No comments about Bulbs (Garden Guides).

No comments about Twinkling Christmas: Geert Pattyn.

1 comments about Water Garden Idea Book (Idea Books).

1. The pictures and ideas are very nice but I was disappointed that there were no instructions on how to create or install the water features shown in the book.

3 comments about Paula Pryke's Wreaths & Garlands.

1. Super book of ideas. Very colorful. IN great shape and shipping was timely.



2. What can I say I am a big Paula Pryke fan! So far every book I have purchased by her I have adored and this one is no exception! Her expertise in her field is beyond compare and I always find something new and exciting in her work and it gets my creative juices flowing. She is just one of the best in the field of floral design. You just can't make a mistake by purchasing any of her books, so buy with complete confidence that you have just purchased a treasure. I know I do. Thanks Paula for being so skilled in your profession I look forward to each new book and discoveries of older releases.
   Sincerely,
   Deborah Loisel



3. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE BOOK. I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE MORE INFORMATION OR PICTURES. MAINLY THE BOOK IS USING REAL FRUITS TO MAKE THE WREATH. NOT WORTH THE PRICE.

4 comments about The Pacific Northwest Gardener's Book of Lists.

1. This book will make you an instant plant guru! Anyone who's ever needed a plant to fill a particualr spot in their garden and wished for a reliable source will love The Pacific Northwest Gardener's Book of Lists. The authors have divided the plant kingdom up by its major forms - i.e., trees, shrubs, annuals, etc - with a couple sections devoted to special groups such as roses and rhododendrons. Each section is comprised of plant lists for various conditions - for shade, dry shade, hot sun, evergreen foliage, all-year interest, etc. Both common and botanical names are listed in most cases, making this book appealing to both new and experienced plantspeople. And it's well-indexed for easy cross-referencing. Each section is also peppered with sidebars from various experts from the local horticultural community. Their comments usually expand on the topic of the nearest list and provide a fresh, first-hand perspective. The only thing this book doesn't provide is pictures an! d plant descriptions. When I sit down to down to do research with The Book of Lists, I typically grab my Encyclopedia of Garden Plants to provide more information. Add a cup of coffee and a window looking out on my yard and I'm content for hours!



2. Consult this book before you start your projects. As a master gardener it has been invaluable answering questions from the public. What species of tree can I plant in a wet land? What shrub can handle dark shade? Over 200 lists answering this type of question. Geared for the Puget Sound.



3. In one sense, this book is great. If you want a list of plants that fit one certain criteria, just look for that list. The book is fairly easy to use in this sense, and that's why I gave it three stars; it seems like the authors spent a lot of time thinking about how to organize this book so you could find the list you were after.

   The problem is that no one picks a plant based upon one single criteria. One could page back and forth to see which lists contain which plants, but that seems rather more complicated than simply reading the complete descriptions in your copy of Sunset's Western Garden Book.

   Of course, you need to narrow your focus before diving into the Sunset book. And there is the dilemma. This book answers that dilemma, sort of. It offers a first step, a way to begin the process of elimination. But you'll drop this book immediately upon narrowing your focus. If, say, you're looking at the 13 trees in the "trees with fragrant blossoms" list and then proceed to the Sunset book to read complete descriptions of each tree you'll discover that one of the trees in the "fragrant blossoms" list (Southern Magnolia) is difficult or impossible to grow things underneath. You could also find this out by looking up "trees that are impossible to grow things underneath" in the Book of Lists, but you wouldn't know to do this without having already looked in the Sunset book. Confused yet?

   Basically, this book offers one way to narrow the focus a little before you begin investigating specific plants. That's worth something, I guess. However, if you are expecting that you will be able to use this book to determine the right plant for a situation, it won't work for that.




4. A rose needs lots of sun and looks really sad trying to grow under a tree. Put the right plant in the right spot - take this book plant shopping and enjoy growing plants that thrive in the right location. Most often garden planning starts with a site that needs something and the authors simplify this process with lists of plant suggestions that fit the site conditions.

