5 comments about How to Make a Forest Garden.

1. You will like it if the title interests you. Buy one now.



2. If you are looking for a book that will inspire you to make a forest / woodland garden then this book has everything and more.
   
   When the realisation of low-maintenance gardening can produce such an incredible variety of produce, in such a sustainable way, it defies belief that this way of gardening is not implemented all over the world.
   
   Absolute value for money, and, as the principals of forest garden can be easily applied to the smallest garden space, there is no excuse for anybody not to give it a go.
   
   This book will give you all the help and guidance you need to make this vision a reality and the plants will just keep on giving. Truly inspirational.



3. I bought this book for my wife who is an avid gardener and who has been studying permaculture for several years. We wanted a good book that would explain basic concepts of "forest gardens" that we have only begun to study. She loves the book, and while traveling recently, she read the first two chapters to me. I found the author's explanations to be very clear and concise. He presented some ideas which got me thinking differently about the way we develop and use our small yard. We are anxious to try out many of the ideas he presented. Overall, we are both very happy with this book, and it well fulfilled our expectations. If there is one downside to the book at all, it is the fact that he bases his explanations on the circumstances and climate of Great Britain. We would love it if he had his forest garden here in our area, and mentioned plants specific to our area. That makes it a bit of a challenge to interpret the specific methods to our own climate, but the general principles are useful anywhere. Yes, we highly recommend this book!



4. First I want to say that I very much agree with the approach to gardening presented in Mr. Whitefield's book. That said the title is very misleading. The reason for my 3 star rating. The book has little to do with actual "Forest Gardening". Multi-layer planting or poly culture, more accurately describes his approach. He does use these terms periodically to describe this way of gardening. Early on Whitefield makes a brief comment on the idea that if you don't have much room, you might try a "forest garden" in a container. Perhaps in England they have forests in a pot, but in the part of the U.S. where I live people maybe have several acres of actual forest to work with. He also tells the reader to be aware of full day shade caused by nearby buildings. Important information if your forest exists between two multi-story buildings. But that is not a concern in a forest. This book does offer some constructive information for those who have a city lot or small yard to work with and wish to have a fruit tree or two, some berry bushes, combined with a vegetable garden. What I did learn from this book is that for gardening in a real forest a fair amount of the fruit trees and plants suggest by Whitefield probably won't work due to the light condition created by the forest canopy. Also the reader should know the hardiness of some of his suggestions are defined in general terms like, "can withstand cold temperatures". He does mention ability to withstand frost relating to some plants. One will need to check with other sources for plant hardiness, as cold for someone in England may be different than for someone living in Wisconsin. If you are actually wanting to garden in a forest you would might be better off researching native plants that may already be in your local forest environment, do some experimenting with plants to check their light requirements, or checking with your state university. They may have information on agri-forestry or other alternative approaches for food production in a forest environment. Bottom line... If you are planning for your back yard you might consider this book as a good starting place. It will give you some good information and designs for a progressive way to produce your own food. If you are planning to co-existing in a forest setting, in a way that allows you to produce a variety of fruits and vegetables I don't believe this book is your best place for ideas.



5. I made a mistake when I ordered this book -- I didn't realize it was centered in Britain and as a result it was less useful for me. I did learn a few things, but I don't plan to keep the book. I have since seen it referenced in other texts and suspect it is an excellent book for someone in the UK.

5 comments about The Herbal Kitchen: Cooking with Fragrance and Flavor.

1. If you've always cooked with herbs, but always rushed off to the grocery store to get them fresh for your recipes, now is the time to stop and pick them fresh out of your own garden or pot! This book has a lot of great detailed information about how to grow, cut and cook with herbs. There are also a lot of pictures so you're not left wondering what something, you may never have seen before, should look like. The recipes are easy and tasty, the information is simple and this book makes a great gift or center piece on any coffee table. You'll be entertaining guests with your new recipes, indoor herb pots and wonderful cookbook, while explaining it all, in no time.



2. This books has wonderful herb cultivation tips, as well as recipes using those freshly grown herbs! The photos are a bonus! The book, "Flavoring with Culinary Herbs: Tips, Recipes, and Cultivation" by Mary El-Baz would be a great companion to this book!



3. I've never seen anything like this. This book makes me smarter. The recipes are much simpler than some other books I own, but the food comes out tasting -- amazing. And the recipe I just cooked (cinnamon chicken) ended up *looking* like it did in the book's photograph. Think about that for a while.
   
   That's another great thing about this book -- it has a lot of photographs, and that helps me (a novice cook) a lot.
   
