No comments about Mediterranean Archaeological Landscapes: Current Issues.

No comments about The Complete Practical Guide to Small Gardens: A Complete Step-By-Step Guide To Gardening In Small Spaces: Everything You Need To Know About Planning, ... Planting (The Complete Practical Guide to).

No comments about IPM Handbook for Golf Courses.

No comments about Terraces and Balconies (Evergreen).

2 comments about Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife: Re-creating Native Ecosystems in Your Yard.

1. This book helps you find out which plant community you probably have in your area, and then tells you how to redesign your landscape with that plant community in mind. It gives lists of plants for your particular plant community, too.

   I can envision a second edition of this book with a map of Florida that shows where the different plant communities are, which nurseries in your area carry those native plants that are listed, and other features.




2. Although well organized and helpful, I think it would have been better for me to consult some books that have more in depth info re the native plants. There are not as many pictures as I would have liked. Once one has a better understanding of the plants, this would be very good as a workbook for planning a native garden. It is good in describig the different habitats.

1 comments about The Scented Garden.

1. This unusual workbook is a pleasure to browse, sure to get gardenphiles excited about planning pleasing aromas for their flower beds. Gorgeous photos by Jonathan Buckley entice the reader to plan out projects both alluring and diverse: projects include Herb Path, Scented Wall, Carpet of Thyme, Catmint Walk, Sweet Pea Obelisk and Chamomile Seat. Are you drooling, yet?
   
   Good, clear information instructs the gardener to avoid clashes of scent to make each walk around the garden an "olfactory safari". Bird also advises spreading out the seasonal flowerings so you'll have scents to enjoy each month of the growing season. A plant directory in the back of the book tells you what plants smell the best and provides tips on how to grow them.
   
   Using the fold-out instruction pages, I laid out my own Honeysuckle Porch. It was easier than I thought. By the end of the season I expect my sweet clingy vine to cover my entire patio with leaves, flowers and scent.
   
   Some good tips from the book:
   
   
   * Place an outdoor seat near your garden displays so you can actually SMELL the fruits of your labor.
   * Keep mint well-pruned so it doesn't run rampant (unless you like that)
   * fragrant flowers tend to have subdued hues, so mix in colorful annuals with your rosemary and lavender.
   * It's possible to make a night-scented border, using white flowers pollinated by moths. Plants in the Nicotania genus are a good start for a dusky garden.
   * While "knot gardens" are among the earliest forms of decorative planting, they are also among the most long-lived features in any planned garden. Keep them well-trimmed while they mature.
   * You don't have room for a garden at all? Even containers and window boxes can host scented plants. Stick with narcissus, pelargoniums, hyacinths and primulas, in their scented varieties. Culinary herbs work too.

1 comments about The Garden Lover's Guide to the South.

1. I've purchased several books in this series called "Garden Lover's Guides." This particular edition, focused on Southern gardens, is one of the best. I find them all to be very helpful for trip planning because I love to visit gardens when I'm traveling.

4 comments about Italian Pavements: Patterns in Space.

1. This is a must book for history students of the Roman and Tuscan buildings. Contains 58 outstanding drawings of examples of Italian art pavemennt and the text explains them in detail. All architects and designers need a copy.



2. Wonderfully conceived, researched and illustrated, this is a book which beautifully answers some of the fundamental questions as to the why and how of paving. When I walk through the majestic spaces mentioned in Ms. Williams book I will do so with my curious eyes glued to the ground for a change. Truly a fantastic book; a good read be it for the layman or as a much needed point of reference for the learnèd. The illustrations are almost as good as being there.



3. This stunning look into pavement design of the past 2000 years is brilliantly executed--from the detailed drawings to the in-depth analysis of mathematical principles and design principles/patterns, this book is a treat for my eyes and my mind. In working on my PhD in the stone and paving methods of Rome (and beyond), I've found Ms. Williams book fills a hole in academia left vacant for far too long. You love architecture/history/church building/math/ or design? You must have this gorgeous gift.



4. I discovered this book searching for information on Cosmati designs and was delighted with it when it arrived. After looking at murky photos and trying to understand garbled descriptions of geometry in other books, I appreciated the fabulous painstaking in-plane illustrations. The "reader-friendly" (at least to an artist) explanations of mathematics and geometry were an enlightening bonus. This book will be particulary helpful to designers and others who want clarity, great presentation, and concise information.

3 comments about The Garden in Winter.

1. Most gardeners put away their tools and forget about their gardens until Spring, especially those of us who live in snowy winter locations! But Rosemary Verey brilliantly shows that there's no reason to ignore winter as a flowering season. This book proves that every garden should have a winter corner to enjoy by showing us that there are so many treasures to brighten up the dreariest season. Beauty can be found in any weather! This book is also a lovely reminder of gardening in the UK.



2. A number of years ago, I made my first trip to Europe during the off season--the colder months. The days are shorter, but the museums are less crowded, you can usually find a reasonable air fare, and the Europeans have returned to their cafes and pubs giving them an ambiance missing when too many tourists are about.

   I enjoy photography, and I particularly like shooting architecture and gardens. I've taken plenty of shots when the foliage and flowers were in full bloom, but until I made my first trip to Amsterdam one December, I had never realized churches, cathedrals, and fine old houses and gardens have an entirely different look in winter. One can see and photograph the structures of buildings and the "bones" of gardens when foliage dies back. "Bones" of course are the underlying design of the garden beds, plus trellises, porticos, arbors, paths and pots. Not only can one see more of the archtecture of the garden in the middle of winter, but the well constucted garden is not dead. I came to understand what the European Christmas carol, "Lo, a rose er'e blooming" was about after a visit to a garden in the middle of winter--the Christmas rose is a type of Hellebore, and Hellebores can bloom all winter long.

   But Hellebores are not the only interesting plant. As Rosemary Veery says in her book, THE GARDEN IN WINTER, some plants such as the Rosa chinensis, Viola, Bergenia, Anemone, and Cyclomen, bloom intermittenly throughout the winter, and there are "characteristic" winter-bloomers such as many types of bulbs, Camellias, Arbutus, and Buddleja.

   Veery says beauty in the winter garden is not restricted to flowers. Plenty of trees, bushes, and grasses provide color, form, and texture thoughout the winter winter months, and some of them are stunning in a snowfall. Depending on your growing zone you may have Holly, Viburnum, Nandina, Pyracantha, and Barberry covered with berries for the birds. Many trees have beutiful bark that shows best in winter including Crepe Myrtle, Sycamore, Birches, and Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus alba 'Siberica'). Other trees have interesting shapes that can only be appreciated when the foliage is spent, such as Harry Lauder's Walking Stick. And, there are grasses in every size, shape and texture, and ground covers that stay green or red or brown throughout the growing seasons.

   Veery is one of the premiere gardeners in England, and although you may find some of her suggestions beyond your pocketbook or the space you have available (box topiary anyone??) you will find many interesting ideas and wonderful photographs that are sure to inspire you to begin thinking about gardening all year round. You might also be inspired to visit some of the gardens Veery pictures in her book, or other gardens closer to home in winter. My favorite is garden is Sissinghurst, one of the most beautiful sights around in the middle of winter or anytime of year.




3. I bought this book in 1989 shortly after it was first published. I still read it and find it fresh and inspiring even now, 17 years later.

No comments about RHS Garden Design Work Book & Album (Royal Horticultural Society).