1 comments about Grow the Best Peppers: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-138 (Storey Publishing Bulletin ; a-138).

1. Great little pamphlet. Quick to read, a lot of helpful information that I didn't find elsewhere in larger gardening volumes. Highly recommended.

4 comments about The English Garden.

1. Most of gardens of the world can be put into two major categories: formal gardens and naturalistic gardens. The formal gardens are represented by Egyptian gardens, Persian gardens, Islamic gardens, Italian gardens, French gardens, and some American gardens, etc. The naturalistic gardens are represented by some famous English gardens, Chinese gardens, and Japanese gardens, etc.
   
   If you mention English gardens, most people will think of large areas of lawns, trees, garden architecture, lakes and sky. These are the basic elements of a typical English landscape garden.
   
   "The English Garden" covers not only the typical and well-known English landscape gardens, but also formal garden layout ("formal bones"), country gardens, kitchen gardens and contemporary gardens, influences from abroad, as well as garden ornament, plant materials such as English roses, etc.
   
   Ursula Buchan and Andrew Lawson wrote: "All gardens, if they can be described as such, have ultimately to do with the desire of their maker to control their surroundings." They continued to discuss the various periods of English gardens including the Roman period when the early formal gardens dominated and the Landscape Movement period when geometric forms were intentionally rejected. They also discussed knot gardens and parterres, Medieval courtyard gardens, the Arts and Crafts style, the cottage gardens and the New Naturalism.
   
   "The English Garden" is one of the most comprehensive books on English gardens open to visitors. It has 240 pages and over 300 color interior photographs. It is an indispensable book for English garden lovers.
   
   Gang Chen, Author of "LEED AP Exam Guide" & "Planting Design Illustrated." LEED AP, AIA
   
   



2. gorgeous book - made the perfect gift to my sister-in-law who is an avid gardener and loves english garden design



3. For the price (even at Amazon's discount) I expected the photos to be a better quality, perhaps a little glossy too. The photos are beautiful but they actually look better on line when you view Amazon's peak inside. In the book the pictures look like the copies I get from an in-jet printer of my old family photos. Not as sharp and clear as the original.
   
   If you are looking for inspiration and excellent instructions on how to create an English Garden then I recommend Ursula's other book- "The Ultimate Garden Book For North America."
   
   This one is a great coffee table book. You and your guests will enjoy looking at it once in a while. There are phtotos on almost every page. However, I don't think it will be very useful if you want to update or create a new room in your garden.
   
   At the end of each chapter there is a list of gardens in England that you can visit for the particular theme.
   
   The Chapters are titled as follows:
   
   1. Formal Bones (60 pages)
   
   2. Floral Exuberance (52 pages)
   
   3. The Landscape Tradition (30 pages)
   
   4. The Country Garden (36 pages)
   
   5. Gardening with Nature (26 pages)
   
   6. Influences from Abroad (22 pages)
   
   7. Ornament in the Garden (32 pages)
   
   8. Water, Water Everywhere (30 pages)
   
   9. The English Rose (20 pages)
   
   10. The Kitchen Garden ( 28 pages)
   
   11. The Contemporary Garden (28 pages)
   
   Notes (20 pages)



4. I bought this book at a discounted price.
   
   In my view, it offers very good value for money. Not only Andrew Lawson's photograph are very inspiring, but the entire book is meant to intruduce the reader to the idea that an English Garden can be much more varied and original than the conventional "idea" of garden most of us have.
   Several types of garden are described, from more traditional to very modern ones, from relatively modest to sumptuous, and also focusing on the use of particular elements like, say, water.
   
   I found most interesting (for English residents) that the book is mainly focused on gardens open to visitors. This makes the beauty and glory of such places truly, because physically, "accessible" to the reader, more accessible in fact than the book could ever achieve.
   
   I do not have many books on gardens, I like them but they are not one of my main interests. Still, this and another book I have bought on the subject are enough to plunge me in the world of gardens everytime I feel like it, with great personal satisfaction. The fact that I did not feel the need to look for additional books is the testimony that I have already found what I was looking for.
   