   I think Mr. Traunfeld understands food in a way that other people don't. In simple things, like how to brown chicken pieces in olive oil, he's just practical and -- more correct than other books I have. Put it skin-side down in the oil and *leave it alone* for at least six minutes, then flip it over for two, then take it out. Yikes. It looked great.
   
   But in his use of herbs and spices, he's some kind of saint. I think the Japanese have a phrase for it: "Living National Treasure." Who else would ever tell you to cook what amounts to Chicken Cacciatore with cinnamon sticks and star anise?
   
   It scared me, but I did it, and oh my. It was one of the best three meals I've cooked in my life. (And it Looked Like The Picture.)
   
   How about mushroom and nutmeg bread pudding for Thanksgiving? He said something like "It's like stuffing from Heaven." So I tried it, and I guess I'll be making it forever now. My wife was hiding packages of it in the refrigerator so she could eat it later. I'm not making this up. That recipe was simple, too.
   
   What if all the most miraculous things are simple, after someone shows them to you?
   
   I decided that a guy like that deserves more than the buck or two he got paid because I bought his book. :-)
   
   ---------------------------------------------
   Eight Months Later
   ---------------------------------------------
   
   It's August, 2008 now, and I have just finished my first attempt at Basil Lime Fizz from this book. I decided I would write this before I finished my first glass of it.
   
   This is crazy. I want to give this guy another star, even if it breaks the Amazon Ranking Algorithm.
   
   Since I wrote the first review, above, I have made this drink (He has several recipes for drinks, ice cream, and appetizers.) as well as the appetizers called Saltimbocca. Everything I have made from this book has turned out perfectly! I am cook of average ability -- an occasionally enthusiastic amateur who only knows how to do one meal by heart. I have never had *every* recipe from a book work out well before.
   
   Not only work out well, but these things have each become instant-classic, top-ten-favorite things in my modest repertoire. And I have never looked at one of Mr. Traunfeld's recipes and thought "what the heck does *this* mean?" I think his are the only books where that doesn't happen.
   
   Here's another detail about how practical he is. In another recipe, he said to carmelize onions in a sauce pan rather than a frying pan, because that will keep the juices from evaporating longer and help the process -- and you can stir the onions quickly without having them fly out of the pan. He has details like that all through his books. These are pointers to becoming a good craftsman with food, even while he's showing you how to do genius-level things with herbs.
   
   I feel like a baseball talent scout who just watched a new kid hit five consecutive pitches out of the park. We -- really -- need to hire this guy.
   
   ...
   
   
   Now I will finish my fizz.



4. My wife and I have been fortunate enough to eat at The Herb Garden (located in the Pacific NW), but for those who can't make it up here, or can't afford the rather expensive experience of it, here is the answer! Head Chef Jerry Traunfeld's recipes are surprisingly easy, and every single one we've tried (we're working our way through the book) has been a hit. Not just okay. AWESOME. So go to your local market, or out into your garden, get the freshest produce and herbs available, and hit the kitchen. You'll be glad you did!



5. I hardly cook - the local takeout places know me all too well. But, occasionally, I'll bust something out for my book club or a potluck. I've been using the recipes in this book almost exclusively and they always turn out amazing, even the first time. They don't have a ton of ingredients and Jerry Traunfeld explains the steps remarkably well, so I'm not likely to get myself into a mess of trouble trying to cook. The Herbed Skillet Souffle was my first pass at folding egg whites and the results were delicious. I love the Cherry Tomato, Melon and Mint Salad - an unusual combination that makes me look like I know what I'm doing, but easy enough for a child to prepare. And, the Frothy Tarragon Sauce atop asparagus was incredible.
   
   There is something about the way it's written, with careful descriptions of each dish and obvious love for food, that is truly inspiring.

5 comments about New Illustrated Guide to Gardening.

1. This book is exactly what I was looking for and could not find. I had a very old edition of this book many years ago and was looking for a replacement. This covers all aspects of gardening and what I need to know. I highly recommend this book. Easy to read, concise and to the point information.



2. For all new to gardening, this book is wonderful. It will give you a basic overview of all aspects of gardening to flowers, foliage, fruits and veggies.
   
   I had no clue before I bought this book and now I'm hooked and getting better every year



3. I'm new to gardening after entering retirement. My son gave me this book as a gift, and I've found it invaluable. You can teach an old dog new tricks...



4. Last year, my partner managed to get a wild hair up his backside and insisted that the balcony outside our home be somewhat more "green". To be honest, I'm incapable of telling a rose from a pansy, and, since I knew that the comprehensive task of planting and, more importantly, maintaining the d**ned thing once it was put into place would fall on my shoulders, I quickly started a search for the best text I could find.
   
