5 comments about The Self-Taught Gardener.

1. For fans of other books by Sydney Eddison, this one will not disappoint. The motif of the book is that Sydney is that "expert friend" who is always one step, but only one step, ahead of where you are. This book covers all the things you would be wondering about in a logical, easy to follow order. It makes for excellent start-to-finish reading, and will also be an excellent reference over the years. Written in a congenial, friendly style, this book is a wonderful mix of anecdote, scientific detail, and good common sense born of years of learning on the part of the author. She has done a great service by getting it all down on paper and will certainly make the way that much easier for many who follow.

   This book should be read with pencil in hand, as the sheer number of ideas and insights you will have while reading it will need to be captured.

   All in all, a wonderful book for those wondering "what do I do now" as well as those with years of experience. Of particular note: the two chapters on "Easy perennials for shade" and "Easy perennials for sun" give you the confidence of where to start when planning your own garden, and form the basis for a lifetime of future learning.




2. Sydney inspires all - the beginner, and the expert. She has a compassionate understanding of how gardening touches each of us.

   I highly recommend all her books!




3. I think this is a bogus book on gardening by a complete novice who wants to cash in on the "gardening book" market. Self-taught? If you want a highly successful garden, get a book where the author has a botanical background from a university. You will get farther faster. Why do you think amazon slashed the price to $5.98? Come on! Sydney Eddison might as well write a book on "The Self-Taught Floor Cleaner; Lessons from a House".



4. If you're a brand new or relatively new gardener, this book is great! In an almost conversational style, the writer takes you through the lessons learned during her many years of gardening experience. You will learn from her triumphs and mistakes, but most of all, she encourages you to learn from your own. Complete with lots of tips and plant information, this book is a must have for your garden library.



5. I have attended many of Sydney's Garden Club lectures and classes at the New York Botanical Garden and by no means is she unexperienced or a novice. Many artists, chefs, designers, authors, etc. are self-taught and have field experience that no classroom can provide.

No comments about Native Gardens For Dry Climates.

1 comments about Laura C. Martin's Southern Gardens: A Gracious History and a Traveler's Guide.

1. Laura C. Martin's book about Southern Garden's is published on a fine high quality paper with wonderful color photographs. All of the South's wonderful public gardens are included. The book does a fabulous job of educating the reader about the gardens but is so complete it truly serves as a travel guide for the must see gardens of the South.

2 comments about Camellias: The Gardener's Encyclopedia.

1. This is a must-have reference source for the camellia lover. The author, a director of the International Camellia Society and nursery owner, covers the history of this exquisite flower through various countries before dispensing valuable horticultural advice. Individual chapters cover the various camellia species and cultivars - sasanqua, japonica, reticulata, Williamsii hybrids and a selection of other hybrids. Over 600 camellias are profiled with information as to plant origin, leaf and flower characteristics and growth habit. Each one profiled is accompanied by a stunning photograph. Other chapters cover propagation techniques, pests and diseases and the showing of camellias. The chapter on propogation is really impressive showcasing numerous techniques involving grafting, cuttings, layering, seeds, etc. The photographs, most of them taken by the author, are astoundingly beautiful. Highly recommended.



2. This is an excellent and informative resource for all camellia enthusiasts. Jennifer has compiled a lot of very useful information. She has really done her homework. Her photos are sharp and true to color. She spoke at our Camellia Society meeting when she was doing research on petal blight in the Los Angeles area and knows of what she speaks. This book is great for beginning hobbyists as well as long-time growers/exhibitors.

1 comments about The Lattice Gardener.

1. The late William C. Mulligan (1942-1995) offered one of the first and finest pictorial references on lattice that remains one of the finest examples in a narrow field. It provides guidance and inspiration for beginners and experienced garden artists.
   
   The examples are sophisticated and celebrated including, Rose Pavilion at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the brilliant pondside promenade of Old Westbury Gardens on Long Island, the majestic bench and wall installation at Het Loo, and even a Chinese pavilion to please chinoiserie lovers such as myself, called a t'ing.
   
   The book concludes with a plant directory replete with climate zone and light requirements, suggested cultivars as well as detailed planting tips. It is worth locating and securing a copy. 192 pages.

3 comments about Success With Rhododendrons and Azaleas, Revised Edition.

1. Reiley is without doubt an eminent and successfull Rododendron grower. His whole approach to to subject shows that he knows what he is speaking about from life experience; he doesn't repeat without comment the commonplaces to be found in so many gardening manuals and he has the ability to present data in a context which is easy to understand. However, this book is rather for a professional gardener who wants to set up his own nursery for Rhododendra and Azaleas. This does not have to be a weakness of this book; Reiley presents his chapters about growing requirements, selection of varieties, use in the landscape, propagation, nursery growing and hybridisation in a very convincing but scientific way and view. His auditory seems to be preeminently US-American. For the USA he gives good overviews about the growth conditions in many states and recommends good varieties there. Readers from other countries will feel sorry that they get much less here. Thanks to its thoroughly research and convincing conclusions every reader will understand more about these plants and will take useful new information out of this book, but for the professional grower or landscaper -especially in the US- this could become the bible for his job!



2. This is an great book on growing rhododendrons/etc overall. It has far more and better information on how to propogate (cuttings, layering, seeds, etc) than most other books, and the lists of "good-doers" are an excellent guide to someone starting out. Many Rhododendron books are to a large degree picture books - listing hybrids with pretty pictures. This book concentrates on the culturing, diseases, planting, propogation, hardiness, soil, how acidity affects nutrients, etc.
   
   The strongest recommendation for me: My father, who's a 30+ year rhododendron and azalea collector, looked at the 12 or so books I'd picked up last year after getting bitten with the rhodie bug last year, and said this one was the one book he'd like to get a copy of for Christmas.



3. The text of this book is great for the rhody enthusiast and gardener. Very readable and informative. It is probably below that necessary for rhody breeders. Mr. Reiley should hire a professional photographer or locate photographs that are at the level of his writing. Only the rare author is able to take his/her own photographs. I can't believe that Timber Press actually printed some of the photos.

1 comments about Garden Perennials for the Coastal South.

1. This is a beautiful book you can trust to provide solid guidance on growing not only perennials, but companion annuals and vines that tolerate hot, humid conditions. Sullivan also presents lots of ideas for creating beautiful gardens in a range of sites, such as deep shade or at the beach. One of my favorite sections is called "Don't even think of growing these plants here," in which she shares wisdom on plants that are doomed in this climate. Every coastal gardener should have this book.

2 comments about Ceanothus.

1. This is one of my two favorite plant books, the other being 'California Native Plants for the Garden' also co-authored by David Fross. The information provided is exactly what you need to know about choosing and maintaining the right Ceanothus for your garden.



2. 
   It,s a beautiful book. The only thing I found was a picutre of a certain ceanothus that I wanted to see was suppose to be on page 2. There was no page 2. But other than that it is very informative and has beautiful pictures.

No comments about The European Garden Flora: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and under Glass (European Garden Flora).

No comments about Lilies.