2 comments about Jerry Baker's Perfect Perennials!: Hundreds of Fantastic Flower Secrets for Your Garden (Jerry Baker's Home, Health, and Garden S).

1. This book offers lots of helpful tips for the beginning gardener. The author includes many practical ideas for everything from planning and preparing the soil to dealing with common problems. The book also includes a number of his "famous" recipes for a variety of uses in your garden.



2. I have been gardening with perennials for years
   but I've learned so many new methods from this book
   I couldn't put it down. great money saving ideas
   I have read it cover to cover

2 comments about P. Allen Smith's Colors for the Garden: Creating Compelling Color Themes.

1. I expected more from this book given I own P. Allen Smith's previously published books P.Allen Smith's Garden Home and Container Gardens. But this book gave no additional information that wasn't already written in his other books. In addition, some of the photos were also repeated from his previously published books. Lack of information on how to mix and match colors in plantings made this book worthless. Basically what this book is, is just an encylopedia of plants categorized by color. I expected more!



2. The new book from P. Allen Smith is a lovely book full of clear pictures and advice that is useful and realistic while at the same time not being too restrictive. Many pages in the back of the book with plant suggestions and ideas and P. Allen's own advice using cool, hot and neutral colors as well as some of his own favorite choices. I have found this book very useful.

5 comments about Tussie-Mussies: The Victorian Art of Expressing Yourself in the Language of Flowers.

1. I have read this book and use it as a ref guide in our work shop. We manufacture tussies. The only wrong thing about this book is it does not have a glossery of where one can purchase the things they would need to make these wonderful tussies. As in WHERE could you purchase the holders? or who makes holders like this? Also where can you purchase special ribbons. and so on. We make these as our job, but for the home garden person who perhaps would like to dabble into this as a gift making idea will not find much in the way of suppliers. Anyone can use lace and doilies, but the real EYECATCHERS are the hand casted resin containers! Too bad they didnt say or give a list of suppliers. Other Than that.... it is a well photographed book.



2. I have read this book and use it as a ref guide in our work shop. We manufacture tussies. The only wrong thing about this book is it does not have a glossery of where one can purchase the things they would need to make these wonderful tussies. As in WHERE could you purchase the holders? or who makes holders like this? Also where can you purchase special ribbons. and so on. We make these as our job, but for the home garden person who perhaps would like to dabble into this as a gift making idea will not find much in the way of suppliers. Anyone can use lace and doilies, but the real EYECATCHERS are the hand casted resin containers! Too bad they didnt say or give a list of suppliers. Other Than that.... it is a well photographed book. Patricia Anne's Ltd.



3. My friend and I used this book as a source for a program for my garden club. We did this in January when our gardens were bare, or so we thought. After looking, we were able to find lots of things that were useful as well as meaningful. With a few dollars worth of flowers from the grocery store we made several examples from the book (with a few substitutions). We were delighted at how beautifully they turned out. I talked about the language of flowers and then showed everybody our samples. We had assembled a variety of ingredients and then each of our 15 members created her own Tussie Mussie. Each one turned out differently and each was charming. I cannot wait for a reason to make another one. We had a hoot of a time. My only complaint with the book was that there were not enough sources of materials such as holders, etc. Thank you for such a beautiful book.



4. I have used this delightful book for reference and inspiration countless times since buying it several years ago. It's paid for itself and then some! Tussie-mussies never fail to provide a gracious touch to the giving of flowers. Anyone can merely present flowers, but to customize the bouquet to the recipient or occasion? Truly impressive and touching! I once attended a luncheon honoring a well-known philanthropist. The hostess spent a fortune on catering for the event and decorated the banquet table with an enormous [$] floral arrangement of spring flowers. The well-traveled multimillionairess was cordial but a trifle bored (been there/done that)until I presented my tussie-mussie, assembled just for her, with a hand-lettered scroll listing the flowers and their definitions. She was astonished and fascinated. That's all she talked about afterwards--the table arrangement could have been dandilions and crab grass. Even if you don't actually make up a tussie-mussie from real flowers, Laufer's book has other terrific uses. I used it to design a bouquet in watercolors for my aunt's memorial service program. You will relish this book!



