, in with his advice for your lawn. Mr. Baker has finally gotten better in orginazing his books. You can quickly find the information that you want. His chapter headings give you an idea about that that chapter is about which makes it easier to find a given subject and the book is indexed. He has put all of the recipies that crop up in the book for his various tonics and such in the back of the book as well as through out the book. It makes it a lot easier to look up what is in a given tonic. I like the tonics that he gives though, the neighbors raise eyebrows when they find that I am buying Beer for my lawn, but, if you do what he tells you to do then you will have a more beautiful lawn.

Jerry Baker's Green Grass Magic
Good info.Have used one of the tonics and found that it does work...

Tips and Tonics
The tips and tonics for yard care alone make this book worth the price.I have spent numerous $$ on trying to get my yard in tip top shape, with chemicals and expensive items.Jerry has simple, grocery store items, that can help make a sad yard happy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Landscape Horticulture    5. Lawns    6. Turfgrass Management    7. Gardening / Lawns   

Reviews (1)

A love affair with roses
Peter Beales is one of the most recognized names in the rose world and his previous book "Classic Roses" is still one of the best reference books for roses on the market. His latest, "Passion for Roses" is not a reference book but a good introduction to roses. In the first chapter, Beales writes about how his love affair with roses began and how it has progressed since he first discovered them as a teenager working in a nursery. He has traveled the world photographing roses and many of them are included here. He also remembers some of the most memorable gardens he has visted.
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Subjects:  1. Flowers - Roses    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Landscape    6. Pictorial works    7. Rose culture    8. Roses    9. Gardening / Flowers / Roses   

Reviews (12)

Highly Recommended
This is a highly useful, and useable, book outlining the native Texas plants that have significant gardening interest.I only wish I could have gotten a hardback version, because the binding is getting quite a lot of use ;) .It is well-illustrated, offers an interesting site-plan example for each of the various soil/climate regions in Texas, and contains a good deal of useful information.
Not what I was hoping for
Although does cover some of the material I was hoping for, it seems to mainly deal with landscaping (duh, read the title guy), I was hoping for a book that dealt more with native plants, covering more plants, more photos, less to do with landscaping, more to do with identification.Maybe that book exists somewhere.
TX Native Landscaping Must Have Book
This is the best book I have found with information about TX native plants and it has great ideas for TX Native Plant Lanscaping for all regions of TX, from the Heat and Humidity of East TX to the heat,cold, and wind of the Panhandle. A must have information book in this era of water shortages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Garden Design    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Landscape    6. Landscape Horticulture    7. Landscape gardening    8. Landscape plants    9. Life Sciences - Botany    10. Native plant gardening    11. Native plants for cultivation    12. Plant Geography    13. Regional - General    14. Texas    15. Garden design & planning    16. Gardening / Landscape    17. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (3)

I too only wish I had gotten book sooner
This book is great. I am a junior landscape architecture major, and my introductory classes skipped over the important basic details. Even though I've caught onto the basic skills over time, this book is a great reference and I'm still finding new things. This book is very easy to follow and a has a few pages of colored pages so that you can see his marker and colored pencil examples.I would most definitely recommend this book!!

Great Book!
Great book, this guy knows what he's talking about. I only wish I'd gotten this book sooner.
I am a landscape architecture student and was unhappy with the books suggested by the teachers, so I decided to try this book and I am very glad that I did.It explains everthing from site plans to coloring your design in easly understandable terms.It basically combined all of the elements of my classes into one book, so that I have a reference to take me from the beginning of a design to its completion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Computer Graphics - General    3. Computer graphics    4. Design & Drafting    5. Gardening    6. Gardening/Plants    7. Landscape    8. Landscape architectural drawin    9. Landscape architectural drawing    10. Computer graphics software    11. Gardening / Landscape    12. Graphic design    13. Landscape art & architecture   

Reviews (8)

Worthwhile classic
The author spends the first part of the book discussing what to do to prepare a shady site for a garden and his informal tone and candid assessment of his own mistakes will encourage the most timid to venture into the darker regions of the garden. There are 8 pages of full color and scattered black and white photos throughout the book, so for those unfamiliar with the mentioned plants, another photo-heavy reference or two is a must.The black and white photos, however, are very useful to indicate foliage texture and form, which is often not noticeable in color pictures. Rather than using USDA hardiness zones, Schenk gives region codes to indicate the hardiness of plants. He includes trees, shrubs, groundcovers, vines, ferns, perennials, annuals, even edibles. The book was last updated in 1991 and the list of hybrids grows ever longer; still, this is a handy reference to consult before a nursery trip to see the latest and greatest. A helpful list of specialty nurseries, with notes on the specialty of each, is included, as are suggested plans for a shady retreat. A terrific book.

A Bible for Flower Gardeners Challenged by Shade
Thinking I needed full sun to grow any plants and flowers, I was prepared to cut down trees and clear land. But finding this book in the library stopped me in my tracks. I renewed it three times because I didn't want to give it back. Finally I came here for my own copy. There are incredibly beautiful flowers that grow in partial and full shade. I would've never known that without this excellent book.

An excellent gardening resource
The Complete Shade Gardener by landscape and garden designer George Schenk is an exceptional, well-written and organized guide to shade-gardening for atmosphere, beauty, and personal satisfaction. Black-and-white photographs with an inset selection of color plates illustrate the advice and commentary provided. Also included is a horticultural wealth of background information on a long list of recommended plants to cultivate, how-to instructions for their incorporation into a garden, and a great deal more. The Complete Shade Gardener is an excellent gardening resource and a welcome, practical, highly recommended addition to personal and professional gardening reference collections. ... 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. Gardening / Reference    9. Gardening: plants   

Subjects:  1. Bird Watching    2. Bird attracting    3. Birds & Birdwatching - General    4. Garden Design    5. Gardening    6. Gardening to attract birds    7. Gardening/Plants    8. Home Gardening    9. Landscape    10. Nature    11. Gardening / Garden Design   

Reviews (4)

Excellent presentation
I have been looking for a garden design book for some time that would be heavy on how to lay out the design professionally on paper.This book goes through the progression of the design process and shows each step in the process.It has been extremelyhelpful in my designing of a three acre property.

Excellent for even experienced landscape professionals
I am using this book as a textbook for a Garden Design class.I have several years of garden design experience and have many more years of gardening experience.This book explains the design process in an easy to understand and inspiring way.I have found that it addresses planting and design in subtley different ways that jog my mind to be more creative.It is well written, well designed and very informative.

Great for Beginners
I moved into a new house and needed to do something with the landscaping.It is a mess.I cannot afford to hire a professional, so I bought this book hoping it would help me come up with a plan on my own.I haven't finished the book yet, but am finding it very helpful.It is more like a text book on how to draw up a garden plan, aimed at professionals, but it isn't overly technical and is fairly informative. I would have given it 5 five stars except that I am not very artistic, and I wish the book had more info to help me in that regard. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Design    2. Garden Design    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Gardens    7. General    8. Landscape    9. Garden design & planning