5 comments about Tasha Tudor's Garden.

1. Looking at Tasha Tudor's Garden is like taking a journey to another century, surrounded by beauty and peace. Tasha herself wears 19th century clothes, including petticoats, shawls, and head kerchiefs and lives in an antique-appearing house, going about her life with what seems to be a minimal of technology. The photographs that capture her seeing to the goats in the barn in winter, carrying a basket of hand-pulled weeds in summer, arranging lillies, tulips, peonies and old roses in her lovely old house, and seeing the cottage gardens in bloom are absolutely gorgeous. Sometimes gardeners just need inspiration, and this book is perfect for this. Enjoy.



2. I purchased this book years ago... at a bookstore and paid the full price. Had I known about Amazon.com....I could have saved money. Then I could have more books! I strongly recommend this book for all gardeners to add to their home library. Enjoy!



3. I have loved Tasha Tudor's illustrations in books like "The Tasha Tudor Book of Fairy Tales", "The Secret Garden" and "A Little Princess" since childhood. I didn't know anything about Tasha Tudor as a person, and then one Christmas my mother gave me this book. Wow! Mrs. Tudor has lived a remarkable life and she is an amazing person. She has chosen to create a home for herself that seems to exist in a century past. Her son built a rustic house for her, and she has surrounded it with extensive farm buildings, cottage gardens, fruits, berries, chickens, goats and dogs. She dresses in layers of vintage clothing and eats off of china that has been in her family for generations. I just love this woman, and her lifestyle. This is a beautiful book.



4. This is a wonderful book featuring the garden of children's book author and illustrator Tasha Tudor. Not a gardening how-to book but rather a photographic tour of the garden. It does show that a garden can be at its most charming when not rigidly landscaped but grown in a more naturalistic way. A must for all Tasha Tudor fans bookshelves.



5. I received this book several years ago as a birthday gift. It has beautiful pictures of Tasha Tudor's garden and flowers. I bought it this year for my friends 60th birthday gift. She loves it!

5 comments about The Outdoor Shower: Creative design ideas for backyard living, from the functional to the fantastic.

1. This book was clearly written and the author did a fine job of researching the topic of outdoor showers. the drawings and the sidebar tips were well done. the multitude of options for individual tastes of showers were well explained. the author obviously not only enjoys the art of designing the shower, but has the knowledge and talent to construct one also, which in turn helps the readers confindence in building his or her own. i would recomend this book to anyone who enjoys the outdoor experience of showering.



2. The Outdoor Shower book had such beautiful pictures and so many creative designs that I can't decide what I want to build! We are gleaning from many of the ideas to come up with the perfect outdoor shower. I can't wait for it to be finished!



3. Just getting ready for another project and this book sheds great light on outdoor showers



4. Terrific ideas and with great pictures to go along with....great book to day dream with. Also very practical information and instructions for doing your own project.



5. SAVE YOUR $$$ and skip purchasing 'THE OUTDOOR SHOWER'. I bought and then returned this book as I found it to be lacking in fresh, new ideas on the subject of choosing and installing an outdoor shower. The text was blah and un-engaging and the all-important photo-illustrations were badly shot and not at all inspirational. I purchased this book thinking it would give me an overview of styles/periods/designs from which I might be inspired to install my own outdoor shower. Instead, what I found were amateurish, candid photos that were mundane, souless and frankly BORING. Avoid this book and head instead to your local newstand or library to find imaginative ideas in the shelter magazines: Coastal Living-MS Living-Yankee-Sunset all have featured pieces on this topic with a fresh outdoor lifestyle slant. This book was a dud with a capital D.

5 comments about Tree Houses You Can Actually Build: A Weekend Project Book (Stiles, David R. Weekend Project Book Series.).

1. What a fantastic book! My kids and I have had so much fun browsing through and getting ideas for their tree house. From the basic tree house to more elaborate designs, it's in here. With the help of this book, you can actually build one affordably.



2. Excellent guide for treehouse construction. We used the book as a basis for our treehouse and modified one of the designs. This book was extremely valuable for us and guided us through alot of potential pitfalls. Highly recommend!



3. Color pictures of some fantastic tree house ideas. No limits on imagination here. One caution: Don't let the kids see it first! Can't wait to start one of these ideas.



4. I think you have to be a master carpenter to actually do any of them in a week-end but the detail is pretty good.....odd thing is, I bought this book and already had it at home! I must have really liked it!



