5 comments about Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding!.

1. I, for one, am going to do the Lasagna Gardening way this year. I can't wait. It makes so much sense to garden this way. I am so glad that this book came my way because I am rather new to gardening and lazy, I must add because I really don't care to bend over to weed the garden.
   
   This should be my new way from now on.



2. I feel compelled to address the peat moss concern in the most critical review of this book. It is a shame that the ancient peat bogs in Britain were devastated :( but this is not the case in North America. Most peat in the U.S. comes from Canada which harvests a fraction, .006, of their peat supplies. Moreover, those supplies renew themselves at 70 times the rate of harvest. This, and more reassuring information is provided by the The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association: http://www.peatmoss.com/concern.php
   
   With that bit of cheery news aside...I too share a few benefits I received from this marvelous book, trying not to duplicate comments of other reviewers.
   
   E-Z Paths!: Tired of the dusty, dirty, noisy job of weed beating my garden's paths, I decided to use wetted newspaper covered with a few inches of wood bark mulch. The bark mulch was free from county road crews and a local tree business who were happy to dump it in my yard when they were in the area. When I ran out of newspaper I found a small business pleased to give me piles of discarded cardboard boxes. After one year the paths are still weed-free and the transformation puts a smile on my face each time I walk in the garden.
   
   Modified bag idea: I loved the idea of bagging leaves and setting the bags over grass to kill it, but alas, we have few deciduous trees and I did not want to bag mulch. Inspired by Lansa's ingenuity, I purchased 10 EarthBoxes, set them over a grassy area, then planted winter crops in the boxes. This method has helped me reclaim my large garden bit-by-bit. EarthBox RB-EB-GRN-PBB Garden Kit Dark Green I have also used just four EarthBoxes to anchor four corners of heavy plastic with success.
   
   Well written: Ms. Lansa's writing voice is much like having a conversation with a neighborly garden mentor.
   
   Eco-friendly: The no-till methods help soil retain carbon as well as saving on fuel.
   
   Conclusion: The book is as priceless as good heirloom seed and just as share worthy.



3. This opened my eyes of gardening.Be green and you will benefit from all the waste that is thrown away. MY NEW GREEN THUMB



4. It's amazingly easy. That's what is so great about this concept. If you're looking for a gardening method that won't break your back...or your pocketbook, this is the one!



5. I love this book. Very informative, interesting and easy to read. I bought my friend one and he has bought his friends and family five more. This is another great Amazon experience.

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

1. 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+



2. 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.



3. 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!



4. I just purchased my first greenhouse and wanted a good reference book. This is it! An excellent resource which is easy to read and use. Love it!



5. Very good book, very comprehensive, great for beginners (like me). There is a ton of information in here.

5 comments about Fabulous Parties: Food and Flowers for Elegant Entertaining.

1. I took a look at this book and it took me back to the overindulgences of the early eighties.
   
   A few fresh ideas are buried in here among recipes for a baked potato bar(uh....bowls of toppings with a baked potato), a cobb salad bar (you can see where this is heading), a candy bar (yes, assorted candy), a dessert coffee bar, caviar bar, tostada bar, another salad bar, and (yes- one more...) a cupcake bar.
   
   The photos and style have that dated feeling of a Time-Life book series on entertaining.
   
   Just not my style I guess.
   
   This should appeal to the elderly or pretentious set.



2. Its not just that this book is filled with beautiful photos of fantastical floral scenes and delectable foods, but there are many elegant and unique ideas that it helps you to recreate, the full experience of which cannot be fully captured in photos. Additionally, I've been through a lot of recipe books, and there are many exceptional, party-appropriate recipes in this book that I have not seen anywhere else. If you buy only one party book this decade, make it this one!



3. This is the complete book for a dinner party that your guests will never forget. Mark Held has put together not only recipes for a great evening, but has matched the food with incredible decorating and table setting. Thumbs up!



