5 comments about In A Mexican Garden: Courtyards, Pools, and Open-Air Living Rooms.

1. I love the pictures and ideas presented, but after 2 days, the binding had pulled away from the pages!! I think that is flaw that needs fixing.



2. I love this book! The beautiful photographs give the reader great ideas on how to design and decorate.



3. I was very surprise whith the quality of the presentation and the beautiful pictures. Excellent!!



4. This book is an explosion of beautiful colours on every page! It is filled with beautiful photographs of Mexican outdoor living and the commentary is concise but clear, enabling the reader to copy the ideas found in the book. I intend to use the book to create my own Mexican/Spanish style courtyard.



5. This is a great book for ideas on designing your own Mexican style garden and as in my case designing an Adobe Dollhouse and courtyard.

5 comments about Cubed Foot Gardening: Growing Vegetables in Raised, Intensive Beds.

1. 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.



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1TS6AHKY4KN4C PHOTO SLIDESHOW: The pictures with this review are a daily account of the garden I raised last year using much of the advice from this book.
   
   BOOK REVIEW: Chris Bird believes it's easier to grow a garden in raised beds, and in this book, he shows you how. Bird details the fundamentals of cubed foot gardening (how to build the boxes, space considerations, etc) and gives a brief introduction to the most popular vegetables grown in the US. He includes a useful season planting guide, which should be used instead of everyone's grandparents' methods like "plant corn two Mondays after the first dogwood bloom."
   
   The most appealing aspect of the book is the personal voice of the author. More than a how-to guide, this is one man's story about his successes and failures. He even admits when his method may not be the best or points out his many setbacks in his life of gardening.
   
   I was given this book one year after I started gardening in raised beds and have spent the last year correcting many of the mistakes I made on my own. Along with the seasonal planting guide and suggestions on which crops to plant, I learned creative designs for trellises and innovative planting techniques, including a brilliant "salt shaker" method of scattering small seeds evenly over an area.



3. Why go the expensive chemical route? It is safer, cheaper and better tasting to go organic-new scientific testing has proven what we already knew! So skip this book and get Square Foot Gardening instead.
   JMSWilson



4. Enjoyed this presentation. Can't really see difference between cubed foot gardening and square foot gardening.



5. This book is a poor imitation of "All New Square Foot Gardening". I totally disagree with much of the opinion and information offered as facts.

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

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



2. 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.



3. 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. This is an intelligently written and user-friendly book on herbs. Written by someone who actually uses the herbs she writes about, the information is much more pertinent than someone who has simply researched herbs in books. Not only is the growing information valuable, the ideas for using the herbs is terrific too. Good for the beginner and intermediate herb gardener and even for the advanced herb grower who may not know some of the many herbs covered in this book.



5. This book is a must for anyone who wants to successfully grow herbs and harvest nature's bounty. It is laid out in a simple, straight forward manner; while the details are rich, the charts precise, the personal illustrations covering everything you need to know to get started. Tammi Hartung, medical herbalist, has done a thorough and insightful job of sharing her knowledge and passion for a greener world.

5 comments about Building a Shed: Siting and Planning a Shed, Building Shed Foundations, Adding Custom Details (Build Like a Pro Series).

1. After reading through this book, I had the confidence to build my own 10 by 10 outdoor shed.
   
   This book does not contain blueprints for building sheds form start to finish. However, it does have a lot of pictures and informative tips to get you started. Often times I was able to simply look at the pictures to see how they did things.
   
   It contains good step-by-step instructions for setting up various types of bases, and the section on roofing really helped me out.
   
   Overall, I would recommend it if you need some ideas or some tips on how to get started or what to watch out for.



2. Having ordered 3 books on sheds based on the on-line reviews, this book along with Barns, Sheds and Outbuildings: Plan, Design, Build (Ultimate Guide To... [Paperback] The Ultimate Guide to Yard and Garden Sheds: Plan, Design, Build.... this is the only book you will need. The other two, while they show up under, "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought..." pale in comparison to the information contained in this book. In addition, the two I listed above are almost identical in content, same photos, diagrams etc. I have reviewed a couple of other offerings while at Home Depot and Lowes and while they may be good for ideas on style this book is all you need for construction. Enjoy it.