   Whilst I do not know whether this book would completely satisfy the expert or avid connoisseur, in my eyes it certainly addresses all the needs of the non-specialised reader, providing a pleasant experience both in the text and in the (beautiful) photographs.

5 comments about A Child's Garden: 60 Ideas to Make Any Garden Come Alive for Children (Archetype Press Books).

1. Every page of this book has full color photos from some of the most incredible gardens for children I have ever seen, from the large elaborate planned spaces of botanical gardens, to small modest spaces that will fit any space or budget. While this is not a heavy-duty "how to" book, it is a book of ideas--and we all know that ideas lead to other ideas! The cover of this book alone is inspiring!

   The author asks, "How important are the old childhood pleasures of collecting seed pods, fishing in ditches, making bowers, picking flowers, and climbing trees?...long hours of unstructured outdoor exploration are a fast-vanishing aspect of contemporary childhood." She continues, "...the environment [on her uncle's farm] was so complex--full of smells, varied land forms, and mesmerizing creatures. I remember a scooped out pond surrounded by mud in which pigs, geese and ducks joyously wallowed. The strange pungency of the air, the frighteningly gigantic hogs, the mysterious, billowy grasses...still fill my senses." The author talks at great length about the psychology of nature, and of German educational reforms of the early 20th century (but only the good ones ). Each page has a line fron a Robert Louis Stevenson poem, for "...you may see, if you will look Through the windows of this book, Another child far away, And in another garden play."

   The book includes suggestions for water gardens, sensory gardens, vegetable gardens, themed gardens, natural sand boxes, mazes, and attracting wildlife, plus many resources for strange seeds, odd plants, and landscape designers in varied areas of the US and the UK, all geared towards making a child's space a natural one.

   BTW, when I bought the book, my kids grabbed it from me immediately. They love to look at the gardens and plan ours. Oh, and there are two black and whilte photos in the book: One is of children during WWI, tending a large city garden; the other is a 1940's style playground, with the steel and concrete structures that many of us recall from childhood. My 4yo playground-lover looked at both, and declared that he'd rather explore the garden.




2. Our whole family has enjoyed reading this book to get ideas for our Sunflower/Fairy Garden!! Every section offers wonderful ideas that we would never have thought of to add...What Fun our Magical Garden will be thanks to, A Child's Garden : Enchanting Outdoor Spaces for Children and Parents! One section offers the idea of planting different berries around the yard so the children can snack as they play! I have given this book to our landscaper to see what ideas he has for adding water to the garden...Already he has suggested using a water pump to circulate water in order to make a small trickling brook for our boys to sail their boats on! I also got the idea to make a willow archway that will be child size for the children to cimb through! We are so very excited to spend this summer creating and adding to our Enchanted Fairy Garden!



3. I have not read this book, but was disturbed to read, in the description of the book, the suggestion to plant norway maple as a climbing tree for your child. Norway maple is an invasive species in northern forest zones, and is threatening habitat for sugar maple, an important tree for wildlife, tourism, maple sugaring, history, and the regional economics that accompany those. Norway maple became very popular in urban areas for its pollution tolerance. It should not be planted anywhere near natural habitat for sugar maples. American beech is an excellent choice for a hardwood tree with good climbing branches, and delicious nuts. All hardwoods grow much more slowly than softwoods. There's nothing wrong with climbing a white pine tree. And try swinging on birches.



4. I just received this as a gift today, and I loved looking through the beautiful photographs. So many interesting ideas for treehouses, mazes, theme gardens, and uses for those left-behind stumps and odd-shaped small yards-- it truly encourages people to plant where they're blooming, no matter how less-than-ideal the yard. It does seem to favor northern climates on the surface, but a Miami garden is highlighted, and the basics-- structures and uses of space are more of a focus, rather than specific plants or seasonal values. (This is important to me as a southern gardener-- we just don't have the same gardening calendar.)
   