4. I have many books on the subject of entertainment and parties, and this book is simpily fabulous.The photgraphs are simply sumptuous and the recipes absolutely user friendly.
   The pages are with filled wonderful witty recipes and the creations are out of this world.
   I have bought this book as gifts for my friends and all enjoy it tremendously.
   It is a terrific gift for all those who enjoy friends, parties and beautiful things..



5. I enjoyed this book so much I bought several copies as holiday gifts. I'm glad I finally got to see what Mark's Garden is capable of doing with flowers. I love the passion and professionalism they having brought to flower design. The book is amazing and makes me want to entertain. So many great recipes are here too. Tons of great ideas on these pages. Love the black satin ribbon bookmark also. I'll be referring to it for years. Thanks!

5 comments about Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.

1. Too bad that so many of these reviews are written by Weekend Warriors who wanted a "pretty book with pictures." ~sigh~ I'm a landscape architect who trained under Dr. Dirr when he was teaching at U of Illinois. Of course, because he was teaching the subject, this tome was part of the required course. For the professional plantsman or very serious gardner, there is nothing like it! This is my third edition of this book, the first one being thin and light and probably a two-pounder. This one weighs in at 6 pounds. I don't know of a serious nursery that does NOT have this as part of their library; it's excellent when you need to know just how Acer saccharum and Acer saccharinum differ; what diseases do Betula nigra contract; and which Ilex species to plant in your zone.
   
   The reason why he does NOT bother with roses, clematis and other pretty plants extensively is that there are far better sources than his book to refer to for information and he just can't be bothered to rewrite what better experts have already written.
   
   This book is NOT a key to identify plants. This book is NOT a coffee table book to impress anyone. This book is to be used at a store or in the field, covered with mud and spotted pages as you earn your living from working, planting and selling woody ornamentals. There are 100's of pretty books that Barnes & Noble cranks out each year for the casual gardener. If in doubt about a book, hike to a store or library and check the book out THERE, rather than ordering an unknown book and criticizing the author for what he's NOT vs. what he is. If you pay your mortgage and truck payment by working with trees and shrubs, you already have this book and know how good it is!



2. Dirr is the bible for plant information. I find that most plant people have a copy on their bookshelves with significant signs of use. (worn pages, dog earing, stains, soil etc)



3. My son began his study of horticulture this year, and Dr. Dirr's book, it seems, is the "bible" for lifetime use in horticulture. Our textbook arrived quickly, beautifully, and at about 1/2 of the price at the college bookstore. A noteworthy investment!



4. If I had but one garden book to keep, this is the one I would unquestionably choose. And I have more than 40 garden related books.
   Sure would like to see a 2008 edition!
   Robert in northern Indiana



5. Excellent resource/reference for "woodies" - I'll be using it for numerous college landscape courses & keep it for a working reference; would have liked outlines of tree/shrub shape; very good leaf drawings.

5 comments about The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use.

1. The book has easy to understand, in-depth information. Chapter 18, "Important Cannabis Issues", is a must read for the Entire world!



2. Whaazup!? Is it 4:20 already? Time to wake and bake!
   
   Being a young man with an abusive atheist father and a mom that ran out on me when I was 3, I have always had this huge void in my life. When I was a pup I would fill this void by stealing things and engaging in the destruction of other people's property!
   
   In middle school I got violent. I would pick on the kids that were smaller then me and I was always getting into fights with the big-wigs of the school. I even hit a teacher once, dat bxxitch just wouldn't leave me alone about that homework!
   
   That's all in the past though. Some of the other poverty-stricken kids that went to my school turned me onto this holy sacrament. It's been all good since then. Whenever I get sad about how horrible my life is, all I gotta do is sit back and puff.
   
   Yeah, so that's where this book comes in. The more you toke, the more you're broke, hehe, yeah. So I got this book so I could grow my own private stash. The book told me everything I needed to know about growing wacky weed.
   
