Book Description
Training plants into fanciful shapes is a popular hobby among today's gardeners.
Customer Reviews:
Good book for beginners.......2000-05-02
This is a great beginner's book on how to create topiaries & espaliers. The book is in full color with lots of photos. Instructions are clear and easy to follow. In each section appropriate plant types are discussed.
First, frameless topiaries are described. Designs included are lollipop, poodle, spiral, & corkscrew trees. The book then shows how to make empty frame topiaries. Included are circles, hoops and spirals.
Then it shows you how to make a moss-filled bunny. Following this method you can make almost any shape imaginable. Several kinds of espalier shapes, and how to make them are then show.
Finally, knots, mazes, pleaching, pollarding & coppicing are covered. Proper tools and shaping hedges are explained as well. Be aware that most plants used are for warmer climates (zone 6 or above).
Disappointing--skimpy, very basic info........2000-03-31
This is the first negative review I've written, and I feel badly about it. I was so anticipating the arrival of this book.
The instructions, which I was eager to get, were only the most general, basic things I already knew even though I'm a raw beginner. I was particularly interested in espalier and pleached allee directions and was hoping for a book with lot of focus on these. A couple of short articles available on the Net were much more informative and illustrated each step very clearly.
The list of recommended plant materials was limited. With a little research on the Internet, I obtained a much more extensive list suited to my area.
The photos were the best part, although they could have been improved, too.
The most positive statement I can make is that the price was most reasonable, and perhaps that is why this book was so lightweight, more for browsing than using for instruction.
I'm ordering another book from Amazon, hoping for better instructions--and hopefully, I'll be able to write a glowing review!
Book Description
For beauty and practicality, nothing can equal the popular kitchen garden, with its combination of ornamental and edible plants.
Book Description
Winter doesn't have to be a dreary wasteland for northern gardeners. Even when flowers won't bloom, you can have a garden that's colorful and full of visual interest. This book describes the best evergreens, trees and shrubs with colorful twigs and bark, ornamental grasses, and winter fruits and berries that will liven your yard - and then shows you how to take care of them.
Customer Reviews:
Good advice for a year-round garden.......2004-10-02
The author suggests that you plan your garden with winter in mind. She explains which plants need special care and how to care for them. She shows how to improve plant survival, where and how to plant more sensitive species to avoid damage from snow or frost, how to protect plants from frozen soil, etc.
Buchanan organizes her book by plants that stay green over winter (evergreens), have showy bark or twigs, bear fruits or berries, and by grasses and first flowers. Within each group, she suggests several plants and describes them (look, height, light requirements, growing zone, and attraction points). About a quarter of the plants are shown in photographs. The book is a great reference for anyone interested in creating a year-round attractive garden.
Some good ideas..........2001-07-27
For those who live in cold climates, or those who want to be assured of some year-round interest from their plantings, this is a good source of ideas. The Winter Garden lists (with many color photographs) plants of all types and sizes which remain interesting in winter for their color, shape, berries, or texture. It's a good book to read for gardeners who are suffering from let down when the blooming season passes. I found this bit of advice useful: plan any landscape as if it were a winter landscape. Then you will be assured of some beauty all year, and even more so when the flowers do finally pop up. Also, plant an evergreen shrub and maybe some ornamental grass (or Christmas ferns) in the center of a garden bed; colorful annuals and perennials can surround this when weather permits.
Amazon.com
There are thousands of British gardens open to the public. Of these, Patrick Taylor has chosen the most distinctive 100, selected for beauty, pleasure, and British horticultural tradition. The great traditional gardens of Hidcote and Stourhead are included, as are a variety of lesser-known but mesmerizingly lovely spots throughout Britain.
Even in the southwest, the climates vary significantly. Tresco Abby on the Isles of Scilly (accessible by ferry or helicopter from Penzance), for example, has a most impressive collection of subtropical plants. Agaves, yuccas and aeoniums line the rocky hills of this garden planted by Augustus Smith in 1834 on Tresco's sunny slopes. Behind windbreaks of Monterey Pine, palms sway and luxuriant exotics thrive. Then there's the landscape park at Stourhead, still in the southwest but light-years apart in climate and style. Dating back to 1741, these 40 acres of garden are an icon of 18th century English landscape style, with classical structures like the Temple of Apollo, the domed and pillared Pantheon, and numerous statures situated among magnificent trees, a lake, and grassy banks. There are brilliant Japanese maples in Gloucesterchire's Westonbirt, fabulous topiary and yew hedges in the garden at Plas Brondanw, Wales, a noble example of formal gardens at York's Castle Howard, and great undulating beds of peonies, Himalayan poppies, and pink rhododendron to be seen in Scotland's Branklyn Garden.
