Book Description
Over 400 entries of the most practical, up-to-date gardening information ever, collected from garden experts and writers nationwide!"Gardens are places to renew yourself in mind and body, to reawaken to the truth and beauty of the natural world, and to feel the life force inside and around you. And the organic way to garden is safer, cheaper, and more satisfying. Organic gardeners have shown that it's possible to have pleasant and productive gardens in every part of this country without using toxic chemicals. They make their home grounds an island of purity."--Robert Rodale
Customer Reviews:
Very imformative.......2007-09-07
This book was recommended by a friend and it is exceptionally informative and well written. I would recommend it to anyone seeking more info on organic gardening. It has ideas that are cheap to do that work wonderfully!
Organic is not a synonym for boring.......2007-07-23
This book is so bland and boring it is nearly generic. If you are at all excited by the prospect of things organic, don't buy this book. Look for something with juices flowing in the veins or you will find yourself semi-comatose and bored with organic before you begin.
This book could have been more than just a [quite generalized] reference book. It could have been an inspiration. Fortunately it's recyclable.
It's okay, but it's not the original!.......2007-05-15
I was in a used book store recently and compared the old and new versions side-by-side. I bought the old one. The old version has so much great detailed information that the new one lacks.
Don't get me wrong, the new version is "prettier". It's still got some great stuff in it you might not find in some other sources. But, it is more of a treatise or "Cliff's Notes" version--it isn't exhaustive.
Still a great reference for those new to gardening. However, it should have been called "Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: LITE".
Encyclopedia... That's Just What It Is!.......2007-02-07
Rodale always does an excellent job of researching what we gardeners want to know about. And the ALL-NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA of ORGANIC GARDENING is no exception. I refer to it frequently and usually find the information I'm looking for.
A Great Beginner's Reference (with a small "bug" of an error).......2007-01-18
I have repeatedly returned to my copy of this book, usually when I am about to embark on a garden chore and want a refresher course in the hows and whys. The alphabetical topics include "Animal Pests", "Asparagus", "Beneficial Insects", "Cold Frames", "Edible Landscaping", Garlic, "Irrigation", "Pelargoniums", "Trees" and hundreds more, all simple to locate as though you were reading a phone book. Each entry contains an encyclopedia-style summary with an organic method slant. Beginners and intermediate gardeners will find the info provided invaluable, but if you want an in-depth explanation, seek a more expert book.
Other features include a recommended reading list, an index of common plant names paired with their botanical names, and simple line drawings illustrating many of the book's topics.
That said, I was sad to see a mistake in the "tomato" entry as I was reading it just now... the book recommends planting dill near your tomatoes to attract tomato hornworms. Unfortunately, these are not the same species and killing caterpillars found on dill will simply reduce the number of swallowtail butterflies in your garden (tomato hornworms are a type of sphinx/hawk moth.) I advocate planting the dill anyway and leaving the caterpillars alone! The rest of the 5 pages devoted to tomatoes includes an overview on choosing plants or seeds, bed preparation and planting, tomato pruning tips, recommended fertilizers, how to make long-lasting tomato cages, a disease summary, harvesting information, recommended cultivars for organic growers, and tomatoes raised in small spaces.
A nice reference for the gardener who is in a hurry to get outside and plant!
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Book... A must have for organic gardening.......2007-07-15
This book is awesome. Eliot presents an abundance of information. The information is organized and clear. Eliot does not assume what we already know, and what we have at our disposal. For example, many books will tell you how to create a mulch pile. You need this much brown matter, this much green matter, ... . That is all fine and dandy, but where do I magically get all of this material! Eliot understands this and explains many ways we can obtain the mulch material. He also does not assume your knowledge basis. For example, he will explain what and how a lugume works. This book is a constant resource for the organic gardener.
A great book!
Get This Book.......2007-03-17
I live in Northwest Washington. Cool, dry in July in August, generally mild and wet the rest of the year. If you are thinking tomatoes, long season sweet corn, peaches, melons, peppers, etc. you are on the wrong side of the state - try Eastern Washington. Either way, or where ever you grow, this is the bible. Its the most comprehensive, holistic guide I know. You might also read other guides, embellish or adapt Eliot's system to fit your situation, but you won't find a better collection of techniques to start from! Get this book!
Wooo..........2007-02-09
Got me hiped up for my next several years here in Missouri. Practical, simplified systems for both the new and novice organic gardener. Definitely a fun read. Bring your highlighter. Thank you to the author, and all of the great shoulders that he stood on to get to this point...
My new constant companion.......2006-12-22
Mr. Coleman has packed so much information into this wonderful book! I have started to use many of his suggestions. Keeping the costs of growing food down was one of the first subjects that caught my attention.
simply down to earth - literally.......2006-08-11
This is absolutely the best, straightforward, down to earth, organic gardening book I have ever read. No hype, no buzzwords, no new age crap, no agenda. Simply down to earth - literally.
