5 comments about Japanese Gardening in Small Spaces.

1. As much as I liked the pictures and the possibilities of the gardens, there's no chance that the average person could even attempt some of the Japanese style gardens. The designs are beautiful but you really do need a LOT of room to do any of these designs. The idea of a calming, tranquil space to sit would be wonderful but not on my budget.



2. I picked up about ten books on Japanese gardening at the library and this book was by far the most inspirational. The author gives definitions for technical terms and also shows step by step illustrations to recreate various photographs within the book. He also shows how to make a bamboo fence which I thought was really neat and I am actually going to give it a try. This is the only book I decided to purchase out of the lot from the library and I plan on giving a few copies as gifts.



3. You will find inside a lot of inspiration on how to make things work. Exceptional "do it yourself" recommendations. Its a real guidebook for japanese gardening lovers.



4. This is an excellent book for anyone planning to build their own garden. The instructions for creating the various elements of the garden made it look easy, and the descriptions given for items that become a part of the garden I found quite interesting. I would have liked even more finished garden pictures as I was only looking for inspiration. But, even with out as many pictures as I would have like, the book was helpful and my garden is now complete, giving me the tranquility I was looking for.



5. As the founder of Japan Garden Society and Yoshikawa Isao Garden Research Institute, as well as a honorary member of executive board of the China Landscape Architects Society in both Suzhou and Hangzhou, Mr. Isao Yoshikawa summarizes his many years of garden design experience in "Japanese Gardening in Small Spaces: Step-By-Step Illustrations."
   
   "Japanese Gardening in Small Spaces: Step-By-Step Illustrations" covers small gardens (history and designs and design tips and tools), basin front gardens, stone lantern gardens, paving and stepping stone gardens, stone arrangement gardens, garden accents (bamboo fences, stone lantern and water basins), materials for small gardens (trees and shrubs, ground covers, stones and gravels), basic techniques for Japanese gardening, and a chapter on how to make small gardens.
   
   "Japanese Gardening in Small Spaces: Step-By-Step Illustrations" has 128 pages and many beautiful interior color photos. It is a valuable and practical book on Japanese gardens.

3 comments about Designing Your Gardens and Landscapes: 12 Simple Steps for Successful Planning.

1. Since moving into a new house, I've been devouring every landscape book on the market, in hopes of acquiring information that will enable me to transform the weed patch and ugly bush that are the only features of my front yard into something beautiful. This is absolutely the best of the "how-to" landscape books! A real laboratory manual of landscape design, this book avoids the two major failures of many others on the market. First, unlike those that offer page after page of photos of beautifully manicured lawns from which I am expected to magically intuit the rudiments of landscape design, this book assumes rightly that I know absolutely nothing about landscaping. Then, the author uses clear diagrams and graphs to gently but methodically guide me through all stages of a design and implementation process that will enable a previously clueless me to transform my ugly view into a photo-worthy scene. Second, this book avoids the weaknesses of landscape books that so overwhelm me with the theoretical intricacies of landscape design that I am tempted to throw in the trowel and hire the work out (perhaps the authors of those books wanted me to do that all along?). By contrast, this book sequences in clear and concrete language the questions requiring decision that I will confront, lays out a range of possible actions, and then offers specific suggestions (with diagrams and graphs) for implementation. This book is sturdy and it needs to be. Rather than grace your coffee table, it will be with you as you get down and dirty in your yard with tape measure, string, and clipboard to work through the pages of this book on your way to something beautiful.



2. This book takes you through every step you will need to landscape your yard and garden. The format is somewhat like a workbook but with a ton of useful information presented in a way that makes it easy for even a "brown-thumb" like me to understand. I especially like how the author left room for notes and grids for designing the garden. Pair this with "The Encyclopedia for Organic Gardening" and you will need no other gardening literature.



3. Well worth the money. If you ever get a chance to see her in person, do it. Very Knowledgeable, very practical.

No comments about Avant Gardeners.

2 comments about Robert A. M. Stern: Houses and Gardens.

1. This book on Robert Stern, the latest in a series, is very well executed. Mr. Stern really has a knack for anachronistic grand homes, they are a throw back to another time, but with all the modern luxuries money can buy. Stern has a real feel for the kind of gardens that complement each type of home, and the interaction between the two is often quite breathtaking. The images in this book are first rate and the homes are amazing. If you appreciate excellent photography, elegant architecture, and spectacular homes and gardens then you will love this book



2. I thoroughly loved his first residential book "Houses." With the amount of work he has done I expected this book to focus on new work but many of the same projects and pictures from the first book were used in this one.

1 comments about A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (Oxford Paperback Reference).

1. The completeness of the entries as well as the variety of drawings for entries---every variation on a capital, or on a roof line, or on window shape--makes this a perfect source book to learn from. The small paperback pocket size makes it handy to carry around when you are touring as well.

2 comments about Outdoor Stonework: 16 Easy-to-Build Projects For Your Yard and Garden.

1. If beautifying your world with stone and concrete is your goal, this book is a must.
   The author did a fine job of eliciting interest in a project by showing wonderful color photos of the finished product first. Then he supplies photos and diagrams of each step while describing it in down-to-earth fashion. He adds some photos of historical works to show what can be done and how long a quality job can last.
   I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of building a winding path. Mr. Bridgewater showed each layer of the walk, how to install that layer (tamper, rake, shovel, hose...) and feel that I really could create a viable path for my own home.
   The only nit I have to pick was his measurements for the Japanese lantern's components. Although I could figure it out, he was inconsistent in indicating whether a dimension was length, width, or height.
   Overall, I would purchase this book again.



