Softcover, 128 pages, Published 2004
Book Description
Create your own private nature preserve-with dozens of ingenious ideas to turn a typical backyard into a beautiful natural habitat for birds and other wildlife.
Experience the gratification of watching birds gobble seeds and other treats from your homemade bird feeder. Look on with delight as a mother bird tends to her babies in the protective hideaway of a birdhouse you have lovingly constructed from a dried gourd. Create a sunflower plantation, a bird teepee, a tent-style twig feeder, a pedestal birdbath. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this book, and your yard will quickly become an enticing playground, breeding ground, and feeding ground for colorful songbirds. And that's not all-there are also projects specially designed to attract beautiful hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden.
Among the book's special features:
- Projects require only a few simple tools and supplies and most can be easily and inexpensively assembled using only scrap materials found around the house
- Information-packed sidebars include tips for identifying the nests and eggs of songbirds and unusual facts and figures about birds and bird behavior
- Instructions show how to create baffles and barriers to keep squirrels, raccoons, and other unwanted guess away from the birdseed-along with projects for tending to these feeder-raiding marauders too!
The simple pleasure of viewing birds in your backyard is something to treasure every day of the year. Whether you are a seasoned bird watcher or are new to the hobby, you will find a wealth of inspirational ideas here to attract more birds than ever before to your backyard. And you'll increase your enjoyment of this soul-satisfying pastime.
Customer Reviews:
Great book for birders.......2007-02-21
This is a great book for anyone interested in backyard birding, no matter what size your backyard may be. There are articles on how to attract, feed, and house different birds.
Fun.......2007-02-16
I like this book. I'm a new bird watcher. I've made some of the projects mentioned in this book and they work quite well.
Excellent book for bird-loving gardeners!.......2007-01-12
Numerous, easy to follow instructions on how to create wide variety of projects! Includes illustrations also. Must have for those that want to attract birds to their gardens without spending a fortune buying items ready-made. Would be a good resource for those wanting to learn how to make garden produces to sell also.
Projects for the Birder's Garden.......2006-11-28
The book arrived promptly and was a good bargain price. It had very good information on attracting and taking care of birds.
GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR LIBRARY - RECOMMEND HIGHLY.......2005-09-07
I have been a "birder" for over 45 years and a gardener (in a very sloppy, haphazard way) for just about as long. This is a wonderul work that fits well into my hobbies. It is simple, practical and a joy to work with. As another reviewer pointed out, the ideas put forth in this book actually work! I was also thrilled that most of these projects were ones that my four grandsons were more than able to help with and in doing so, actually taught them something. I happen to live in a rural area, infact, I live in the middle of the woods. Most of the projects in this book were non-intrusive and blended in well with the natural look that my wife and I strive for. Recommend you add this one to your library. Now if I can just train my nine barn cats......
Book Description
Here--in full color--is the new standard for vegetable gardening in the twenty-first century.
Chris Bird does all his vegetable gardening in thickly planted raised beds, framed in 2 X 12 lumber and filled with custom-blended soil. The results are both eye- and mouth-opening. Moreover, his method requires so little work that you'll feel guilty when you try it. Cubed Foot Gardening shows how to build these simple, inexpensive beds and how to grow the most popular vegetables in them, using innovative tricks and techniques that would not be possible to employ in a conventional garden. It explains the author's revolutionary methods for growing sweet corn as well as white asparagus, and tells how cubed foot gardening has helped him to win giant tomato contests every year.
Most of us still garden the way our grandparents did, a habit that goes back to our farm heritage. But if vegetable gardening were being discovered today for the first time, the rules would be quite different. We would all be cubed-foot gardeners.
Customer Reviews:
Cubed Foot Gardening.......2007-09-06
This item was perfect, exactly what I was looking for to assist me with a new style of gardening. The book arrived looking brand new, not a scratch on it and with 5 days. Thank you this has been a rewarding experence.