Book Description
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring antagonized some of the most powerful interests in the nation--including the farm block and the agricultural chemical industry--and helped launch the modern environmental movement. In The Gentle Subversive, Mark Hamilton Lytle offers a compact life of Carson, illuminating the road that led to this vastly influential book. Lytle explores the evolution of Carson's ideas about nature, her love for the sea, her career as a biologist, and above all her emergence as a writer of extraordinary moral and ecological vision. We follow Carson from her childhood on a farm outside Pittsburgh, where she first developed her love of nature (and where, at age eleven, she published her first piece in a children's magazine), to her graduate work at Johns Hopkins and her career with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Lytle describes the genesis of her first book, Under a Sea Wind, the incredible success of The Sea Around Us (a New York Times Bestseller for over a year), and her determination to risk her fame in order to write her "poison book": Silent Spring. The author contends that despite Carson's demure, lady-like demeanor, she was subversive in her thinking and aggressive in her campaign against pesticides. Carson became the spokeswoman for a network of conservationists, scientists, and concerned citizens who had come to fear the mounting dangers of the human assault on nature. What makes this story particularly compelling is that Carson took up this cause at the very moment when she herself faced a losing battle against cancer. Succinct and engaging, The Gentle Subversive is a story of success, celebrity, controversy, and vindication. It will inspire anyone interested in protecting the natural world or in women's struggle to find a voice in society.
Book Description
Gardening is now the favorite outdoor leisure activity in America. Homeowners realize the health benefits available from gardening and the potential increase in their home's property value.
Regional gardening titles offer the most useful advice because they provide credible information on the plants that perform best in specific states. Gardeners want information they can trust and use successfully in their own gardens.
The New England Gardeners Guide is devoted to offering the top landscape plants for New England, including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Customer Reviews:
A constant source of reference for me!.......2007-02-20
This book is great! I love the photographs (especially nice to look at in the dead of winter!) and the simple and concise way the information is conveyed. I refer to this book over and over again!
Average customer rating:
- tfhgf
- Beautiful, about self-discovery via doing something you love
|
A Growing Gardener
Abbie Zabar
Manufacturer: Universe Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Container Gardening
| Techniques
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0789300354
Release Date: 1996-09-15 |
Book Description
Spend the entire year with Abbie Zabar, for your garden and for your soul. From her rooftop perch, Zabar, noted gardener and author of the best-selling The Potted Herb, here shares the practical-- and universal-- truths that are at the heart of everyone's gardening experience. Her rich wisdom will inspire all readers to cultivate their lives with new-found observations and serenity. Abbie Zabar is an award-winning writer, artist, designer, and gardener, who lives in Manhattan. Her work is part of the permanent collection of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, one of the foremost resources of botanical art in the world.
Customer Reviews:
tfhgf.......1999-02-17
100
Beautiful, about self-discovery via doing something you love.......1999-02-10
This book is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen, and with incredible text, too, which would be easy to overlook given how gorgeous it is visually. It's about coming to know oneself through doing a loved activity well, at the highest level, by a true gourmand who puts Martha Stewart to shame with the quality and care she brings to gardening, cooking, and art. Zabar illustrated and designed the book, as well as wrote the text. She has one of the most famous terrace gardens in New York City, on the penthouse floor overlooking Central Park. She takes you through a year in her garden, opening herself up to the reader about such matters as her divorce, being a woman and artist, materialism, perfectionism, and the beautiful uncontrollability of nature. She is humbled by her garden and learns from it, and teaches what she knows. Throughout the amazing text are quotes from others, written in Zabar's award-winning calligraphy. This book should be read by every woman, gardener, and artist, and should have gotten lots more attention than it did. It's the perfect gift, too, so uplifting and gorgeous!
Customer Reviews:
New Mexico Gardener's Guide, Revised Edition.......2007-09-24
Such a great resource for plants and how to take care of them. This is my second copy, since my first has gotten a little ragged around the edges.
Also, eazy to use....
This is the one!.......2007-09-03
I have scads of gardening books. When I moved South from Albuquerque and changed zones, I bought a half-dozen more.
As I slowly decorate my new desert I find myself constantly going to this one...rather than the giant tomes that I purchased.
Why? Because Ms. Phillips tells you how to grow the stuff. And, she's culled the zillions of plants down to the best...the easiest...the most forgiving. She tells you why, gives you the best cultivars, suggests companion plants. And, again, tells you why.
Every time I ignore her advice, I'm sorry that I did.
Good book.......2007-01-10
Great pictures and great format. There is a picture of the plant along with all information about the plant on the same page, no need to search to match the plant with its picture.