   Unfortunately what it didn't tell me was that growing it was a crime! I am doin some time right now, but I'll make parole soon. I can't wait to get out and partake of sweet Mary Jane again though. Hey, puff puff give! Can I come over to you guys's place when I get out? Please?



3. A truely excellent product. Don't let the title decieve you, the cannabis grow bible has plenty of information about other topics regarding cannabis such as the legalization debate. In the middle of the book are some vivid color photos on photo quality paper, another plus. This is the only book about cannabis you will ever need!



4. This book was a great find! It has more information than pictures which is okay, it is very descript in its information and easy to read. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking to further their knowlegde in this art.



5. Decent information. Not as detailed as I expected a grow bible to be, but definately has alot of information and ideas.

5 comments about McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers.

1. This is like an encyclopedia for new gardeners like me.
   It gives advice for every veggie and flower and helps
   with ideas for combining plants so you get a good-sized
   harvest.



2. I checked this out from my library expecting just to glance at a few topics, but I ended up reading every word! In fact, I only returned it to the library because it had a hold on it- so I decided to buy it :-) This is a great book- very thorough and as a beginning gardener it made me feel very encouraged to try anything I wanted. I am so glad I bought this! Oh, and no problems with shipping, it came right on time.



3. If you grow vegetables in containers then this book is a must. No pretty pictures just good tips. The only con is you might not find detailed info on a specific vegetable but you will find something on the family of vegetables.



4. Unfortunately, although I read very good reviews on this book, it is not what I expected and doesn't cover many vegetables in great detail. Most of what I'm growing in containers is not covered in this book, which is what I was hoping for. Probably my fault, I should have researched more before buying.



5. For an apartment-dweller this is an inspiring and helpful book on how to keep your hands in the dirt and eat your own home-grown veggies!!! LOVE it!

5 comments about The Backyard Orchardist: A Complete Guide to Growing Fruit Trees in the Home Garden.

1. I bought this book because I wanted to learn to care for the fruit trees and plants in my yard. This book looks like it has a lot of good information but honestly unless you are really good at gardening it is very wordy. I don't think I will sit and read it but I will probably use it as a reference book.



2. I have about 5 books on fruit trees and this is by far the best and most comprehensive. Only drawback is that they don't use real pictures.



3. The Backyard Orchardist: A Complete Guide to Growing Fruit Trees in the Home GardenI found this book very thorough and informative for someone just learning about growing fruit and nut trees at home. It answered very nearly every one of my questions.



4. Extremely helpful! Just moved to a new home and wanted to start my plants off right. This book helped me not only in the selection of my plants, but where on my property it is best to plant them, and how to properly plant them. I also learned the correct ways of pruning and fertilizing each plant. I have found this book to be an invaluable tool to a begining backyard gardener.



5. Great all around tree info. for all types of fruit trees, especially when starting out.

5 comments about American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques.

1. As a Texas Master Gardener, I bought the book to deepen my knowledge of plant propagation, especially out-of-patent roses. This book has excellent pictures of techniques for alternative propagation methodologies and a extremely wide treatment of many species. I cannot imagine anyone who would need any other book. I've read five other propagation books but this book has it all, written in well thought out descriptions and illustrated with great pictures. Highly recommended!!!



2. Beautiful color photos and illustrations, sturdy binding and slick paper, expert practical advice, with readily understood and easily adapted procedures for the whole range of plant species. Complements their other larger book on plants.



3. Ok for basics but not specific for the varieties of plants for propagation. If you want to learn about root cuttings and division it's good, but don't expect much detail when it comes to specific plants, ie; when to take cuttings or when to divide certain plants for particular varieties. Very basic.



4. This book is so easy to use and has very detailed directions! Great book for a beginner and an expert!



5. I,ve tried to propagate plants by cuttings for two years now; all without any success. This book has all the answers to questions I've had and has shown where I've made mistakes. This is the "Bible" of plant propagation...

5 comments about Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Llewellyn's Sourcebook Series).