A Good Gardening Book..........2007-05-28
If you're into vegetable gardening then "Cubed Foot Gardening" is a good book to invest in. Bird gives good, practical advice on getting started, climate needs, where to put your garden, etc. He doe not tell anyone not to use organic, stating that it is the gardener's choice. On pg. 174 he states that the gardener should, "Try organic methods of insecticide first...", then "Spray chemical insecticides if necessary, on a limited basis..." This seems to contradict other posters who have been emphatic that he is "anti-organic". Maybe they didn't read the whole book. The vegetable guide on pg. 44-45 is very good. Overall this is an easy to read, very manageable to apply work.
A great place to start..........2007-04-19
If you're considering raised bed gardening, this book is a good place to begin planning. The info on building your containers and creating the proper soil are very informative.
Highly Practical.......2007-01-05
I purchased this book to replace a copy that I purchased earlier and "loaned" to someone. The author's method is highly practical and straightforward. I would have liked the author to consider and explain other options and let me make some choices. He seems to be a strong advocate mainly for his chosen techniques.
worst gardening book I ever read.......2006-07-06
There is nothing new in this 'method'. If you have read Square Foot Gardening you have read everything worth reading in this book.
The only thing 'unique' is that the method uses 2x12 lumber. That's it.
That makes the book worthless, but what puts it into negative value territory is the bad information and rudely stated personal biases.
The author clearly despises organic methods as he briefly discusses how ineffective organic methods are every few pages.
He frequently makes odd sounding claims and prefaces them with something like 'While I have no scientific evidence to support this...' and then apparently thinks his claims will be accepted based upon his having written a book.
His stated preference is for 2x12 lumber in bed construction, which is fine, but then he spends time explaining why arsenic treated wood is the best choice. He comes over like those who wish to stay away from unnecessary exposure to strongly toxic substances in their veggy garden are sissies. His statement was that he is the kind of guy who still 'eats his beef medium rare'. Neat?
He refers to anyone who disagrees with his apparent love affair with toxins as an 'organic purist' (these are BAD people).
He suggested, but didn't harp on, adopting the practice of spraying everything with a broad spectrum insecticide (needed or not) *every 2 weeks* and then went on to tell how extensively he has researched and the chemicals are perfectly safe to eat.
I honestly don't think I have ever read a gardening book this bad. I have read plenty that really didn't convey anything that I hadn't read in someone else's book, but this book not only doesn't cover anything new or unique, but it spends a lot of time praising chemicals and insulting organic gardeners. It even insults gardeners who don't consider themselves organic, but like to stay away from *icides in the veggy garden as much as possible.
To sum up the differences between Cubed Foot Gardening and most any other raised bed, intensive gardening book:
1. Pesticides are good. Use them regularly.
2. 2x12 lumber is better than anything else to make beds with. Untreated is cheap, but pressure treated is better better and 'scientists are unanimous that it is perfectly safe' (yeah, right) and cedar costs $250 for a small bed kit from Gardeners Supply (yes, he bases his 'too expensive' statement on what a kit made of cedar costs from Gardener's Supply Co).
3. Organics is bad. Skip to the good stuff.
4. Soil mix is 1 part sand, 2 parts topsoil (no definition of what topsoil means to him) and 1 part humus.
5. Spacing is different. He allows more space for many plants than Sq Ft Gardening.
That is the full extent of this book's 'contribution' to gardening.
Amazon.com
A guide full of sensible and easy to follow advice for gardeners in all parts of the country who want to experience the magic of hummingbirds in their garden.
Hummingbird Gardens provides specific recommendations for the best varieties of flowers to plant in order to attract the elusive creatures, while integrating gardening ideas and designs with an informative introduction to the general habits, including migrating and nesting patterns, of hummingbirds.
Book Description
Of all the beuty a gardener can cultivate, nothing equals that of the hummingbird. Little wonder that millions of North Americans attempt to attract these spunky birds to their gardens. Hummingbird Gardens provides how-to information on feeders, plant combinations, and garden design. It showcases the continent's 20-plus hummingbird species. By breaking North American into six regions, the authors give tips that are tailored for gardeners in all parts of the United States and Canada.