   I've relied on Readers' Digest in the past for such, and there was no disappointment in this case. The book is usefully divided into sections by plant category and use - i.e. roses get their own chapter and section while pansies are listed under another amongst others similar to its appearance and use. The voluminous book's text and information is highly useful, but the fact that it is heavily illustrated and filled with photographs is invaluable. This is particularly true in the sections dealing with diseases and a malady of the plant - I mean, how "yellow" is that already yellowish-green plant when it's unhealthy from over-watering, disease or some such? Anyway, long and short, we won the "balcony" award for the flat complex last year - despite being first timers and all.
   
   What's more, this book has actually made the whole process somewhat fun. This year, when it was announced that it was time to start the balcony again, I was actually quite looking forward to it, and even have a few ideas of my own.
   
   The subject matter is neccessarily broad, and a more experienced gardner will likely find much of the material too basic to be more than a reference book. However, for gardening novices like myself, it's perfect!



5. Great book for vegetables, trees, bushes, flowers, etc. The sections on diseases and pests were extremely beneficial in detecting what was going wrong in my yard. My only complaint was that some of the pictures were in black and white and I prefer color.

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 Designing California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens.

1. This book is excellent, with many good photographic examples of complete native landscape. It also set for an excellent philosophy for landscape design for the both the use of native and non-native plants. However it really shouldn't be thought of as a complete source for native gardening. I would also suggest that you pick up 'California Native Plants for the Garden' by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien. Even between these two books all of the possibilities for beautiful California native plants and landscapes created using them have not yet been fully explored, but these books are an excellent start.



2. -We need more books like this to make Native Gardening more amenable. What "Landscapers' Challenge" did for Landscaping, this book will hopefully start to do to open up the still rather arcane world of Native Plants. It is practical and full of detailed, appropriate, high quality photographs of sample materials. Visually on par with "Landscape Plants for Western Regions" by Perry.



3. Love this book, gets you to think in terms of plant groupings & not just on a singular level.



4. This book is a must have for the California native gardener. I'd say the book's biggest strength is in its' inspiration- contains nice photographs of natural landscapes and gardens modeled after them. It groups plants by communities which is nice, though maybe hard to do. I know I live in an area which doesn't fit exactly into of any of the communities they list, but I can still get the idea they are trying to convey, and look around at what is in my community. California is so diverse you almost want a bunch of more specific and in-depth books for different areas inside California, but I guess maybe those areas of interest are too small to sell enough books to make it worth the while.
   
   It does a good job listing different kinds of plants, my only complaint with this book is that I would have liked more pictures accompanying each plant for which information is given- because you really can't tell from the brief physical description what the plant looks like. As someone else has mentioned, this book is best paired with California Native Plants For The Garden. However, this complaint should be taken with a grain of salt, for designing a California native garden I think this book is the best on the market. Together, these two books provide the backbone to build your California native plant book collection around.



5. I was looking for a book that would give me a comprehensive guide to xeriscaping with native plants. This book contains one section that approaches my needs but is more of an overview over the native plants of the many diverse vegetation zones of the states. For what it is, it is a nice book. Just not a match for me.

5 comments about The Edible Garden (Sunset).

1. The Edible Garden is a practical, easy guide to growing fresh fruits and vegetables. There are a host of unusual ideas here, from kid-friendly projects to different techniques, streamlining gardening processes, and handling diseases, crop rotation needs, and special care. A fine beginner's guide.



2. I've looked at a lot of gardening books in my day, and this one is the best I've seen for growing herbs, fruits and vegetables. It's thin and not a page is wasted.
   
   The bulk of the book is profiles for different types of fruits/herbs/veggies, telling you when to plant, how to plant, how to maintain, and how to use in cooking. It also includes useful tips on everything from extending your growing season and getting rid of pests, to how to arrange plants and espalier your apple trees.
   
   Fascinating and easy to use with beautiful pictures! I read the whole thing in one sitting!



3. 
   Whether you are a master gardener or a beginner, this book would make a fine addition to your library. It is an excellent "how-to", with many color photos (distant and close-up for detail) and nicely-done illustrations.
   
   No, this is not a "hoity-toity" book that is out of most working peoples' price range - it covers the spectrum of gardeners out there, from the most independent "do-it-yourselfer" to those who want to give ideas to their contractor or hired gardener.
   