All in all, Taylor's guide to British gardens provides a quality reference for garden connoisseurs and a beautiful way to get to know Britain for travelers and horticultural novices. --Stephanie Gold
Book Description
This authoritative new series of guidebooks to the gardens of Europe is the perfect companion for any garden enthusiast, whether tourist or armchair traveler. Each title is a richly illustrated in-depth guide to over 100 gardens, from the famous to little-known hidden treasures, and features colorful photography and easy-to-read illustrations commissioned especially for this series. Also included are maps, directions, complete visitor information, special features, and neighboring sites of interest.
Each guide, written by a gardening expert, begins with a comprehensive background on the country's garden history and local climate. The most significant gardens in each volume are featured in even greater detail, accompanied by illustrated plans of the gardens and close-up views of particular features. The numerous color photographs and maps show travelers what awaits at each garden. The Garden Lover's Guides are indispensible aids for those planning European travel itineraries.
The Garden Lover's Guide to Britain, written by Patrick Taylor, ranges from the sweeping views of Stourhead to the jungle-like ambiance of Inverewe on the Scottish coast.
Book Description
Making Gardens shows that, by looking at well-made gardens and analyzing the nature of their design, any gardener can learn from other people's experiences. Patrick Taylor presents color photos of 40 gardens, most of them private and designed by amateurs. In each example the site, materials, and plants are analyzed in detail. A catalog of the hundreds of plants mentioned in the garden examples gives useful cultivation details.
Amazon.com
Packed with information on over 100 public and private gardens, the slim Garden Lover's Guide to France offers the perfect tour for anyone who's passionate about plants and wants to explore the tailored greenery of France. Author Patrick Taylor is an experienced garden historian who includes a balanced mixture of information, photographs, and diagrams to describe what he calls the two distinctive types of cultivated areas in France: the 17th-century Baroque gardens and public gardens. Covering mostly grand and formal gardens, the book is divided into five major regions and includes helpful tour maps and directions. In each garden's profile, readers will find detailed descriptions of the garden, its history, color photographs, plant species and varieties, special landscape or architectural features, facilities information, and nearby sites of interest. Some of the larger and more renowned gardens such as Versailles and Chateau de Courances have three-dimensional garden plans, which are helpful when exploring the grounds. From the Jardin des Plantes in Paris to Monet's garden at Giverny to the desert specimens of Jardin Exotique in Monaco, visitors are sure to find la plus belle of this picturesque country. --Karen Karleski
Book Description
This authoritative new series of guidebooks to the gardens of Europe is the perfect companion for any garden enthusiast, whether tourist or armchair traveler. Each title is a richly illustrated in-depth guide to over 100 gardens, from the famous to little-known hidden treasures, and features colorful photography and easy-to-read illustrations commissioned especially for this series. Also included are maps, directions, complete visitor information, special features, and neighboring sites of interest.
Each guide, written by a gardening expert, begins with a comprehensive background on the country's garden history and local climate. The most significant gardens in each volume are featured in even greater detail, accompanied by illustrated plans of the gardens and close-up views of particular features. The numerous color photographs and maps show travelers what awaits at each garden. The Garden Lover's Guides are indispensible aids for those planning European travel itineraries. The Garden Lover's Guide to France covers the Baroque parterres of Versailles as well as the explosive patterns of color in Monet's garden at Giverny.
Customer Reviews:
useful information, especially about the North of France.......2001-11-21
I have been looking at a number of books about gardens in France, and this is the only one that I could use to plan a trip. The coverage is very good, though the vast majority are in the Paris region (Ile de France).
Unlike, say, "the Secret Gardens of France", the gardens listed here are open to the public.
The notes on each garden are concise. You will need another book if you want to learn about the history of landscape architecture. But the author does provide an assessment of the gardens described: state of repair, relation to original design, beauty, etc. The photo illustrations are very good.
My only criticism is that I wish the book was twice as big.
Book Description
Nature's colorful creatures will flock to the yard when you follow the guidelines set forth in this book. Attractive flowers and natural plantings will attract birds and butterflies throughout the season.
Customer Reviews:
attractingbirds and butterflies to your garden.......2007-01-04
The butterflies were a definate plus in my garden this year, will be working on the birds this year!
Book Description
Capture the elusive beauty of fragrant flowers with the help of Peter Loewer, the author and/or illustrator of more than 30 gardening books.
Customer Reviews:
lovely pictures.......2002-03-27
The photographs in this book are gorgeous and the text is interesting, informative and inspiring. Rather than leaping right into a description of flowering plants, however, the author begins with a chapter on smell itself, discussing it's importance, the fragrances that were popular in the Victorian era and those that are sought after today. The plants themselves are divided by type: annuals (which, for some reason, is where he puts scented geraniums); perennials; roses; bulbs, corms and tubers; shrubs and vines; water gardens; night gardens; and scented houseplants. Each chapter describes a large variety of plants and explains where and how to grow them. Also included is a design map for planting a border of annuals; a brief section on the diseases and pests that attack roses; a short chapter on general garden maintenance; and a complete index (but no list of suppliers).