Customer Reviews:
A wealth of informative text and spectacular photos........1999-10-26
Long, long ago - experience taught me the smoothest way through life is to "never make recommendations to anybody about anything." Sam and I have learned to qualify those don't-miss-it things encompassing: great places to eat, visit, read, watch, etc. For example, we now say, "The food was great the night we were there," or "You would love the movie if you enjoy such-and-such."
With all of those lessons in mind, I'm unequivocally saying, "Get your hands on Hummingbird Gardens as soon as possible." I don't think the co-authors, Nancy Newfield and Barbara Nielsen, have yet realized the true scope of what they have accomplished.
I knew Nancy was working on a book with somebody, but thought it was strictly for the southern Louisiana area. When Sam brought home my unexpected copy, it took only a few minutes of browsing for me to tell him something like, "Good lord, this thing is really, really good - and I mean good!" That's saying a lot for a person who is not easily impressed, and the more I read, the better it got.
Somehow, Nancy and Barbara truly did it all in Hummingbird Gardens by combining a wealth of well written, informative text with spectacular photographs of both the hummingbirds and the flowering plants so loved by these creatures. The beautiful birds and blossoming plants are well covered in their own separate chapters.
At the same time though, the content flows smoothly into pertinent regional information for those in: California, The Pacific Northwest, The Southwest, The Western Mountains, The Southeast and The East and Midwest. They so skillfully blend bird and bloom with helpful tips and enthusiasts' experiences that you will want to read on and on about other hummers in other gardens!
As far as I can determine, they left no stone unturned. All who open its covers will soon learn to appreciate the inclusion of subjects often left out of other publications. This one did not forget such things as: References and Further Reading (great bibliography), Resources (supermarkets for the hummers' favorite natural foods), and an excellent Index.
One last thing. Although Hummingbird Gardens was primarily done for the millions of us who simply love and enjoy these particular bounties of nature - I sincerely believe ornithology, as a whole, will gain as well. The professionals cannot be out in the field all of the time, thus what we see "our" hummers doing in our yards can contribute a great deal to the science. Meanwhile, we are very lucky, indeed, that Barbara and Nancy decided to share their knowledge and discoveries with the rest of us!
An excellent resource.......1999-10-10
Including information from real-life hummingbird gardeners around the U.S., this book will be useful to virtually anyone in North America who's trying to create backyard habitat for these fascinating birds. The main shortcoming of this book is in the depth of coverage of the plants, particularly photos. There were not enough showing an entire plant (though more than enough of the birds themselves), and the one feeder illustrated contained dyed sugar water (a no-no and contradictory to the text). Novice hummingbird gardeners should cross-reference the plant names with national and regional gardening guides for photos and cultural information such as size and temperature tolerance.
Beautiful and Informative.......1999-08-06
This book has incredible photographs and gobs of information about these amazing creatures. It's an unabashed sales-job to get you to become a hummingbird gardener. (That's not a bad idea!)
Book Description
Garden Insects of North America is the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the common insects and mites affecting yard and garden plants in North America. In a manner no previous book has come close to achieving, through full-color photos and concise, clear, scientifically accurate text, it describes the vast majority of species associated with shade trees and shrubs, turfgrass, flowers and ornamental plants, vegetables, and fruits--1,420 of them, including crickets, katydids, fruit flies, mealybugs, moths, maggots, borers, aphids, ants, bees, and many, many more. For particularly abundant bugs adept at damaging garden plants, management tips are also included. Covering all of the continental United States and Canada, this is the definitive one-volume resource for amateur gardeners, insect lovers, and professional entomologists alike.
To ease identification, the book is organized by plant area affected (e.g., foliage, flowers, stems) and within that, by taxa. Close to a third of the species are primarily leaf chewers, with about the same number of sap suckers. Multiple photos of various life stages and typical plant symptoms are included for key species. The text, on the facing page, provides basic information on host plants, characteristic damage caused to plants, distribution, life history, habits, and, where necessary, how to keep "pests" in check--in short, the essentials to better understanding, appreciating, and tolerating these creatures.