3. This book has far exceeded my expectations! I feel confident that I can plan and build my own shed (suited to my needs and budget) and do it for far less money than a chintzy pre-fab one from a DIY store. This book has a great format and loads of helpful information, things only someone who builds sheds for a living would know. I can't wait for the ground to dry a bit so I can get started building!



4. The shed on the cover is the best one. If you want that specific one buy it, but if your looking for ideas find another book.



5. Glad I bought this one. I had a customer looking for a shed that didn't look 'prefab' and was rustic, but "cute" (her term). I showed her the cover of the book and, with a few modifications, she was sold.
   
   I've never built a shed but I do have some framing knowledge The info on roofing is very helpful to me. I was also psyched the section for the shed on the cover had measured drawings for the trim boards and keystone pieces for the gable ends and over the windows. Should make life a little easier for me.

5 comments about The Southern Living Garden Book.

1. this is a wonderful guide to all the plants growing in the SouthEast. i treasured this book thru gardens in maryland, virginia, and south carolina. however, if you move to Florida, this is not the book for you. here, the growing seasons as well as many of the plants change. but it is a fantastic reference for everyone else.



2. This book is an indispensable resource, both for my work answering homeowner gardening questions and for my own gardening interests. The plant descriptions are easy to find (both common and Latin names are in the index) and a breeze to understand. This is a great reference manual for Southern gardeners.



3. This is the most comprehensive book on a single subject I have ever seen. An absolute must for the beginner or seasoned gardener. If you have only one book on southern gardening then buy this one and forget the rest. Steve Bender and Southern Living have created a reference work of true beauty. I am retired and considered the extent of my gardening knowledge was my ability to dig a hole and turn on the water. This book gave me the confidence to discover the joys of home gardening.
   
   I ordered my copy in soft cover and may order a hard cover edition to pass on to my children as a sourthern classic.



4. This book is very informative. It's everything one would expect from Southern Living. Nice pictures. Up to date varieties. Would strongly recommend to Southern gardeners.



5. I am new to the world of gardening and also the south. I found this book helpful in picking native plants for my area and how to keep them looking beautiful year after year.

5 comments about The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds.

1. This book is beautiful to look at, has a great deal of interesting history, useful gardening information, and some good recipes. Also it is inspirational, makes you want to source the rarer seeds and get out there with the spade. I don't know how much of this information is readily available in America, but here in Britain, where growing squash still mostly means butternut or Jack o' Lantern, the book is a revelation.
   
   Highly recommended



2. This is a very visually attractive book, with superb photographs, but this is not just for the coffee table. For the devotee who grows pumpkins, all the information needed is there, down to conditions and seed sources for an amazing selection of varieties. For the cook, there are some unusual recipes, but also the eating quality of each type of pumpkin. Essential,this. Some are delicious, others vile. Lots of historical and other info & stories too. Pumpkins are my passion. I grew them, I eat them and now I paint them. It was great to get this book and know there are other squash nutters out there.



3. At this time, this is the most comprehensive volume on the Cucurbita genus. A good personal narrative, coupled with sublime photography. My only quibbles are that none of the images show cut open fruit, to give a view of the flesh and cavity. Secondly, that quite a number of internationally known cultivars are not mentioned. Nevertheless, an absolute "must have" for pumpkin and squash devotee.



4. The Compleat Squash: A Passionate Grower's Guide to Pumpkins, Squashes, and Gourds What a great book. Good information about the squash family and recipes that are to die for. She will introduce you to a new world of a great vegetable. This book will become a family heirloom.