5. Works for kids, works for adults, very clear and very helpful. Very graphics oriented and the sketches make the text very clear.
   Unfortunately does not even mention escalating tree houses beyond the backyard project - if this were a full-revalation book, you would see the new engineering miracle, the Garnier Limb.
   
   We were quite pleased - PS we are hard graders, hardly anything gets a 5.

5 comments about Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn.

1. I received this book for my birthday this weekend, and sat down and read it that afternoon. As a permaculture student and an artist, this book fit my approach just perfectly. There are many books that deal in nitty gritty details of why and how to grow your own food and reduce your consumption, etc., but I've long been frustrated at the few texts and individuals devoted to the PR necessary to communicate with those not already fanatical about the ideas of permaculture and home gardening. This book is a start. I would have liked to read about more of the planning and ideas behind the presentation of the gardens to the respective neighborhoods. I'm interested in ways of bridging the gap between those who are "green" and those who remain mainstream in their ideas about the environment. This book offers some examples of injecting new ideas into the mainstream manicured lawn set.



2. I like the idea of growing more of our own produce in our yard, but I was somewhat disappointed in the quality of this book. Not disappointed in the condition mind you - it just wasn't what I was looking for.



3. My husband and I want to convert most of our front and back yard to fruit trees and gardens, as we have long thought that most people do not make use of their grass anyhow. Most of the book made the case for using property for food production, but the book was short on ideas for plants and layouts. The layout on the front cover is good, but there are a few such suggestions contained in the book. I would have liked a book full of ideas that I could use to help me plan my own edible estate.



4. I wanted to like this book. I think the idea is great but the gardens shown are not very pretty and the tone of the book is somewhat hostile. If you want to see a PRETTY vegetable garden suitable for a front yard check out "Rosemary Verey's making of a Garden". Look at the chapter entitled "The Potager". Now THAT's a beautiful vegetable garden. If it's too ambitious try just planting a border of red & green lettuce. It looks as beautiful as any other foliage plant. Put down a layer of wood chips. It really is a nice look. When you start getting into netting and wire fencing in the front yard that's when you leave many people behind. No one want to look at raggedy tomato plants in August.



5. have to agree with "wendycat". all of the photos i have seen of the edible estates are not very pretty, no offense to anyone but some are even somewhat hideous for a front yard garden. anyways, i've read the author has moved on to something else - animal estates....

5 comments about Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web.

1. Finally, a REAL organic gardening book. Wish I had written it. It's an easy read; I feared that it might be an academic study. Great pictures. I only skipped chapter 13 on doing a soil census. I wished the author had addressed the roles of irrigation, mineral supplements, and organic fertilizers in increasing crop/fruit productivity. I'm not nitpicking about the author's chemistry. Excellent Book!



2. Despite the short length of this book, it was packed with lots of good information and was easy to read. It brought to my attention aspects of fungi versus microbial activity that I was never aware of and how these affect soil quality for gardens versus shrubs. The book has had an immediate payback for me, as I am a novice composter and now know how to do that better. It also described compost teas which I was only vaguely familiar with. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gardening in an earth-friendly way or to those who have relied solely on inorganic fertilizers and need to learn their true effects.



3. I love this book! I raise red wiggler worms and lecture on worms and composting. This book has added to my interest and fascination with worms and now with worm/compost tea. I will use it as part of my lectures and recommend it in my classes and lectures.



4. A beautifully written book. This book is simple and highly informative. It is a must read for everybody who is interested in organic gardening. Once you have read the book you will have a deep appreciation and understanding of soil.



5. This is a detailed description of organisms in the soil, what kind you need for different types of plants, and how to get and keep them. It explains why organic gardening is more efficient, and eventually an easier way to grow. It is well written and informative.

5 comments about Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens.

1. Book is a great asset for anyone wanting to utilize plants which are native to where you live--so naturally they fare better. Most of our Master Gardeners in our area have purchased this reference book
   Also--as usual--Amazon is efficient for handling ppurchases with speedy delivery.



2. We've been avid gardeners for decades and have done many things to attract wildlife to our 10 acre woodlot where we reside. This book is a real eye-opener. It's scientific but easy on the mind. It's thorough and informative, yet casual in its prose. Dr. Tallamy has made a terrific contribution to anyone who values their property, enjoys healthy diversity in their landscape, and wants to do right by the planet. Don't go to your local nursery before reading this book. Mention this to all your friends who share your outdoor interests and talk to your local librarian to be certain he/she obtains a copy for your community.