Whether managing, studying, or simply observing insects, identification is the first step--and this book is the key. With it in hand, the marvelous microcosm right outside the house finally comes fully into view.
- Describes more than 1,400 species--twice as many as in any other field guide
- Full-color photos for most species--more than five times the number in most comparable guides
- Up-to-date pest management tips
- Organized by plant area affected and by taxa for easy identification
- Covers the continental United States and Canada
- Provides species level treatment of all insects and mites important to gardens
- Illustrates all life stages of key garden insects and commonly associated plant injuries
- Concise, clear, scientifically accurate text
- Comprehensive and user-friendly
Customer Reviews:
Very Helpful.......2007-10-03
one shouldn't take this book lightly, it is a large and heavy tome with lots of great information and photos. i think that the author, whitney cranshaw, did a great job in how he presents the information. one bit that i would have liked to have is distribution map. information is given about distribution, but i like to have maps too.
i would have enjoyed even more information on each insect he covers, but that would make the book at least twice it's size. that probably wouldn't work at it is already 656 pages long.
it would also be neat if this author could do books on different regions of our country in this format.
Garden Insects of North America.......2007-07-30
Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs (Princeton Field Guides)
Excellent reference guide. I'm a Master Gardener and it is frequently used when we either have a question of our own or from a Help Line caller. I liked it enough that I felt I needed my own personal copy for home and consulting use.
Wonderful Book for Any Gardener!.......2007-07-01
This book is truly amazing, and seems to be a very comprenehsive reference. I am still a 'budding' gardener, and all-too-often, I find myself in need of identifying a garden pest so that I can eradicate it properly.
What I love most about this book is that it has pictures of so many different types of the same bug, as well as the different life stages of the bus (for example, it has over 68 different pictures of numerous types of aphids, the different stages, and what the infected plant's symptoms may show). Additionally, the pictures are clearly labeled!
I'm thrilled with this book, and I'm sure I will use it for many, many years to come!
YOU GET YOUR MONIES WORTH WITH THIS ONE!.......2007-04-13
They really don't make one volume books on a given subject much better than this one. Now do keep in mind that one book simply cannot cover every single insect, bug or critter that plague a garden or orchard, but this one comes pretty close. The photographs are wonderful and not only give clear pictures of the adult insect, but also in it's various stages of growth, from egg on up. I am constantly turning to this work for the help I need. Other than using it for my garden and orchard, I also photograph insects and other small creatures and plants for a hobby. Many of these insects are quite difficult to identify and I find myself turning to this volume more and more for initial identification before I grab a more detailed text type book. The written descriptions are quite accurate as is the other information, such as living conditions, geographical locations, life cycle, etc. If you must purchase only one book covering the subject, then this is the one you want. Recommend this one highly.
Best book out there for IDing insects.......2007-01-11
Being a Master Gardener I'm often called upon to identify a garden invader. There are many book available but none have proven adequate. This book does the job well. The photos of the insects in all stages is of great value. This book is divided into sections so that you can research by type of damage or plant being effected. It gives a brief biology lesson and also has a chapter on the "good guys." I'd say this is a must for any gardener. All my friends who have seen it are ordering one for themselves.
Book Description
The world of plants and its relation to mankind as revealed by the latest scientific discoveries. "Plenty of hard facts and astounding scientific and practical lore."--Newsweek
Customer Reviews:
Interesting read.......2007-08-14
I learned a lot reading this book. I don't know if I agreed that plants are afraid, etc., but it was interesting to see the studies that seem to prove plants have an intelligence.