   Of course several of the featured gardens are owned by professional landscape designers or are part of large public gardens. But that shouldn't deter the novice with a vision; don't we all want to learn from the pros and use them as a springboard? If nothing else, I am inspired to continue creating a fun place for my children to play and roam, as well as consider ways to branch out into other local institutions that could provide these play spaces.



5. I first discovered this gem about 10 years ago in a little independent bookstore in Blue Hill, Maine and I've recommended it to many friends and schools. I'm so delighted it is reprinted and in paperback. It's a book that will enchant adults as well as children. It makes we wish I had acres and acres in which to create these great play spaces. One doesn't even have to have young children to be inspired or create something for yourself.
   
   How gratifying to have authors who know how important it is for children to play--and especially outdoors so they can smell, dig, feel the earth, grow plants, play in sand or water, and build something from their imaginations. I hope they included the same spectacular photographs as in the first printing hardcover. Now if they could only be incorporated in public play spaces in urban settings!

4 comments about Dank: the Quest for the Very Best Marijuana: A Breeder's Tale.

1. A really nice book. Great pictures and concept. Enjoyable and informative. SUBCOOL is the MAN!



2. I thought this book would be similar to Soma's or Dj. Shorts books, in that, it would be full of cool tips and master breeder insight. Instead, it felt like an infomercial. I was a bit put off that it was another strain guide style book. That would normally be fine with me, but he only talks about how great his strains and genetics are. There are no tips on growing, selection, or anything. Just totally subjective reporting on tga's strains or their relatives. Oh, and he does mention a few strains other strains, but just to mention how bland they are compared to his. Trainwreck is ditch weed compared to his magical jack the ripper, by the way. I would only get this book if you want to become more familiar with tga's genetics and want to find out more about them, or you like pretty pictures. If you want an informative breeder written book on growing organically or breeding, get Dj Shorts book or Soma's.



3. a long awaited story told from one of the best cannabis breeder/growers in the industry today , Subcool , this is NOT a how to book , but an insight to the journey , sub takes us all with him on his lifelong search for DANK , throughout the book you will also take notice subcool is one of the most accomplished cannabis photographers in the industry as well , mouthwatering photos , a lifetime journey shared , info and tales you will not find anywhere but else , an all around MUST HAVE book , NO cannaseur should be without , if you're not reading DANK ..... you're reading shwag !!



4. This book, for me, is a new departure in the field of cannabis publishing. There are plenty of sub-genres in this field, but most of the literature tends to be 'How to grow great pot' guide books (for example Soma, Mel Frank, Greg Green etc) of varying qualities. There are wonderful travelogue and ethnobotanical photo studies (probably the best being the Lawrence Cherniak 'Great Books of Cannabis' series), but this book is something different.
   Subcool is a breeder whose reputation has been growing quickly over the last few years and whose strains are notable for their fruity flavours and potency. As is apparent from this book, he is also a very talented plant photographer who is extremely enthusiastic about what he does.
   The book itself is a lavishly-presented, glossy coffee table-type production that will let you gain fascinating insights into what Subcool looks for in a breeding plant, and it amounts to a historical record of his strains and his development as a breeder.
   If you are looking for a straightforward 'how to do it' book, look elsewhere, as another reviewer here has suggested. This book has more to do with the work of Ferran Adria, or Heston Blumenthal (two of the world's greatest chefs) in their books on the evolution of their recipes, full of musings and useful details.
   Do I have any quibbles about this book? Just one - for a book that is so well-produced (the layout is excellent, the photos exceptional, the content so interesting), it is let down by the spelling and grammatical errors that appear all too frequently, and I can only conclude that the copy editor/proof reader should be shot. This might seem to be nit-picking, but given the skill and effort that has gone into producing this book, it seems a shame to have not paid sufficient attention to this aspect although it does not detract from the value of the book.
   I think this book will appeal to people who have an interest in cannabis, cannabis breeding and photography, whatever their motivation. Sure, you might see it as a series of glossy advertisements for his seeds, but suspend your cynicism and enjoy the art.