   The topics cover not only traditional "in ground" gardening but also touch on urban gardening, raised bed and container gardening, not to mention cold frames and overwintering non-zoned plants. Speaking of traditional gardening, this book also covers innovations for traditional beds; my favorite being
   a grid-shaped trellis for keeping the Asparagus bed neat.
   
   The book also touches on:
   
   * Making a "formal" garden with edibles;
   
   * Edible flowers and scented edibles;
   
   * Beneficial insects;
   
   * How to make chidrens' garden spaces (and how to get the kids involved);
   
   * Making attractive but still very functional critter-proof fencing (deer and groundhogs, to name a few); and
   
   * How to overwinter non-hardy plants and trees, especially in regards to growing container citrus trees.
   
   If you're just starting out into gardening, this would be a "must-have" book for you. If you've some gardening experience under your belt, this is still an excellent book to have as it has innovative but still very useful and functional ideas for your garden and yard.
   
   All in all, five stars for the book. I just wish it was longer - 192 pages was just a teaser.



4. I am gardener in South Louisiana and though some of the cultivars mentioned in this book are difficult to grow here there are many that will work in the south.
   
   This book is full of projects, information on cultivars, diseases, and things to plant in different seasons. Great photos too!
   
   RH



5. I have LOTS of garden books. I LOVE to garden, especially to vegetable garden. This book has great pictures of fruit, vegetable, and herb plants that really inspires you to make your garden not only functional, but beautiful too. I feel that this book is a great addition to my library and plan to reference it many many times in the future. Because of the size of the book, it can't go into alot of specifics about regional issues (I'm in the deep south and this can make a huge difference in what I can and cannot plant and when) although it does give basic overviews of plant preferences and maps of freeze dates etc. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much detail the book goes into on planting methods, pest problems (with lots of good up-close pictures), and other gardening topics. Great book for any fruit and vegetable gardener to add to their collection!

5 comments about Incredible Vegetables from Self-Watering Containers: Using Ed's Amazing POTS System.

1. I have read a lot of gardening books, but this is one of the all time best!! It is full of facts, as opposed to general descriptions. "A full grown tomato takes a gallon of water a day." as opposed to some vague keep it well watered that you get in so many books.
   It is precise, without being dry. Written with a sense of humor, as well as common sense. I found a lot of very useful information, even though I am a seasoned gardener, and a novice would find this invaluable. The information I found was accurate, and as importantly, explained. I love to know the "why" behind something.
   I must also comment on the pictures. They are good pictures of exactly the plant being talked about. You could easily identify an unknown plant from the pictures and descriptions. That is rare...most books show plants from too far away, or in a grouping...neither of which is helpful to me.
   All and all, this is my favorite gardening book of all time!! If I had to list a fault, I would be hard pressed to come up with one. Perhaps a bit more on the section on making a self watering pot at home. The basics are all there, but I would have like a bit more on the bigger containers, like how to turn a whiskey barrel into a self-waterer. And to go along with that, a few resourses on parts (as opposed to finished units.)



2. This book starts out good and states that it's going to tell you how to make your own self-watering containers. However, once you get through all the initial fluff, I found the details necessary to actually follow through on the author's suggestions to be extremely limited. The author discusses how to make any pot self-watering, but uses a ready made insert. Then he does not say where to get the ready made insert from. Parts of the book read more like a pat on the back to his own successes with pictures from his own garden. That's great, but I bought the book to learn how to set up my own self-watering system which I still am at a loss after reading the book. I was very disappointed.



3. Incredible Vegetables From Self-watering Containers is a book I purchased for my daughter. She lives in Show Low Az. in a wooded area and the soil is not that good. So she thought she would try growing some veggies in containers this year. I bought the book for her to give her some ideas on how to do it. She has a green thumb and was brought up on a farm so she loves to grow things. I would recomend this book to anyone wanting to grow anything in containers.



4. This book was very helpful. I am just starting a 'balconey' garden.
   The containers are helpful....the veggies are growing happily!
   D.O.



5. This is a great little book to get you started using self-watering container systems. It is well organized and provided me with sufficient information to, for the first time, successfully grow a bounty of tomatoes and lettuce and to start my little dwarf meyer lemon tree to begin blooming again. There is a great section at the end of the book for resources for purchasing some of the materials, and the section that covers the specifics about various types of plants, which do well with containers and which don't really need them, was also a great help toward getting started.
   
   I've already loaned this book to several friends who are looking forward to trying the method. For me, I wanted a sure-fire way to get maximally healthly and productive plants with a minimum of effort. Setting up the pots takes about 45-60 minutes, and after that your plants just take off! I love going out my kitchen door and picking fresh lettuce every day for my salads, and to not have to worry about watering every day, which in the heat of San Jose summers is fantastic! Easy, fun and rewarding - what more could you ask from a gardening book?