3. 
   I thought this book was great, and now I'm "sold" on only using native plants in my garden. And for those who say that not all alien plants are bad, and that this book doesn't tell the whole story or whatever, I would retort "well why NOT use native plants only?" To me there's something more "right" about using plants that are native to the very land you are on.
   
   The back of the book contains a terrific appendix that lists good native plants to grow by U.S. region. I was very disappointed however that there was no index for the Northeast region(which is where I live)...



4. This book is a must read for all. It highlights and informs about the small steps we can each take to create a better world in our own back yards.



5. This is a very important book. I almost reluctantly purchased it after hearing several people that I admire recommend it very highly. I am not much into gardening but am interested in birds, biodiversity and restoring natural habitats. I have read hundreds of books on biology and the environment over the years and have been to hundreds of meetings and conferences regarding solutions to the many problems that beset our natural environment. It is not often that I hear of a very simple solution to a ubiquitous problem, that of a decline in the overall population of birds and mammals and the increase in the ravages of diseases affecting our forests, grasslands and deserts.
   
   In addition to offering a novel solution to major problems the outlook of the book is optimistic and the reading is interesting and pleasurable. Dr. Tallamy is a fine writer and also furnishes fascinating descriptions of the plants, insects, mammals and birds that he has studied. One that I remember from the chapter on insects was the defensive strategy of some insects called leafhoppers that are preyed upon by wasps. The mother protects her offspring that are feeding on the stem above by intercepting attackers from below. If a wasp starts an attack from above her young drum out a distress message that vibrates through the stem to her so she can rush up and try to kick the wasp away. Another insect, a tree-boring beetle, flies to the top of mountain ridges to scan for forest fires with infrared vision to locate trees weakened by fire that are prime targets for feeding and breeding locations.
   
   In addition to these insights into the world of insects and plants the book gives you an understanding of the significant danger from the spread of alien plant species. I agree with all the high recommendations for this book. Everyone that reads this will have a new outlook on nature and even the gardeners will enjoy it.

5 comments about Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands (Vol. 1): Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain into Your Life And Landscape.

1. As I investigate more about rainwater harvesting, I am finding this one to be the most detailed and comprehensive.
   
   I am waiting impatiently for Vol. II to become available!



2. It is not appropriately titled, or, better put, our minds are not appropriately programmed. All of our lands are in need of Rainwater Harvesting, not just the "drylands". Rainwater Harvesting for Ourlands, that is much better. Rainwater is another piece of the puzzle to independence.



3. This is an incredible study of a topic that most of us don't think about much, that is, how we are wasting our rainwater, and what we could be doing instead. This is required reading for anyone who cares about the environment.
   
   Best, the book is highly readable, with excellent illustrations. I knew literally nothing about this topic before I read this book. Now I am a believer. The story of the African man who "farms water" is incredibly moving and actually brought tears to my eyes. I have already bought three copies of this book to distribute to friends and I will probably buy more! The author, Brad Lancaster, speaks on this topic around the country and I am looking forward to hearing him in person. There are two more volumes coming in this series and I am looking forward to reading those, as well.



4. The concepts described in this book are applicable to all climates. The book is useful to any permaculture practitioner for any climate type. I live in the northeast with 35 inches per year, and it has been helpful to me personally in designing rainwater harvesting systems for my village lot. When is vol. 2 coming out?
   
   I suggest as companion reading "Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds for Domestic Supply, Fire and Emergency Use--Includes How to Make Ferrocement Water Tanks (Paperback) by Art Ludwig; and also his "The New Create an Oasis With Greywater: Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systms - Includes Branched Drains (Paperback)". Together you can come up with an irrigation plan for a yard anywhere.



5. If I had to give up all the books on my shelf, this would be one of the last to go. Not only pertinent to drylands, harvesting rainwater can and should be implemented in any climate. I can only wonder why all buildings and residents don't take collecting rainwater into account. Our landscapes and lives can be greatly enhanced by putting the tools Mr. Lancaster introduces into practice.

5 comments about Creative Concrete Ornaments for the Garden: Making Pots, Planters, Birdbaths, Sculpture & More.