5 comments about Home Gardener's Problem Solver: Symptoms and Solutions for More Than 1,500 Garden Pests and Plant Ailments (Ortho Home Gardener's Problem Solver).

1. This is the paperback version of the hardback you will find at most gardening stores. You will find all answers. You look up the plant you are having troubles with in the index. Then go to the plant page. It gives the typical pests/ailment with photos for clear identification. And an easy fix. Great for someone just getting into gardening.



2. I bought this book and the pictures are outstanding. They are all life like, not sketches. It is very easy to read. This book talks about insects, climate and soil and other topics to numerous to remember.



3. Being a certified nurseryman,I have found this book to be an invaluable tool for customer service and to boost sales. I just wish Ortho would take the professional edition and split it into maybe four books to make it more manageable.



4. It is a wonderful reference book! The pictures are great and it is easy to identify the culprit in the garden. The recomended treatments are easy to understand. It is a must have book for every gardner.
   I also feel that the price for this book is fair for the information that it contains.



5. Fair as a gardening resource, but is basically a very large instruction manual for the line of Ortho gardening chemicals. Its whole purpose is to tell you which of their products to use for which pest or fungus or nutrient difficientcy.

3 comments about Seeds: Time Capsules of Life.

1. This book and the companion book "Pollen" will wow both professionals and layman. Buy it just for the beauty of the superb photos or for the detailed data. Lay these books out on the coffee table and you can be sure they will be picked up over and over again. The photos mezmerize with the sheer magnitude of nature's design.



2. The general-interest public will find more accessible Rob Kesseler and Wolfgang Stuppy's SEEDS: TIME CAPSULES OF LIFE. Alexandra Papadakis edits this stunning natural history of seeds, which uses an oversized format/presentation to display close-up photos and electron microscopy images of seed evolution. The Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew are involved in this reference's publication, which obtains some astonishing images and focuses on the diversity, design and function of seeds the world over.



3. I saw this book in the library and after checking it out once, twice and then three times, I knew I had to own it.
   
   I can't really comment on the text, I don't know enough about the subject. I only know that I read the book and was facinated by the more scientific information. But I can say that I never tire of looking at the pictures. They are simply beautiful. When I want inspiration for building a new clay form, when I am looking for a color theme for painting or crocheting or glazing, I find it in the photographs in Seeds. The quality of the photography is excellent and the selection of seeds chosen for the book is varied enough that each picture illustrates something new.
   
   This is not a book that once read, has nothing more to offer. I would recommend Seeds:Time Capsules of Life even to those who only wanted to look at the photographs and be inspired by the design and color revealed inside.

5 comments about The Sustainable Vegetable Garden: A Backyard Guide to Healthy Soil and Higher Yields.

1. At best, this is a book an experienced gardener might pick up at the library to glean a few useful ideas about biointensive gardening (I found nothing that isn't presented better elsewhere). At worst, unsuspecting beginners will think this book is the authoritative source it claims to be, try to implement it's convoluted techniques, and fail miserably.
   All gardening books convey a certain sensibility about gardening that sets the perspective for the endeavor. Sustainable Vegetable is weird mix of new age idealism and rocket science. Trust me, gardening is not as complicated as this book makes it sound!
   The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Ed Smith is THE definitive title on the subject.Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew is good for small gardens. Four Season Harvest by Elliott Coleman is excellent for winter gardening. Tanya Denckla's Gardener's A-Z Guides are excellent.



2. This is not a book to read in winter when you're dreaming of your perfect garden. This is a book that correctly lists the five plants that have been proven to help deter the Striped Bean Beetle when it's eating your garden down to the nubs. And the intercropping to keep the bean beetle away next year. And soil treatments to keep it from coming back. And what kinds of flowers will attract the beetle's predators. And did you know that veggies will generally produce just fine with up to 30% of their leaf surface eaten, or even produce more when it's attacked just like this? I didn't, until I read this book.
   