1. It is covers a vast realm of information and is great for the beginner as well as the advanced.



2. A must have. This and my Rondale book are my two most used and go to books for anything herbal whether magical or mundane.



3. This is, first and foremost, a reference book. I think some people have taken it to be more of a complete "everything you'd ever need to know about herbs" book, but this isn't exactly the case.
   
   It's an absolutely WONDERFUL reference. Never have I personally encountered a book that had dealt with so many different herbs and done such a thorough job explaining them. I admit, here and there a bit of information might be dated, and as someone else mentioned, there are certain plants he has forgotten to label as poisonous, etc. However, if you garden at all, most of these he's forgotten are complete "duh"s anyways. (Not that it's an excuse.)
   
   I'll again say that it's not the end-all-be-all to magickal herbalism. I have a couple others (not as complete) that I like to cross reference, if it's something I'm not completely familiar with. The great bulk of his information is very accurate, though. His folklore is usually very detailed, and sometimes highly entertaining.
   
   If you're looking for something to tell you how to do potions, tinctures, elixirs, teas, salves, soaps, oils, and everything else under the sun, this won't help. It's not meant to help. As an unsolicited plug, I'll say that Oils, Incenses, and Brews is a GREAT compliment to this book, covering what I just mentioned. They make a very usable team.
   
   Also, he doesn't give much as to how to cultivate what he writes about. This, again, is something you wouldn't usually find in a reference book anyways. There are many many MANY gardening books out there that deals with this, though, and it's easier to find books particularly suited to your area. I know that English lavender prospers in New England, but that doesn't mean I can grow it in the sticky South. He doesn't cover things like this, and wouldn't have the space anyways.
   
   His cross-referencing is absolutely amazing, too. He has thoroughly gone through folk names, Latin names, solar/lunar energies, planetary energies, astrology, and, well, everything else. And he gives in very readable, easy to use tables. I really appreciate this, as I might know a folk name for something that grows in my area, but have no clue as to what it's Latin name might be. This alone is worth the price, to me.
   
   As I said at the top of my post, it's not perfect. There are some areas definitely lacking, but overall, it's a VERY good buy, and you won't be sad you got it.



4. Scott Cunningham has given us a comprehensive list of the magical properties of herbs, how to use and prepare them. I recommend any of his books.



5. This book is quite an excellent resource to gather your basic herb information and effects that it can have. While it is not as detailed as other books such as Cathrine Yronwode's Herb and Root magic book, it does provide a few things here and there that are quite useful to any magical practitioner.

5 comments about Bonsai (101 Essential Tips).

1. I expected more info on techniques, however for the begginer it is OK start. Some good pictures to show how to trim, prune etc your beloved bonsai baby.



2. I just bought my first bonsai tree,This book is so helpful.The shipping was very fast.It is packed full of information and lovely pictures.It has great tips for your tree and great ideals.It also gave me information on others bonsai trees i will be trying next..



3. This was a good beginner book for my husband when we bought our first bonsai, although we wish there was more descriptions on trimming it and how much water to give it. We think we have some sort of ficus bonsai, but couldn't find it in the book, so we're hoping what we are doing will keep it alive! Good tips on most aspects of keeping them thriving.



4. This book is small and really just a good overview of what Bonsai's are like. This is sort of a starter guide, explaining the ins and outs of Bonsai. If you're just beginning raising the trees, this is a good book to add to your collection. If you, however, already have a knowledge base about raising and caring for Bonsai, you can move along to a more comprehensive book.



5. This book is the perfect starting point for any one who is interested in the art of bonsai. With its 101 steps it depicts the whole process of bonsai making, however the book does not go in to greater detail. I had to turn to additional literature to successfully complete the processes that are described in it. But if I had not had this book I would really not know where to start. In addition to the useful tips, the book includes beautiful pictures and clear illustrations that help with the understanding of the art. I use this book all the time to catch up on some of the techniques I need to use when dealing with my lovely plants.