But there is an important and simple step toward reversing this alarming trend: Everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward sustaining biodiversity.There is an unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife—native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals. In many parts of the world, habitat destruction has been so extensive that local wildlife is in crisis and may be headed toward extinction.Bringing Nature Home has sparked a national conversation about the link between healthy local ecosystems and human well-being, and the new paperback edition—with an expanded resource section and updated photos—will help broaden the movement. By acting on Douglas Tallamy's practical recommendations, everyone can make a difference.

    Created to both inspire and instruct, it returns readers to an era before power saws and fast food restaurants so they can rediscover the pleasures and challenges of a more self-sufficient, economical, and healthy lifestyle. Packed with hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, charts, tables, diagrams, and illustrations, it explains how to dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees for propagation, raise chickens, create a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will learn how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead.

    In Perennial Vegetables the adventurous gardener will find information, tips, and sound advice on less common edibles that will make any garden a perpetual, low-maintenance source of food.Imagine growing vegetables that require just about the same amount of care as the flowers in your perennial beds and borders--no annual tilling and potting and planting. They thrive and produce abundant and nutritious crops throughout the season. It sounds too good to be true, but in Perennial Vegetables author and plant specialist Eric Toensmeier (Edible Forest Gardens) introduces gardeners to a world of little-known and wholly underappreciated plants. Ranging beyond the usual suspects (asparagus, rhubarb, and artichoke) to include such -minor- crops as ground cherry and ramps (both of which have found their way onto exclusive restaurant menus) and the much sought after, anti-oxidant-rich wolfberry (also known as goji berries), Toensmeier explains how to raise, tend, harvest, and cook with plants that yield great crops and satisfaction.Perennial vegetables are perfect as part of an edible landscape plan or permaculture garden. Profiling more than 100 species, illustrated with dozens of color photographs and illustrations, and filled with valuable growing tips, recipes, and resources, Perennial Vegetables is a groundbreaking and ground-healing book that will open the eyes of gardeners everywhere to the exciting world of edible perennials.

    In this highly practical book, Western gardeners are encouraged to draw upon the techniques and sculpt their own garden trees to unique effect. After first discussing the principles that underpin the techniques, the author offers in-depth guidelines for shaping pines, azaleas, conifers, broadleaved evergreens, bamboos and deciduous trees. Throughout the text, step-by-step illustrations accompany the instructions, while abundant photographs and anecdotes bring the ideas surrounding niwaki vividly to life.

    Beginners and experienced designers, landscapers, and collectors alike will find what they need to visualize, create, and nurture the three-dimensional work of art that is the succulent garden.

    In the preface to this book, author Keith Delaplane says of his first book on beekeeping, "Its pages opened to me a golden world of honey bees and beekeeping and guided my stumbling steps that first spring season. My story is but one of thousands who have passed through the door opened by Dadant's little book."

    The biological world under our toes is often unexplored and unappreciated, yet it teems with life. In one square meter of earth, there lives trillions of bacteria, millions of nematodes, hundreds of thousands of mites, thousands of insects and worms, and hundreds of snails and slugs. But because of their location and size, many of these creatures are as unfamiliar and bizarre to us as anything found at the bottom of the ocean.Lavishly illustrated with nearly three hundred color illustrations and masterfully-rendered black and white drawings throughout, Life in the Soil invites naturalists and gardeners alike to dig in and discover the diverse community of creatures living in the dirt below us.  Biologist and acclaimed natural history artist James B. Nardi begins with an introduction to soil ecosystems, revealing the unseen labors of underground organisms maintaining the rich fertility of the earth as they recycle nutrients between the living and mineral worlds. He then introduces readers to a dazzling array of creatures: wolf spiders with glowing red eyes, snails with 120 rows of teeth, and 10,000-year-old fungi, among others. Organized by taxon, Life in the Soil covers everything from slime molds and roundworms to woodlice and dung beetles, as well as vertebrates from salamanders to shrews. The book ultimately explores the crucial role of soil ecosystems in conserving the worlds above and below ground.A unique and illustrative introduction to the many unheralded creatures that inhabit our soils and shape our environment aboveground, Life in the Soil will inform and enrich the naturalist in all of us.