   Great information, essential information, complicated information. If you're a dreamer who likes a couple of nice sprays of hybrid cherry tomatoes to munch on each September and want a nice book with pretty color pictures, this isn't the book for you. If you've got dirt under your fingernails and a problem with your French Intensive beds, you will eventually need exactly this book.



3. I was very dissapointed in the length of this book. Compared to other organic gardening books, this should be listed as a brochure, or maybe as a synopsis of "How to Grow More Vegetables..." A buyer's money could be better spent. Personally, I would not buy it again. Figuring that it would cost me half of the cost of the book to return it to Amazon, I'll probably just give it away as a gift to a new gardener. This is not to say that there is no useful information in the book, but more information can be found in other, -longer- books



4. I am thankful to find this book, because it is so rare to find any gardening book that actually tells you how many seeds you need for so much ground, or how to predict yield.
   
   The reviews that complain about this valuable information give me an idea why that might be. People are too stupid to either value or use that information.
   
   Well, if you are intelligent enough to be looking for that information, then you'll be happy to have this book.



5. It is interesting reading if you want to know EVERYTHING about intensive gardening. I view gardening as stress relief, not to eat to live, so I don't like to use my brain this much when working in the garden. I give it 3 stars because I do feel if one really needs this information, it could be useful. An engineer minded person would probably love this book and get a lot of useful info out the main book, How to Grow More Vegetables. I am technical minded, but after working 60 hours a week, I don't want to strain my brain over a garden.

No comments about Fruit: Edible, Inedible, Incredible.

5 comments about In the Company of Stone.

1. This is not a "how-to" book - it's better than that. It's a "why" book. The author expresses in his understated manner the "why's" of working with stone and for anyone who feels about stone the way he does (and I do)it is a delight to read - and look at. This book is absolutely inspirational and a joy.



2. If you love stones and stone work you'll appreciate the pictures but a book just can't manage to "show" the art involved in working with stone



3. Over a decade ago, Dan Snow repaired the hundred-year-old dry stone walls that wander across our property in Vermont. The tumbled stone had been evocative, but the symmetry of the reassembled walls has been an irresistible delight. I do not know Snow--he worked while we were away--but I have thanked him a million times for his art. In this book, he has somehow captured with words the sensory pleasure of organizing and reorganizing stones. The art of walling, as evidenced by Peter Mauss's photographs, and the skill of walling, as described by Snow, are compulsively fascinating, an adventure for the armchair dreamer.
   The text and illustrations blend carefully, and the color photographs sparkle. The reproduction of the black and white photographs varies in quality, alas. This is a charming book. An excellent companion book is Gordon Hayward's "Stone in the Garden."



4. Dan Snows stonework may be some of the best in the world. Of all the stonework I have seen over the years his stands of as the best of the best.
   This book illustrates much of Dans work demonstrating what is possible.
   Most of this work is dry laid stone which is an art in itself. For those who like work utilizing mortar I recommend Lew Frenches book. Buy this book if you love to view stonework that makes you say " WOW!"



5. The beautiful color photographs of the artfully designed and master-crafted stonework are nicely done! It seems apparent to me that the stone mason has a definite love for his chosen profession and for any project precisely crafted. This book is not a "how-to-do-stonework-101." It is the meshing between the photographer and artist that tells a unique story in pictures. This book wets my appetite for wanting to learn more about this timeless craft!

1 comments about Cold Storage for Fruits & Vegetables: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-87.

1. Love the Storey Country Wisdom Bulletins. These are great because they are inexpensive and they offer basic useable information that most people can use. Which is more than I can say for some of the more expensive books I have bought. This Bulletin shows how you can either build under home or separate cold storage cellars for year round food storage. As well as using in ground units made from garbage cans with lids to old wooden barrels laid on their sides. As well as Pits and trenches which we have actually used for storing root crops. They also have a section beginning on page 20 where they list alot of vegetables and the best storage method. Beginning on page 26 they list the storage life expectancies of various vegetables. They also wisely caution to NOT store canned goods in cold storage areas.