5. Got this book to help plan our wedding and the flower arangements to choose the right flowers for the event. Wow, it has a lot of information and is great for making a statment in flowers. It gives you the Victorian meaning and the present day use of each flower a long with some history.
   
   Good choice.

5 comments about The Floral Artist's Guide: A Reference to Cut Flowers and Foliages (Floral Artist's Guide).

1. Overall, this is a good buy, and as others have noted, a great staple for the floral designer. I love the disk - you can run a search for "pink flowers," for example, and all flowers with pink variations fed back to you in list form -- you are then able click on the list for pictures of each flower. I wasn't sure if the CD would be included (although it is mentioned on the cover of the book in the picture shown, it is not referred to in the product description) and was pleased to see it is indeed part of the package. I only wish they showed all the color varieties for each genus--instead, there is just one picture and the color variations are listed. With roses, for example, it would be nice to see the many popular types used in common arrangements --vendelas, cool water, versalia....



2. I bought this book thinking it was another book. I was going to return it, but it does serve its purpose at the moment. I wish the photographs were larger. I thought a bit pricey for what it was and the cd rom is not Mac compatable, so I have no use for it!



3. I'm 21 and I run my own flower shop. I know my way around a design bench, but unfortunately my inexperience has left me with a limited knowledge of cut flowers and foliages. This book has helped me so much! And the CD Rom is amazing. You can search for flowers by species, family, even color and distinguishing characteristics! Definately two thumbs waaay up!



4. As a floral designer myself, I have been searching for a visual guide to fresh cut flowers for years. This book not only features cut flowers, but has a section on foliage as well. The expected life spans and common names are provided. This book is the encyclopedia of flowers that I have been looking for!



5. Having bought this book based (mostly) on the good reviews here, I have to say I was VERY disappointed when it arrived. First, the CD-ROM -- which seems to be most of the value of this product --is for Windows only, so Mac users like me are just SOL. I contacted the publisher to ask if they could provide me w/ a Mac CD -- they never replied to my e-mail. Not the way to win friends.
   
   Beyond that, the book itself is a paperback, much smaller/thinner than I expected (more like a magazine), printed VERY badly on VERY thin, cheap paper -- it really looks like it was run off somebody's color printer at home. The color pictures of flowers and foliage are of terrible quality, the text is really minimal, there's no information on how to treat/work with/preserve the flowers & foliage covered ... all this for the incredible price of $60!! Enough said -- I returned it.

3 comments about Roof Gardens: History, Design, and Construction (Norton Books for Architects & Designers).

1. 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.
   The veteran landscape architect shares his practical expertise of roof garden design, research and travel, and the richly illustrated hardcover book is full of photos, plans and construction details of sixty projects in North America, Europe, Australia and Japan. Roof Gardens also offers a historical perspective and advice on site considerations, design elements, maintenance, and appendices of useful data and sources of supply and information.
   Rooftop landscape architecture promises to greatly beautify our environment by greening our buildings. We highly recommend this easy to understand, invaluable reference for anyone interested learning about in-depth roof garden design and construction, from homeowner to city planner.  



2. This book could be written only by someone who has a large experience
   and an enhusiastic approach not only to landscape architecture, but also to all elements needed to complete such project, as the roof garden. Roof gardens do not only mean "plants on the roof", they are result of many other 'bits and pieces'. For those who want to find a reason why and how to build or design an roof garden, and have a studious approach to what they intend do, this book is to be recomended by all means.



3. I bought this book thinking in learn everything about green roofs, and realy, this is the bible. The book have history informations, projects, practical construction information, project details, informations about benefits and possible problems. But there isnt specific scientific or data informations. It is a very complete introduction book in using green in the roofs, but i needed more...