Book Description
Gardening is now the favorite leisure pastime in America. Homeowners are realizing the health benefits derived from gardening and the increase in their home's property value.
Book retailers are well aware that the trend in gardening books is to regional titles that provide credible information on the plants that perform well in specific regions.
Written by gardening expert Judith Phillips, this book offers advice on the diverse landscape of New Mexico.
Contains easy to use advice on the top landscape plant choices (more than 160 entries) for New Mexico.
Recommends specific varieties and provides advice on how to plant, how to grow and how to care for New Mexico's best plants.
Customer Reviews:
Good information if you are familar with the plants.......2006-02-05
I liked the information presented in this book but would have liked to see a larger photograph of the plants. Most of the book is black and white with a section of small photographs of the plants. I cannot see leaf definition or perhaps even the look of fruits or blooms. In books of plants that someone like me, from another part of the US, needs more detailed photographs to be truly helpful.
Helping me through the transition.......2004-04-02
I am a novice gardener and native Kansan, and was extremely daunted when moving into my new house made me mistress of a well-established, water-hungry New Mexico garden. By covering each kind of plant individually, with both practical and aesthetic advice, this book has allowed me to proceed with confidence.
Its strengths:
- I have found very few among my existing plantings that I couldn't identify (and care for) based on the descriptions and color photos in this book.
- The coverage includes both xeric and water-hungry plants that are hardy here, which has helped me maintain what I inherited while preparing to transition to a lower water use spread.
Its weaknesses:
- Now that I have survived spring clean-up, I am interested in more generalized landscaping advice that isn't included here. The focus is entirely on specific plants, with only passing reference to subjects such as designing a layout or installing a drip system.
Useful and well-organized info for New Mexico landscaping.......1999-01-10
As a fellow person in the landscape design profession locally, I am pleased with my purchase, though I don't agree with every bit of information in the book. Most important, though, Judith illustrates the subtle, yet important factors that influence how plants can grow sucessfully and where in our region. I have had some different experiences with climate data and some plants (Mesquite is one) than she has, but I highly recommend that natives and new arrivals alike apply the facts in this book to avoid the common plant mistakes made in New Mexico!
Customer Reviews:
Engrossing story, don't miss it........2005-04-23
I read this book when it was first published and I have carried it around in my head ever since. My copy has "gone missing" and now intend to repurchase and read it again. I will always recall Anne's adventures warmly. Her statement about using the wind as a dryer has stuck with me. She is a remarkble woman.
Captivating!.......2005-04-22
Her first - WOODSWOMAN - just captivated me from the first page to the last. Then, every other book in the series - WOODSWOMAN II, WOODSWOMAN III - was like watching a movie. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. WOODSWOMAN IV is the most exciting yet - her walk across Black Bear Lake in February through three inches of ice water over one foot of snow is riveting. The chapters about her German shepherd, Chekika, who was quadriplegic for two years, show the deep love the author has for her dogs. When James Herriot published his books, I didn't think anyone could come close to his writing. But, Anne has. I love her books as much as his!
On the Road with the WOODSWOMAN.......2005-02-18
WOODSWOMAN IV - Book Four of the Woodswoman's Adventures.
Anne LaBastille ISBN 0-9632846-3-0
Strong and independent, Anne LaBastille has chosen to live very simply as an ecologist and an Adirondack wilderness guide. She loves the solitude of the mountain lakes and woodlands. Fortunately for us she shares her vision once again in this fourth book of the WOODSWOMAN series. She seeks solitude and revels in everyday miracles of nature. She lives a contemplative, traditional life in an increasingly technological world. In this book she shares vignettes of life in her log cabin next to the Adirondack wilderness; a frugal, yankee approach to publishing; a "Deliverance-like" adventure in Appalachia and much more. Her style is conversational and easy. Delve into a chapter and into the book's 50 photos and you are there, alongside her. It is a fast and delightful read.
I really didn't want this book to end.
Ellie Horwitz
Concord, MA
A sensitive, intelligent, and compelling book.......2003-10-02
I have to admit up front: I'm an Anne LaBastille fan. Ever since I read her gripping book, Woodswoman, I've been hooked. As an avid conservationist and author, I've even had the privelege of meeting her and having dinner with her at her cabin on her beloved Black Bear Lake. Sitting around a crackling fire, drinking wine, we talked about book publishing, writing, and the acid rain that has devastated lakes like hers in the northeastern United States.