5. I love this book -- sometimes I think it spends more time off the bookshelf being thumbed through than resting on it. Here you have practically everything you need to grow squashes - what the squashes are best used for, some history of the various varieties, selecting seeds, growing and harvesting tips, and (extremely useful!)commercial sources of most of the seeds(many of which you can find easily online), all nicely organized by which Cucurbita species they belong to. (The growing guide to gourds is for C. pepo gourds, not Lagenaria species, and so the title is certainly appropriate growing C. pepo gourds, of which there are many) And recipes too -- so useful! Goldman is extremely helpful in pointing out the virtues and flaws of each variety for eating (though she tries some I wouldn't dare -- brave woman). The photographs are so beautiful as to be absolutely seductive -- watch out, you too will be saying to yourself 'I must grow that pumpkin/squash/gourd/whatever'. Then you too will be seeking out the seed suppliers, tenderly planting your new seeds and now in late summer, seeing them beginning to mature, turning into the fruit promised in the gorgeous photographs, murmur to yourself 'You are so beautiful, Sucrine du Berry. And Winter Luxury, you are the most elegantly lovely pumpkin I have ever seen..."

5 comments about House Colors.

1. This book is destined to be a classic for professionals and novices alike. Rather than another "pretty" book to ad to the shelf, it is an extensive resource that can be used for years. If you've ever chosen a paint color only to have to change it several times, this will save your sanity and money. Susan is a professional who does the work for you. The resource section in the back of the book is amazing. If you want your house to be the one other's drive by and admire, buy this book. Bravo!



2. This book will be very useful to laymen and professionals for use in selection of exterior colors and materials for new houses, remodelings, and even when the house is getting re-painted.
   
   Laymen, when re-doing their own house to whatever degree, would love the book because Ms. Hershman clearly and simply explains her points by use of examples (in beautiful photography) as well as the written word. For professionals, the book offers a collection of images and ideas that can presented to their clients so that they can understand that color is not a "paint job". Rather, exterior color is really an integrated system of materials and colors--and that system can range for the very simple to the very complex.
   
   This book would be wonderful addition to anyone's library.



3. This is the best reference I have ever seen for exterior colors. The pictures are of real houses, not staged for photography and the book gives you the paint brands and numbers of the colors used on each house. Very very helpful. I found colors to paint my home I would have never thought to consider and I am a decorator. Thank you Susan!



4. This book by Susan Hershman has been invaluable in many ways. Since we live in a Victorian City, the book is a way to show off ours and other similar cities. We use Susan's book for ideas and suggestions for our neighbors when they are improving their homes. Visually, House Colors is so stunning that it is now our number one cocktail table book. We can't imagine anyone undertaking a project involving painting without utilizing House Colors.



5. This is a lovely book with lots of information. However, I bought it to try to decide on a new color scheme for my Cape Cod home, only to find that just one Cape is shown in over 300 pages of this book. There are many beautiful houses presented, but most of them are not what I would consider your average middle-class home. I found nothing appropriate for my house, so it was a disappointment for me and I will probably return it.

5 comments about Growing Great Garlic: The Definitive Guide for Organic Gardeners and Small Farmers.

1. I cannot comment on the end results yet, since harvest is still 10 months away. This book introduces the types of garlic and recommends several organic methods of soil preparation. The greatest revelation was when to plant. All the local home garden supply stores stock garlic for spring planting. The author recommends fall, something subsequently confirmed by a local commercial grower. Hopefully with the fertilizing and time of planting tips, my results won't be quite so dismal.



2. If you finish this book, unless you're already a garlic farmer, you'll have been endowed with about 10 times the amount of information that you'll ever need. This book needs a major edit as the information is jumbled and unclear. I got the impression that the author definitely knows his stuff but was unable for some reason to convey it in any coherent way.
   
   I read the book in its entirety and all I really wanted to know was WHEN to plant and harvest my garlic -- I THINK I know now but I had to go back and re-check what Engeland said on this topic. So, if you just want to know the simple things about growing garlic, just check the internet. This book would definitely be helpful if you were planning to grow garlic as a source of income.
   
   Maybe a revised version will come out soon, which would surely be an improvement.