Houseplants alive!.......2007-07-06
I read this book twenty five years ago when I was living in Oregon in a house filled with plants. I immediately started experimenting with my own plants. Since I had been learning how to meditate already, I was already somewhat sensitized to energies other than society's most dominant . . . and other than my own. It didn't take long to begin to "feel" my plants, and soon I began to "know" which ones I treated appropriately, and which ones not. I changed the way I cared for them, treating each one as an individual. A year later, when I joined the Peace Corps, I sold most of my plants at an auction and was surprized at the high prices they went for. They certainly looked and felt much healthier than any of the others there. Thanks to the authors & publisher of this book for being daring enough to print it at the time you did.
One part science to three parts fantasy.......2007-06-21
An interesting premise now dated and obscured among page after page of mumbo jumbo. A few good blossoms on the dunghill but by and large not a scientific approach at all. Avoid unless you have too much spare time.
you will never walk across the lawn in quite the way you now do..........2007-06-14
this book should be required reading. it changes one's perception of the world, and opens one's mind to alternate realities...human beings are NOT the center of the universe. we are not even the most interesting creatures.
this will forever change how you view your houseplants.............2007-05-26
I am not exaggerating. When I picked up a copy of THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS, to go on a journey into the previously "unknown" world of plants, it was listed as, both, a new age and an occult book. Yes, to some it sounds pretty woo woo and out there that the common houseplant could take such a liking to Brahms, or such a disliking to hard rock music, that it would be driven to either thrive or shrivel. Yet, according to scientists and scientific scholars, stranger things have happened--and, in their words and by their accounts, they really DID happen! For example, plants who were the subjects of numerous tests and studies in a laboratory, were proven to have "human-like" feelings for the people that they were introduced to. In fact, the relationships progressed to the point that when one of the participants in the study nearly got run over by public transportation on the street, the participating plant was recorded in reacting in alarm to the peril that the human subject was put in! This wasn't all. Plants also are also proven, in this book, to respond to human sexuality in a very powerful (if not anthropomorphized) manner. Besides the studies, we are introduced to the beliefs of Goethe and the scientific progress made by George Washington Carver (of peanut cultivation fame).
I can definitely see why this engrossing book inspired a soundtrack and an (as of today) unreleased documentary film. This book, written by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, is, quite possibly one of the most engrossing books pertaining to biology and modern-day symbiotic relationships between plants and humans that I have ever read. If THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS had been assigned reading in my high school biology class, I might have chosen a different path in college (in the plant sciences, perhaps!). If that isn't a vote of confidence from me, the humble liberal arts major, I don't know what is! Read this fantastic book today.
Book Description
Bird watching is America's second most popular hobby after gardening. According to a recent survey, approximately 63 million Americans report that they watch and feed birds at home. With its beautiful four-color layout, The Backyard Bird Feeder's Bible is the ideal guide for beginning to intermediate bird watchers. And author Sally Roth's reassuring and friendly voice make this book a standout among the many more academic-style bird books currently on the market. Each colorful section is arranged alphabetically and addresses birds from each region of the country-even explaining the different food requirements for birds in different regions. Roth helps readers cut the costs of their favorite activity with economical tips throughout, from buying less expensive seed like cracked corn to using food leftovers as winter treats. Readers will delight in the color photos of the most popular feeder birds and will enjoy projects for making feeders, food mixtures, and 'food crafts,' such as birdseed wreaths.
Customer Reviews:
Help! He Won't Give Back My Book!.......2006-08-15
I barely got to look at the thing!
I made the mistake of allowing my young nephew to glance through it a few days ago. The next thing I know he takes it home with him and won't bring it back to me. (Well, he 'would' because he's that kind of guy... but I think I am going to allow him to keep it.)
Apparently this book had the remarkable effect of sparking in him a sudden interest in the hobby of attracting and feeding birds.
Actually, all summer long we have been visited at our little place in the country by birds of all sorts and we have been feeding them everyday so they wouldn't get bored and go away, but my nephew didn't have any interest in them... that is, not until I let him look at this book.
As I said, I did not really get to look at this book, but let's base my 5 star review on the enthusiasm it sparked in him. He says it is a great book because the information within is very interesting and very in-depth. He also loves the plentiful beautiful pictures which helps keep him attracted all the more to the subject matter.