This book, while tamer than Woodswoman is a sensitive, intelligent, and compelling tale of five years in Anne's life in the Adirondacks. Those who, like me, read her books will be rewarded many times over. Those who haven't yet had the opportunity to explore her world will likely find this book a delight. No matter what the topic -- her self-publishing ventures, a hummingbird that landed on her hand to seek refuge from an overzealous suitor, the death of her beloved dog Chekika or her wild adventures in America's South -- Anne's skilled story telling will keep you entranced. You'll smile, you'll laugh, you'll shiver in fear, and you'll cry as you read this wonderful book. You'll no doubt want to go back to the beginning to pick up a copy of Woodswoman.
Enthralling!.......2003-06-21
Anne LaBastille has penned another riveting read recounting her adventures as an independent woman residing in the wilderness and as a wildlife biologist striving to protect the natural world. She shares her forays in the complex world of self-publishing which adds a new dimension to this already accomplished visionary. Quite frankly, LaBastille is my favorite writer - her life is fascinating and I marvel at her commitment and ability to convey the emotional pain of losing her beloved pet-companions. Her talented writing style allows the reader to experience the fear of death she faced when confronted by out-of-control, gun-wielding thugs while camping in a public wilderness park. WOODSWOMAN IV is a page-turner that chronicles the changes in "Woodswoman's" life - and society.
...
Average customer rating:
- Five stars are simply not enough.
|
The Gardener's Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Native Plants
Valda Paddison
Manufacturer: Godwit
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Regional
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
| Canada
| Middle Atlantic
| Midwest
| New England
| Pacific Northwest
| South
| Southwest
| West
By Plant
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
| Begonias
| Berries
| Bonsai
| Cacti
| Citrus Trees
| Clematis
| Dahlias
| Ferns
| Grapes
| Grasses
| Greens
| Hostas
| Hydrangeas
| Irises
| Lavender
| Lilacs
| Lilies
| Magnolias
| Orchids
| Palm Trees
| Peppers & Chiles
| Roses
| Tomatoes
| Tulips
Science
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Botany
| Biological Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Botany
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1869620437 |
Book Description
New Zealand's unique and diverse native flora includes hundreds of outstanding garden plants—from imposing specimen trees such a kauri and rimu, through the vast array of shrubs and herbaceous plants with admirable forms, foliage and flowers, to graceful grasses and quirky, mat-forming groundcovers.
The Gardener's Encyclopedia of New Zealand Native Plants brings together for the first time over 1000 species, hybrids, and cultivars in a highly illustrated, user-friendly, encyclopedic volume. Over(Nearly?) 1000 color photographs, arranged according to the plants' attributes and uses in the garden, include examples of landscaping possibilities as well as numerous plant portaits. The accompanying A to Z gives detailed descriptions, cultivation and propagation information. There are also lists of plants with desirable features or for particular situations.
Yvonne Cave's stunning photographs and Valda Paddison's authoritative text combine to make a comprehensive and unique book that will be welcomed by gardeners, horticulture professionals, botanists and conservationists.
Customer Reviews:
Five stars are simply not enough........2003-10-10
I ordered this book and was amazed and enthralled by it from the moment I cracked the cover. What a find. I had no idea New Zealand had such wonderful plants. I wish the section on Alpine Wildflowers was more thorough but it wasn't bad. It could use information on cultivation, hardiness, and availability and the book would be perfect. I want to grow some of these plants so bad it isn't even funny. I fell in love with this book and would never part with it. It will remain a cherished part of my library as it would be with yours. Don't pass up the opportunity to get this one. It is well worth the money.
I am a botanist and work for a nursery. I have an extensive library, mostly on the area where I live but I love plants from all over the world. Especially if the plants can survive my climate. I got some good information and photographs from this book. I am not kidding when I said I was amazed. I fell in love with in in the first few pages.
Customer Reviews:
The Man Behind the Work.......2007-09-03
For those who have the privilege of knowing him as a friend, this book
provides additional personal glimpses into the life of the man and his
passionate friendships, as well as revealing the nature of his work as
understood by his colleagues and associates in the fields of agriculture,
poetry, and the art of the essay. For those who have never met him, nor
perhaps ever heard of him, this gem of a book will give them some of
the essence of what he and his work stand for, and will make them want to
seek out the primary texts for themselves. An entertaining and well-
meant tribute to a man who has not only contributed greatly to American
letters, but has turned the ordinary toward the holy (as it was meant
to be) once again.
Books:
- Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener
- Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener
- Seedfolks (Joanna Colter Books)
- Slug Tossing: And Other Adventures of a Reluctant Gardener
- Small Spaces, Beautiful Gardens
- Small Spaces, Beautiful Gardens
- Taunton's Front Yard Idea Book: How to Create a Welcoming Entry and Expand Your Outdoor Living Space (Idea Books)
- Texas Trees: A Friendly Guide
- The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest
- The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life
Books Index
Books Home
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The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy Without Chemicals
Great Garden Companions: A Companion-Planting System for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free Vegetable Garden
Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening
The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener's Supply Book)
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening
