5 comments about Inspirations.

1. Excellent book for planning a lavish event. I would also recommend two other books by Preston Bailey. Check out Amazon for more info or go directly to his website and there will be a link to Amazon to purchase these items.



2. I'm an Interior Designer and this is a practical guide for clients visually. I'm not for copying works but inspiration to what we can do of endless possibilities.



3. I bought this book so I can find ideas for my wedding decoration, it has great and beautiful pictures, but obviously it's impossible to try to imitate Preston Bailey's ideas. I do recommend this book. You can use it afterwards for a coffee table book.



4. Although I think this book is well done, I much preferred his other books.



5. Garish and over the top almost to the point of vulgarity. Not my taste I prefer cleaner lines and less ostentatiousness.

5 comments about Growing 101 Herbs that Heal: Gardening Techniques, Recipes, and Remedies.

1. I have had the pleasure of knowing the author of this book since we were both young children. I have watched her develop her knowledge and skills in this area for 20 years, yet I was amazed at the amount of information she provided in her book! Her style in presenting the information allows even the most novice of gardeners ample opportunity to learn and develop their skills. Yet she provides considerable information to those readers who are more advanced in their gardening skills.

   Easy to read, easy to understand, it leaves you wanting more. I sincerely hope that Tammi undertakes another book (as her extremely busy schedule allows!) in the not so distant future.




2. Although Rodale's book is still one of the beter gardening books for growing herbs, and other books have more comprehensive coverage of the uses of essential oils, Tammi Hartung's GROWING 101 HERBS THAT HEAL is interesting if you are a relative newcomer to either area and want a good overview of factors to consider. Hartung includes a brief discussion of gardening techniques, harvesting and drying methods, and culinary uses of herbs including a few recipes (check out Dr. Duke and Andrew Weil for more coverage on the latter.)
   
   The book also includes many lovely photos, especially one of `Goldenseal' which I plan to grow in my own garden next year as CITES (Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species) lists this plant as an `at-risk' organism. Many herbalists understand the importance of responsible wildcrafting, Hartung, a 'Medical Herbalist', points a way toward growing your own remedies and relieving the stress on overharvested wild plants as well as obtaining A-1 oils or dried herbs from your own garden.



3. vital information for a coming time when alternatives will be a necessity, not just an alternative.



4. a must-have for anyone who wants to grow an herb garden. written in a clear, easy-to-follow method, Tammi Hartung has an exceptional understanding of herbs and how they grow. i had my first herb garden planned and started by the time i was half-way through this book! a real keeper.



5. This book is great! It has very detailed information on how to grow and care for the herbs/plants it talks about in the book. It also has good info on how to care for the soil, basic plant bugs and how to keep them away, a few recipes for using the herbs in your food, and more.

4 comments about Easy Composters You Can Build.

1. Since I was in a hurry and did not read the description of this purchase I paid $3.95 for what I thought to be a book. This is a pamplet.
   
   It really does not "show" you how to build composters with verbal descriptions instead of detail diagrams.



2. it came in good time & package was good too.



3. My husband LOVES this book bought it for him for Valentines day. He CANNOT wait to build a compost of his own. Thank you



4. These little Storey pamphlets are always worth the money, and this one is no exception. Loaded with ideas and clear drawings for making your own composters.

5 comments about The Backyard Berry Book: A Hands-On Guide to Growing Berries, Brambles, and Vine Fruit in the Home Garden.

1. I recommend it to anyone interested in growing fruit at home. The information about the different varieties of each type of fruit was very useful.



2. Extremely helpful! Just moved to a new home and wanted to start my plants off right. This book helped me not only in the selection of my plants, but where on my property it is best to plant them, and how to properly plant them. I also learned the correct ways of pruning and fertilizing each plant. I have found this book to be an invaluable tool to a begining backyard gardener.



3. This is a great book that I refer to whenever I have a berry question such as planting or feeding or pruning. A lot of useful information in here. Stella knows her stuff!



4. Someone highly recommended this book to me but I'm really not that impressed. It's got good basic information but some of the info such as on bramble primocanes is confusing and took further research to understand. Stella recommends 3-4 feet between rows of strawberries. Why? Who knows. Maybe she's including a path between rows. I don't know but 3-4 feet between rows of strawberries adds a whole lot of ground to be taken care of and it's absolutely not necessary (unless you're adding 18"-24" for a path)Organization of the book is not very good either. Even though there is a chapter on raspberries, the spacing for raspberries was not found there. It is in the chapter on brambles.



5. Another great book for those who want to grow berries in their own back yard!

5 comments about Art of Floral Arranging, The : Learning from the Master Florists at Flower School New York.

1. This book is absolutely beautiful.
   It's a great book because it would appeal to the beginner and the advanced.
   I had never arranged flowers before I had read this book and I found that I could do so after the first reading.
   My sister, who is experienced with flowers, found several new designs.
   Flower arranging is so much fun!



2. I'm planning on doing my own wedding flowers and have been looking for books with detailed instructions. While this book isn't wedding specific it does have several bouquets and arrangements which could be used for weddings and special events, as well as "everyday" arrangements. The pictures are beautiful but also informative and instructional. The arrangements are chic and modern, not stuffy, pretentious or outdated, no sprays of baby's breath and ferns here! The focus is definitely on the flowers. There are detailed "recipes" for each arrangement covering the tools and number of stems you'll need. The instructions cover everything from rose grooming, wiring flowers, selecting flowers at market and a list of flower types by color in the back.
   
   A great book for beginners, even ambitious ones!



3. This is a book, just as described in the other reviews, of step by step images and text for 7 arrangements. Only one of those involves fewer than a dozen (most are more than 2 dozen) stems. if you're looking for small arrangement help, there's probably a better choice (I am still looking for it).
   
   The book is pretty, though.



4. This book has pretty photographs but it was not what I was looking for. It shows designs by reknowned florists but has little in the way of substance. I don't want to make someone else's bouquets. I want to learn how to do it. I am also more interested in silk flowers, so that may be another reason that I am not a big fan. I want to learn the "Art of Flower Arranging" not how to copy someone else's designs that I don't much care for anyway.



5. I love the flower arrangements in this book they are so classy and simple. Very easy for anyone to make.

5 comments about Joy of Gardening (Garden Way Book).

1. Dick Raymond's book is the one book that everyone who wants to try to grow their own vegetables should have in their library. I refer to Dick as my "master" to anyone that asks my about my garden. The man was used of God several years ago as I almost memorized the book and produced a garden that even the old timers in our town had to admire--and that I needed to help feed my family. The old-timers in town didn't think the wide-row gardening technique would work, but when they saw the plants growing gangbusters, they were amazed.
   
   Though I had always tried gardening, I had never had real success until I found this book, read it cover to cover, and began using Dick's techniques. It is straightforward, written in a down-to-earth manner that anyone can understand and enjoy.
   
   My copy is almost 20 years old, and I can't imagine gardening without it!



2. I highly suggest this book. It is one of my favority gardening books and I have given it to others as a gift.



3. Dick Raymond is my guru! I do not do anything in my garden without consulting his book first. He has been there done that, the book speaks volumes to you as if Dick were right there next to you. Every time I pick up this book I find a new golden nugget that he has left for you. I showed the book to my father in-law Ed (who thought he was a garden expert) and I noticed how his style of gardening changed to Dicks. Ed could not put down the book, so I bought him a copy for Christmas.
   
   Never do a garden without this book.



4. I must admit this book is older than most of the books out there. But the author, Dick Raymond, has been gardening since he was a child and passes that info on easily. And the knowledge he provides here does not go out of style or use. If you are going to plant a garden this year, this is the book for you. His no nosense style coupled with his clear facts make it a joy to read AND understand. Any size gardener can gain tips from him. I found it on my aunt's book shelf - she puts in a 1/2 acre garden each year - but he has tips for the mini-gardener like me as well. He really makes my job easier and a joy.



5. The book was not posted with a photo, so I didn't realize it was vegtable gardening and not flower. The book looked a little faded.

5 comments about Garden Mosaics.

1. if you are like me, you might own several mosaic books. This one is one of my favorites! Here's why:
   
   Clear,concise directions with good pictures-most projects could be done by a beginner but there are also MANY projects to make a more advanced artist happy.
   
   Great variation of mosaics-this author covers some mosaics styles I've never seen in other books. Like making your own wire mesh base for cool animal mosaic sculptures-with enough how to pictures that even I can contemplate making one:), making several different shaped stepping stones-from scratch-these are GREAT-there are footprints and fish to die for. And unusual mosaic creations like windchimes and garden "cones".
   
   This book helps you to think outside the box and many of these projects would look wonderful outside or inside as well. Well worth the $13 bucks that Amazon sells it for-highly recommended!
   5 stars!



2. This book is great! Both funky and eclectic, the many projects enclosed in its pages are worthy of exhibition in anyone's garden. I highly recommend this book to anyone just starting out in mosaics or to the seasoned mosaic artist.



3. The book is excellent, with many helpful projects. The author takes you through each project to completion. Also includes a thorough description of materials needed.



4. This book has many creative projects, it clearly explains several techniques, including good details, list of materials needed and very useful information. There are several different techniques and original projects. Excellent information that will be very useful for making your own outdoor projects. Highly recommended.



5. I really like this book. It is easy to follow and the steps are illustrated which makes it easier to learn how to do the projects. I like the fact that some of the projects are 3-D and that I was able to get ideas on how to execute them. They go from very easy to more difficult so there is something for almost everyone.

4 comments about The Secret Techniques of Bonsai: A Guide to Starting, Raising, and Shaping Bonsai.

1. This is a fine work on Advanced Techniques for the Bonsai enthusiast, in particular giving full particulars on specialty tools and pruning shears in Bonsai Culture. It is kind of surprising the great tips one can get, from just the one paragraph tips that the authors son added after his father death. Very concise and precise is a great summary for this book.



2. The Secret Techniques of Bonsai: A Guide to Starting, Raising, and Shaping Bonsai An understandable, complete book on Bonsai .



3. In short, my opinion is that this is an excellent book if you are serious about bonsai and would like to get started, or to complement your knowledge from other books.
   
   Before I purchased this book, I checked out several books from my local library. Some books seem to show many pictures of finished bonsai without really getting into details and I feel as if I still don't have the knowledge to even start on a bonsai. This book is a bit more helpful with step-by-step pictures from repotting to pruning, diagrams of undesirable branches, and methods of propagation.
   
   There is a lot of information in this book that I read in this book that other books brush by, but I found helpful to me. Without a doubt, it is important to read different books because each author has their own views on certain issues.
   
   Other books that you might want to look into are "Bonsai (101 Essential Tips)" by Harry Tomlinson and "The Bonsai Workshop" by Herb Gustafson.



4. This is a great little book for the beginner because it explains everything simply but thoroughly.

5 comments about Micro Eco-Farming: Prospering from Backyard to Small Acreage in Partnership with the Earth.

1. This is a must have book for anyone wanting to get more for less out of their garden, farm, or acreage. I loved it and found it interesting and informative. It'll stay on my shelf long after I pass it around to all of my friends and family! Bravo! The world would be a better place if more people read and would take to heart the message this book brings.



2. If you've ever dreamed of having a small, productive farm but didn't know where to begin or how to creatively make money and have fun at the same time, this book is The Source for you. Barbara Berst Adams' "Micro Eco-Farming" is loaded with great ideas, sensible how-to information and strategies for starting, maintaining and expanding an environmentally friendly mini farm. The breadth of her knowledge is impressive. She obviously understands every aspect of small-scale farming from raising livestock and poultry to growing specialty herbs, flowers and vegetables. This is a practical handbook and a solid reference you will always want to keep on hand. It has earned a permanent place in my library.



3. This is a very enchanting book, but I think the reader would be wise to take it with a grain of salt. The author makes a list of vegetables sound so good your mouth starts to water. Food literally comes to life. One farm has world class leafy lettuce. Another has miraculous tomatoes. A third has peppers for every taste. A fourth makes wool as smooth as silk.
   