3. I'd recommend this book no matter where you live as the author gives instruction for all weather conditions. My home here in the Southern Hemisphere is quite cold and snows in winter but is dry and warm in summer - so I now know what I can grow and have found a great organic site that I can buy my garlic bulbs from. Bliss!



4. I'm a gardener who loves to cook, and I love my kitchen herb garden best of all. When I decided to try growing garlic this book was recommended by the seed (bulb) supplier as a great place to start, and they were right! It's well-written, complete, and a great reference. Highly recommended!



5. Type in growing galic in your search engine and 9 out of 10 will tell you it is a snap.
   This author has at least 40 reasons why your crop will fail.
   I don't recommend this book... too negative and too disorganized.

5 comments about Weeds of the Northeast (Comstock Books).

1. A very useful book for those of us in the northeast seeking to identify weeds and wildflowers. Certainly a one-of-a-kind publication.



2. Because this book is selective and regional rather than comprehensive, it has been extremely useful in identifying and providing info on the "weeds" I am likely to see. The descriptive information on all stages of the plant, in combination with photos, rather than a focus on flower and secondarily on leaves, make this easy to use for nonexperts like myself; it also sets it apart from the (also useful) Newcomb book and other field guides I have. (In gardening, it is especially useful to be able to identify weeds at their early stages.) The organization of the book is reasonable, but it is also easy enough to leaf through to spot weeds by photo.
   The "weed management" focus of the book (weeds being viewed from the standpoint of crops, orchards, and nurseries) means that it includes native as well as nonnative plants (although the descriptions mention where the weed is a native). It is interesting to me to see what native plants are considered nuisances. My own primary interest is in environmental balance, the promotion of native plants, and the control of invasive nonnatives, and while this not a main resource for me, I find it very useful.
   Incidentally, I have Eastman's "The Book of Field and Roadside," which is an extremely entertaining, idiosyncratic adjunct.



3. A comprehensive book, easy to locate the various types of weeds. I was puzzled by a weed? that popped up last year and again this year Only in increasing numbers. I was finally able to locate and identify it using this book.



4. As many have said, this book is very useful for identifying weed-like plants. I have already used it to id more plants more easily, than I have with any of my other id books.
   
   The downside, is that it essentially ignores whether plants are native or not. To me, that matters A LOT. Native plants may be considered weeds, but they are much more supportive of wildlife and in tune with the ecosystem, and I think the distinction is worthy of being made. Even descriptions for non-native plants that are considered to be invasive make little mention of this fact.



5. This book was recommended to by by a university professor who uses this as a textbook in class, and I can certainly see why. There are several outstanding features besides the excellent disctiptions and pictures of plants at diferent stages of growth. How to identify a weed, a dichotomous key, shorcut ID tables, and a grass chart. Every gardener should have this book in her/his library. Of course, along with the knowlege in this book is the old "chestnut" every gardener should know, "A plant is a weed if it's growing where you don't want it to grow."

5 comments about Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs (Princeton Field Guides).

1. 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.



2. This bok is very inclusive in it's content and very easy to look up insect for information or identification. It is used by Master Gardeners in our part of the country wth great appreciation for a book of such quality buyt yet affordble.



3. I received this as a gift after I mentioned that I loved the Orkin insect zoo at the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. It was not a book I would have bought for myself, but it has become indispensable bedtime reading! The pictures are vibrant and accompanied by hard-to-forget descriptions and explanations. I especially love the pictures taken by Whitney Cranshaw himself. This book is very accessible to those who are interested in the secret tiny life that exists off of their back porch, people who don't know where to start and therefore keep pushing it off. Even the way the bugs are organized in the book is perfect- Leaf Chewers, Sap Suckers, Gall Makers, Twig Damagers, Branch Borers, Bulb Feeders... doesn't this sound like the most beautiful poem in the world??



4. This is a great book it has wonderful pictures so that you may identify the bugs that you are looking for. I purchased one for myself and one for my daughter and we both love them.



5. THIS WILL SHOW YOU THE REAL DEAL OF THE DOG EAT DOG UNIVERSE OF BUGS, IN YOUR FRONT AND BACKYARD...............