4 comments about Extreme Gardening: How to Grow Organic in the Hostile Deserts.

1. I live in Phoenix and have the opportunity of catching Dave Owens tips for gardening on Channel 3 on a weekly basis. Dave has so many tips for gardening that the only way to harness his knowledge is to purchase this book. I have come to find that these tips work not only for those of us living in the desert, but I pass them along to my Mother in Wyoming, and she has as much success as I do with them. Dave is an extremely knowledgable gardner and his book reflects that, the layout was very thought out and takes you step by step from the "what do I need", to "now I've got what I need, what do I do" stages. Bravo, Dave!



2. David Owens has written a real winner with this book! He tells us which plants will survive in our harsh desert environment and how to plant and take care of them. The book is easy to follow and I'm having good luck with all the trees and vegetables I have planted using his guidelines.

   If you thought that gardening was not an option since you moved to the desert you need this book to show you the way!




3. This is a great book for any gardening endvor using organic means. This autor knows and understands planting for an enviroment that is both beautiful and harsh. I follow his inspiring garden methods using this book and his companion book.



4. I LOVE this book. It is the best, hands down, guide to growing veggies in Arizona. So many gardening books address other parts of the country and don't apply to the Southwest. I have 5 other "Southwest" gardening books and this is the first book I refer to. It combines organic gardening with gardening in the desert. If you are a newbie to southwest gardening and only want to read one book-get this one!

3 comments about Growing & Using Lavender: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-155 (Storey Publishing Bulletin, a-155).

1. This summer I planted 80 lavender plants in honor of my mom who recently passed away. This book has been a major part of the success my garden has achieved, with 2 harvestings of lavender to date. An excellent resource and inspiration for how to grow and use lavender



2. This little gem is so full of useful information it puts the other books I have on lavender to shame. Not only does it discuss the many varieties of lavender and their history and growing wants/needs. But one learns how to propagate, trim and use the various lavenders be it in bath items or medicinally, cooking or as gifts. I grow lavender and make various things from the plants but really want to try making the 'Net sachets' shown on page 24 which are gorgeous!



3. This is a brief bulletin of information but still quite helpful. Ms. Barrett touches on the types, the maintenance and the uses of lavender. It's a small book, but I found tips and recipes in here that were missing in other lavender books. It's plain and simple, short and sweet. A very good basic reference book.

5 comments about Paula Pryke's Flower School: Mastering the Art of Floral Design.

1. This book is amazing! Detailed, gorgeous photos and instructions to create the best floral arrangements of your life. New ideas on every page, lots of suggestions for supplies and techniques.



2. I would never contest the beauty of this book, but I found the lessons section to be lacking in terms of specificity. After all, this book is meant to be instructive. The instructions were often much too general for someone actually trying to learn floral design. Sometimes the generality is along the lines of 'put the twigs in the vase, put the roses in the vase,' while at other times it is more specific. In essence, the real process of placement is sometimes excluded.
   
   Also, many of the arrangements are of a similar style, round and mouned, and though this is a particular style, I would have appreciated fewer examples of this type of bouquet, which I consider to be less complicated to make. As a florist, I would recommend this book to other florists looking for interesting ideas for using alternative floral materials such as food. I would also recommend this book for beginners needing very basic informatioin, such how to use greeneries and basic floral tools.
   
   I would not, however, recommend this book for beginners or florists hoping to make commercial sorts of arrangements. After all, her book is the "art" of floral design, not the "economics" of floral design. Many commercial floral arrangements make more economical use of stem length and amount of flowers. This is not universal, but it is something to keep in mind when deciding who to buy this book for.



3. This book is being used as a text book for an advanced floral design class I am taking. Very useful for the advanced or beginning floral designer. Pictures are very detailed.



4. Beautiful book on fresh flower arranging. Lots of information and lovely photographs. There is good technical information regarding the basics of arranging flowers in general. Her designs are beautiful but personally, not something I would want to reproduce. They are too edgy. She is obviously very talented. If you are looking for a book on silk flower arranging, try Decorating With Silk & Dried Flowers by The Home Decorating Institute. Even if you are more interested in silk flower arranging, there is still a lot of good information about color, line, texture, etc. in this one.



5. This was supposed to be a NEW book. All the pages were stuck together on the bottom of the book and when I got them apart you can see a huge water stain. This was the first time I had ordered from Amazon and I will never do it again!!!!!