2. Good beginner book for breaking into this type of homemade garden crafting. An excellent purchase for those interested in this creative art form.

5 comments about Your House, Your Garden: A Foolproof Approach to Garden Design.

1. This book has just been chosen by The American Horticultural Society as one of the five top garden books for 2004.



2. While I have several book shelves devoted to serious garden design, this is the book I always pull down and loan to my neighbors and friends. When they say " I would really like to do something with my side yard. I have to block out the new neighbors!", or " You know how bad my front walk looks I want to rip it out and redo it. What can I do to convince the kids to use it and not cut across the grass?" I say "Let me lend you a great book that will really get you thinking in the right direction". The advice is practical, logical and perfect for the weekend warrior. My copy of Your House, Your Garden has a waiting list for borrowing so I am buying a second copy!



3. This book changed the way I look at landscaping. I have an oddly-shaped lot with both sunny and shady areas. This book has you get out your plot plan (something I never thought of!) and mark those areas and take a "whole yard" approach to your landscape. The advice is flawless, the pictures gorgeous. You will definitely want to add this to your library if you garden at all.



4. Perhaps going into it...I expected too much!
   
   As a Landscape Designer I'd heard of him often, seminars, lectures etc. but somehow the book wasn't anywhere near as good as I'd hoped.
   
   I'm certain I would have enjoyed the book more if I didn't spend so much time wrestling with the layout. Mr. Hayward goes into great detail about landscaping concepts on a particular project & would generally end up referring to related photos or figures that were often many pages ahead. The going back & forth got really old after awhile...not to mention,extremely frustrating. I think any reader generally appreciates seeing the photos being referred to on the page they are explained.
   
   My other negative about this book was that so much detail seemed to be spent on specific projects that it seemed the author was more preoccupied at times with his clients project & describing things that often weren't even in the photographs or seriously helpful to a designer wanting to learn more. A more preferable approach in my opinion would have been to not fuss about specific client details but glean from the projects the essence or core principles applied & present them in a straight forward, generic fashion.
   
   After reading the entire book slowly & carefully, I would honeslty have to admit I'd hoped to find a vast wealth of practical & easily adaptable gems. Instead I only came away with very limited amount of useful information.
   
   I have not read any of Mr. Hayward's other books..so I may check them out in the library first before buying...perhaps they might be far superior to this one. I still hold to my opinion that he's a brilliant designer...however that doesn't necessariy make him a great writer!
   
   A book I found to be much better is The Landscape Design Answer Book by Jane Bath...



5. I have a library of gardening books and this is by far one of the best I've seen in years. Good design features; good advice. The only thing I would have enjoyed was a little more detail to the actual planting layouts. You won't regret buying this book.

5 comments about Native Florida Plants, Revised Edition: Low Maintenance Landscaping and Gardening.

1. As a fairly new resident of Florida I look forward to Robert Haehle's NGA email each month, with his great advise & tips. This book is a "must have" for anyone new to tropical gardening, as well as, the Southern natives. The information & beautiful photos are especially helpful in identifying what is in my yard & what I would like to add.



2. Native Florida Plants is NOT out of print! A new, updated edition was published early this year, and includes additional plants, an updated source list, and a list of family names. Hope it appears on Amazon's website ASAP. (I am the co-author.)



3. I am the co-author of "Native Florida Plants". The new revised edition was printed in early 2004. The new book is not listed on www.amazon.com I think the problem may be the different ISBN number. The new ISBN number is 1-58979-051-0. The book is available from National Books Network at 1-800-462-6420. We hope to see our book on www.amazon.com very soon. This is a great site to get new and used books. I am a customer. Robert Haehle



4. Great book. Shows many pictures of native plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, vines, etc.
   Also talks about how they grow, best areas, etc.
   While this book will show you all the native plants in Florida, it does not touch (of course) on plants that WILL grow in Flrodai, of which would be an even bigger book.
   Still very useful & will stay on my shelf for many years.



5. While no one book is perfect, this revised edition has a lot going for it. It has interesting chapters on Florida's climate and different plant communities, e.g. seaside, interior sections, etc. Then it gives an excellen t and concise description of plants, e.g. DAHOON HOLLY (Ilex cassine)with a GOOD COLOR PHOTO. I have one in my backyard. It gives all the relevant information in a clear and concise way: height, light, bloom,etc. Habitat was extremely helpful, i.e. usually found near streams and swamps. I started making sure it got more water! It is on my shelf next to "Florida Landscaping Plants Revised Edition" by Watkins and Sheehan, and between the two, I think I can usually find some helpful information.

No comments about Landscape Architecture: Water Features (Landscape Architecture).

1 comments about Islamic Gardens and Landscapes (Penn Studies in Landscape Architecture).

1. This is a quite fine book on its topic, with some new things to say about a (dare I say it?) under-cultivated scholarly garden. The author rightly points out that most books on Islamic art and architecture basically stop when they hit the garden. This book could be interestingly matched up with one of the various histories of art and architecture (like the Yale volumes), as their complement. It is also interesting that the author challenges the standard view of the quadrature garden as being essentially the only pattern out there -- multiple patterns emerge. I particularly liked the discussion of the evolution of tombs and gardens together. The second half of the book is an invaluable selection of sites and site plans throughout the Islamic world.
   
   The book unavoidably carries with it the sadness evoked by the miserable fact that hardly any of the gardens he talks about survive in any fashion at all -- neglected, ignored, built over, redesigned. But we are talking gardens here, after all, so ephemeral comes with the terrain. But it is pretty grim, page after page of destruction.