   On the other hand, some of the stories are fanciful at best. For example, there is the story of the 'good' coyote. A farmer takes pity on a limping coyote and offers it some food. The standard practice in the neighborhood was to shoot coyotes on sight, but this coyote touches the farmer somehow. The coyote mends. Once recovered, the coyote decides the farmer is 'one of the pack' and his chickens are 'his things'. Thus, she identifies the farmer's chickens as off limits and protects them from other coyotes, raccoons, and varmints. I've got chickens and cohabitate with coyotes. The idea of a coyote protecting the farmer's hens was good for a hearty laugh.
   
   Another story concerns the 'good weed'. This story is part of section on letting plants restore soil depleted of essential trace minerals. The idea is that plants can concentrate trace minerals deep in the soil and deposit them on the surface. In this context, we meet the good thistle. The good thistle pulls out trace minerals out of the stony soil, then dies out as the soil returns to health. I had another good laugh with this story. In some ways there is truth in it, but let me tell you about my thistles. They are beautiful. Every year my soil gets better. I haven't noticed them dying out, though. Maybe next year!
   
   Finally, there is the story of the weak plant calling out to nearby insects to end it's suffering. This theme is repeated numerous times. I guess it is the story of the 'good' bad insect. You see, those worms and beetles are not just eating any plant, they are consuming the suffering plant. I'm not going to argue that nature has a way of maintaining balance, but I had to laugh. I guess those squirrels that entirely consumed 3 trees of gorgeous, plump, red organic peaches were simply answering the peach trees cries of distress! I should have known!
   
   If you want to grow your own food, more power to you. Don't be surprised if Mother Nature throws you a few curve balls along the way, though. Don't count on coyotes to protect your chickens, nor thistles to conveniently disappear.
   
   Finally, Ms. Adams never mentions the local banker or tax man, which seems odd. I've never met a farmer that doesn't have something to say about these friendly folks.



4. This is a concise review of where large and small farming is going. It needs to be read by all. Just reading this book has elevated my urban garden to unbelievable heights.



5. It gives a true beginner some helpful insights into the different forms of micro-agriculture but it never goes into detail.

5 comments about The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure, Third Edition.

1. Due to a plumbing fault in the house, my family have been composting in the back garden on a daily basis for over a year. What a bonus to stumble upon this book and find out that our actions have been helping to preserve the future of our planet! A number of residents in our street have complainined that the local environment has been suffering from some kind of unpleasant air pollution of late, so we feel proud to be putting something back.



2. Everyone should read this book, even if they have no intention or ability to use a humanure composting system. It provides a wealth of information on a subject that has been ignored for too long...human waste - how to dispose of it in a sensible, sustainable, practical, useful manner. We haven't flushed a toilet in this house in eight months, since we got this book and built our own sawdust toilet and composting box out back. We had a serious drought here this summer and our well was REAL low, but we had no problems because we weren't FLUSHING FOUR GALLONS OF CLEAN DRINKING WATER UNDERGROUND each time we went in the bathroom. I always wondered why we eliminate in water, anyway. And it doesn't stink, the compost box doesn't stink, it's simple and straightforward and clean and the humanure toilet's time has come! Everybody who comes in our house gets dragged into the bathroom by my husband to meet our new humanure toilet! Then I drag them outside to meet my wonderful compost box! So far we've had one convert, a couple with a camp who were using a stinking old outhouse, and they are just thrilled with the idea of using a humanure toilet next summer when they move back to camp. As a bonus, our electric bill dropped substantially, just because the water pump doesn't have to kick on every time a toilet is flushed. Buy this book, read it, start using a humanure toilet, tell all your friends, lend the book to your friends, do it now! Then read Joe Jenkins' other book, "Balance Point."



3. Fascinating and intelligent book that holds the key to sustainable practices that will help protect our drinking water supply. Why use 1.5 -5 gallons of precious drinking water to wash our poop away? It's a shameful and wasteful practice and this book provides the best solution to managing our excrement in a way that is healthy for us and for the planet.



4. the true revolution is in our poop! its a great read and is a vital piece to the new sustainable culture we are growing. thanks joe!



5. I wish my parents had known about this so they could have taught me instead of me having to teach them. Shame on anyone that has discouraged this sort of creative thinking. Let the rigor with which Joseph Jenkins has researched this topic be a lesson to anyone who wants to make a claim about the validity of any of our social norms.