The author has an easy to read, rambling writing style. He tells stories, gives personal reflections, supplies quotes from litereature and horticultural writings, and clearly know his subject. If you are looking for a general book on fragrant gardens, then you'll probably like this one a great deal. But if you're looking for more of a guide to scented plants, which ones to grow where, in a concise format, then this isn't the book for you. The author does supply light/water/soil requirements and hardiness zones for the plants in the book, but it's included in the text, it isn't in an easy-to-find table which means that you have to read through the entire thing in order to find appropriate plants for your garden.
This book is so pretty and fun to read that it would make a nice present for someone who likes to read gardening literature but it really isn't for the person who, like myself, was looking for quick reference guide to the types of scented plants for zone 5 that grow in full sun and under dense trees.
Customer Reviews:
Taylor's Guide to Gardening in the South.......2000-04-17
Online Review: Taylor's Guide to Gardening in the South, published by Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. Reviewed by Russell Lipp on 4/17/2000. Email rlipp@compuserve.com.
This 391 page illustrated guide to gardening in the southeastern part of the United States is an excellent value. There are 145 pages of color plates. Overall, what makes this guide appealing are the following points: - The guide is laid out in a logical sequence for both experienced and new gardeners. - All the basic gardening ideas and steps are clearly explained. - The color plates provide botanic and common names, plant height, unique characteristics, best growing region and reference pages to detail information. - The guide's price is lower than other regional gardening books. - There is a very good index, as well as several appendices that include a list of public gardens and their addresses, seed and plant sources and references.
This guide is not meant to be a thoroughly complete treatise for all southern gardening. As such, it is weak on the following points: - It does not cover annual flowers (and thereby saves considerable bulk). - Some of the color plates have photographs taken from a distance so that close-up details cannot be seen. - Some of the specie lists are incomplete, such as the Hosta plant. While the text mentions there are 25 Hosta species, only 5 are described.
There are 16 gardening books in the Taylor's Guide series. Eight authors contributed to this guide. The book cover states that this book provides a "guide to the best plants specifically selected for the region". The primary emphasis is to describe those plants that do well in each of the southeast regions of the country. This guide succeeds very well in this respect.
It is very important to read this book from the beginning, and not to skip portions or start in the middle. Earlier sections provide the basic information for succeeding sections. For example, the section on Garden Design is dependent on and builds on the earlier information provided for the regions and their climatic differences.
All of the "advice" information is contained in the front of the guide. This includes Regional maps, Garden Design, Old Standbys and Favorites, Native Plants, Southern Lawns and the Gardening Year. These sections are followed by the color plates. The last major part is the Plant Encyclopedia. The color plates and Plant Encyclopedia are cross-referenced for ease of lookup.
An experienced gardener might want to take more time to read the Old Standbys and Regional Favorites section, and take less time reading the Garden Design section. While there is useful information for all levels of gardeners, any book on gardening can go just so far. There is still the need to visit local nurseries and gardens to talk with experts about their plants. This "local" advice will supplement this guide, and provide answers to most of your questions.
I enjoyed reading and reviewing this book, and can strongly recommend it to anyone interested in gardening in the south.
Book Description
Too windy, too wet, too hot and dry, too little privacy. An ugly view, a steep slope. Few garden sites are perfect, but with the right plants, you can turn even the difficult areas of your property into an apple-free Eden. Whether you have a small city lot or an acre in the country, this Weekend Gardening Guide shows you how to choose the plants that will work best for your situation.
Books:
- The Adventures of Tintin - Red Rackham's Treasure / The Seven Crystal Balls / Prisoners of the Sun (3 Complete Adventures in 1 Volume, Vol. 4)
- The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens
- The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes
- The New Garden Paradise: Great Private Gardens of the World
- The Osha: Secrets of the Yoruba-Lucumi-Santeria Religion in the United States and the Americas : Initiation, Rituals, Ceremonies, Orishas, Divination, Plants, s
- The Osha: Secrets of the Yoruba-Lucumi-Santeria Religion in the United States and the Americas : Initiation, Rituals, Ceremonies, Orishas, Divination, Plants, s
- The Paradise Garden Murals of Malinalco: Utopia and Empire in Sixteenth-Century Mexico
- The Pilgrimage: A Contemporary Quest for Ancient Wisdom
- The Power of Face Reading (2nd Edition)
- The Samurai's Garden: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
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General
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Topiary and the Art of Training Plants
Quick and Easy Topiary and Green Sculpture: Create Traditional Effects with Fast-Growing Climbers and Wire Frames
The Complete Book of Topiary
Illustrated Practical Encyclopedia of Pruning, Training and Topiary: How to Prune and Train Trees, Shrubs, Hedges, Topiary, Tree and Soft Fruit, Climbers ... photographs and 100 Practical Illustrations
New Topiary: Imaginative Techniques from Longwood