I am very pleased that a child growing up in today's sterile electronically-obsessed society can still find something very natural and positive to invest his time and interest in. Aren't you?
EXCELLENT ADDITION TO YOUR BIRD LIBRARY.......2006-06-29
This one is just filled with excellent ideas. After years of birding you would think there would be no new ideas...wrong! I picked up quite a lot from this book. It is well organized, easy to use and easy to read and understand. I am glad I received it as a gift and recommend you get a copy if this is where your interests are. Overall, recommend this one highly.
Great Book cheaply made.......2005-12-18
The information contained in the book is great, one of the best bird books I own. To bad the publisher went the cheap way and produced a book using the hot glue binding process as opposed to a stitched binding. My copy has fallen apart!
Not well organized.......2005-12-07
I found this book to be very confusing. It is organized alphabetically... which makes no sense. There is no way to know what you need to know until you know what you need to know. It should be called the Bird book encyclopedia. A much much better book is the Audobon Backyard Birdwatcher. This book is not very colorful or engaging. I returned it.
Full of information.......2005-09-14
This book has answered so many questions for me. Reading this book is like talking with a friend who knows everything about birds and wants me to know it all too! The way it is set up alphabetically makes for an easy search and the pictures and diagrams are excellent. I will now have a more organized yard and happier birds.
Book Description
Increasingly, homeowners are recognizing the need to provide natural abode for those fluttering jewels of naturebutterflies and hummingbirds. Sally Roth offers a menu of irresistible plants plus organic garden design strategies to create backyard habitat.Discover tried-and-true techniques for selecting, using, and maintaining nectar feeders and attracting a broad range of butterflies by offering foods other than nectar. Easy-to-follow instructions detail fun projects like creating mud puddles for butterflies or setting up a mister so hummingbirds can bathe in flight. Youll find out how you can provide nesting sites and nest materials for hummingbirds.Readers from 5 to 75 will be thrilled by the sight of hummingbirds or butterflies enjoying the habitat theyve created for them. The book includes a field guide to the 16 hummingbird species found in North America and 75 of the most popular butterfly species, along with Roths entertaining and insightful guide to butterfly and hummingbird behavior.
Customer Reviews:
Great Resource!.......2007-05-15
This book was just what I needed to learn about attracting humming birds and
butterflies. This has been very useful for figuring out how to start my garden.
I am very visual, so the beautiful pictures in the book and the general text design layout
makes it easy to read.
Helpful and beautiful.......2007-02-08
This book is wonderful for anyone who wants to garden in nature's best interest.
Blends gardening and wild animal management and observation.......2003-01-06
Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds To Your Backyard deserves ongoing mention as an outstanding survey of how gardens can attract desired wild birds and butterflies. From determining how native plants interact in the environment and help attract native visitors to understanding how to maintain a healthy environment, Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds To Your Backyard comes packed with tips which blend gardening and wild animal management and observation.
Books:
- 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
- The Secret Garden: Dawn to Dusk in the Astonishing Hidden World of the Garden
- The Secret Garden (HarperClassics)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Encyclopedia of North American Railroads
- The Distance Manager: A Hands On Guide to Managing Off-Site Employees and Virtual Teams
- Pierce Brosnan: The Biography
- Richard Nixon, Watergate, and the Press: A Historical Retrospective
- The Elegant Solution: Toyota's Formula for Mastering Innovation
- Ultimate Service: The Complete Handbook to the World of the Concierge
- The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide, Completely Revised and Updated with Over 400 New Color Photos and Illus
- Pricing Derivative Securities: An Interactive, Dynamic Environment with Maple V and Matlab
- Regions That Work: How Cities and Suburbs Can Grow Together
- Deep Blue Good-by
Gardening
| Home & Garden
| Bargain Books
| Stores
| Books
Backyard Bird Identification Guide (T.F.H. Wild Birds Series)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways to Create a Haven for Your Favorite Birds (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America, 4th Edition
National Wildlife Federation Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Backyard Wildlife (National Wildlife Federation)