1. Super book with detailed information on creation from beginning to end! Super for beginners and seasoned artists.



2. I can't say enough how thorough Ms. Warner-Hunter's books are - they are step-by-step, material suggested, inspirational, and illustrated (photographic)! As an artist, this book was helpful in clarifying issues I had with materials: and, as a teacher, I believe even a middle or high schooler could follow this manual. Lark books are fabulous and this one of the best!



3. Start with her first one, Making Concrete Garden Ornaments, then try this one to expand you skills. An excellent way to get a feel for this art form!



4. This book is filled with inspiring ideas and recipes. I am excited to get started - Only problem is that it is always raining on the days I can work!



5. This book contains many "recipes" for making concrete containers and concrete art. The book contains many full color photographs to guide you through each project step by step. The instructions are thorough and easy to follow. I've already made the hypertufa planters and stepping stones. The author also included numerous photos (and website links) of other artists' works. I found this book to be very inspiring.

5 comments about Greenhouse Gardener's Companion: Growing Food and Flowers in Your Greenhouse or Sunspace.

1. I purchased this book on previous recommendations listed and am very pleased that I did. Great book for those just starting to think about using a greenhouse or for someone who needs a few extra tips. Well written with good descriptions.



2. Actually the title says it all. I wish I had time to read lots of books
   about greenhouse gardening but I don't. An experienced gardener, I'm new to greenhouse gardening and struck gold when I bought this book. It isn't dumbed down and is fast and fun to read.
   
   The book doesn't begin at square one but does explain the important differences between gardening in an outside
   garden and a greenhouse. One example; the reason fans are needed during the day (while photo synthesis is taking place) is to prevent a CO2 deficient envelope from surrounding the leaves. Also, explaination of
   how to pollinate in an environment with no birds or insects is helpful.
   Varieties of vegetables and flowers are discussed and why certain ones are
   better suited. Trouble shooting and "when things go wrong" chapters are
   good. Also, I learned more than I thought was possible about light and the different qualities of light plants need. Again, advice on when a
   less expensive alternative will work was very welcome.
   
   
   I'm so happy I bought this book BEFORE our greenhouse is complete because
   the chapters on design and environment have given me a master plan for the space we have. Also, throughout the book are money saving ideas and
   words of warning from experience. This author knows his subject inside out, is very good at communicating and doesn't use 100 words when 50 will do. Buy the book-you won't be disappointed!



3. I am pouring over this reference. Mr. Smith is not only informative about all things greenhouse, he also provides insight into all aspects of gardening from composting and propagating to seed starting techniques. Further, the book contains 'cheat sheets' as to when to start seeds, transplant, and how best to condition the greenhouse atmosphere. Great sense of humor. A+



4. While this book is useful, I found it a little to general. I expected more detailed guidelines. Also, not as many illustrations and diagrams as I would like.



5. This book is a weath of information - well written and a joy to read. I have visited the solar greenhouse at the Cheyenne WY Botanic Gardens. It was great to see the information from the book in actual use. Now if only I had a greenhouse!

3 comments about MaryJane's Outpost.

1. I had the great good fortune to get a preview copy of MaryJane's Outpost. I loved it so much I immediately ordered two more copies as birthday presents. MaryJane makes living in a tent look divine. In fact, I am trying to find a tent like the ones featured in the book so I can set up my own outpost. And know I want one of those retro campers.
   
   I loved the recipes for trail mixes....perfect for snacking anytime, on the trail or on the interstate.
   
   Just plain fun, go on and unleash your inner wild. I can't wait to try out more of the tips and ideas.



2. MaryJane graciously opens the door to her life once again in this book. She takes us to her childhood, her early adult years, being a single mom and to the present. She shows how her own experiences in the wild have shaped her character and even that of her daughter and now grand daughter as well. Her beautiful photos are inspiring, her instructions easy to follow, and her crafts graceful and practical at the same time. You might want to buy two of these books- one to stay pristine in the house (coffee table material perhaps?) and one to get grubby "in the field" with you and any littles who might be around. This is one field guide that you won't want to leave behind!



3. Oh my..this may be my favorite of MaryJane's books yet..and I love them all. Just the most fun, informative and beautiful ideas! I love that it has so many ideas for enjoying the outdoors with my kids and for making my own backyard a outdoor "fun zone". The recipes, ideas and projects are just wonderful...can't wait to try them all!!
   I am SO glad I got this book right away...LOVE IT!!!!