    It will help you to create beautiful, productive, healthy gardens and have fun doing it. Writer, educator, and broadcaster Doug Welsh gives a wealth of practical gardening advice in this book. Encouraging us to think like a plant,” Welsh holds pruning school in February, conducts a lawn clinic in April, builds a perennial garden in September, and shows us how to grow fresh vegetables for Thanksgiving. Yet this barely scratches the surface of all that is offered in this comprehensive, fun-to-use guide. With colorful and instructive illustrations and helpful information boxes, plant lists, charts, sidebars, and tips, the book is written in the engaging, conversational style that anyone who has listened to Welsh’s radio show will recognize. Whether your passion is roses or green beans, wildflowers or trees, reading this book is like having a personal garden consultant and friend at your side. Doug Welsh’s Texas Garden Almanac will inspire you throughout the year and make you more eager than ever to get out into your garden.

    I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers" - Claude MonetImpressionist Claude Monet (1840-1926) created a magnificent five-acre garden that he considered to be his greatest artistic achievement. It was restored in 1980 and is now the most visited garden of its size in the Western world. With its spectacular color combinations and distinctive structural elements, the Monet garden at Giverny, France, inspires the dreams of thousands of gardeners.Award-winning garden writer and photographer Derek Fell has visited Giverny many times and always admired the beauty of its plantings and the subtle balance of colors. After years of carefully studying Monet's design and plantings, he shares the artist's secrets. In The Magic of Monet's Garden, Fell reveals Monet's breathtaking color harmonies and describes how the artist "painted" his living masterpiece. He guides the reader on how to scale down Monet's ideas for the home garden, with attention to:Understanding the laws of colors Building color harmonies Creating innovative combinations Recognizing the power of monochromatic plantings Using black in the garden Working with structure and form Building rhythm and surprise Capitalizing on sunlight and shadow Incorporating water features Attracting birds and butterflies. With 175 color photographs and illustrations and a dozen detailed planting plans, The Magic of Monet's Garden will inspire and instruct home gardeners to create their own versions of Giverny.

    Through this collection of delightful essays and beautiful illustrations, she shares with her readers the boundless joys of a country garden. Lovejoy has chosen to focus on animal life in the garden, including hummingbirds, caterpillars, and dragonflies, but her informative and witty prose also covers traditional plant care. The very titles of her sketches convey pleasure in the vibrant country landscape and the life that teems within it: “The Bumble Bee Rumba,” “Faeries in the Fuschias (sphinx moths),” “Holiday Feasts for the Birds and the Beasts,” and “Conversations with Sunflowers.” This compilation truly is—to borrow another of her titles—“Something to Crow About.”

    With detailed profiles of hundreds of tree and shrub varieties that include information on availability, size, hardiness, and special characteristics, Penelope O’Sullivan shows you how to use these plants to add structure and texture to your outdoor space. Create a vibrant landscape full of springtime blossoms, summer shade and fruits, autumn foliage, and winter evergreens.

    Charles Dowding, who started the first vegetable box scheme in 1983, shares his philosophy, tips and techniques which have enabled him to run a successful organic garden supplying local restaurants and shops for over 25 years.

    For twenty-six years, the Prince of Wales has passionately honed the organic practices used at Highgrove, Their Royal Highnesses' family home in Gloucestershire, as well as in his other gardens at Birkhall in the Scottish Highlands and Clarence House in central London. Now, alongside Andrew Lawson's elegant photographs and with "Country Living" gardening editor Stephanie Donaldson, the Prince's vivid elucidation of his techniques for maintaining healthy soil, planting varieties, and sustaining an ecosystem "in harmony with the natural laws and rhythms of the universe of which we are an integral part" offers a wealth of wisdom to delight and inspire any gardener. His practices, based on a deep respect for nature, can be adapted to almost any garden, large or small. The Prince is hands-on in his gardens, and it is this passion that reveals itself intimately to be at the heart of "The Elements of Organic Gardening," 200 full-color photographs.

    Here, she helps you learn to do that too.

    Fortunately for gardeners in the world's temperate regions, it's not necessary to live in the tropics to experience spiky agaves, bright cannas, and the flame-like blooms of Strelitzia reginae.The Encyclopedia of of Exotic Plants for Temperate Climates showcases an unparalleled array of exotic plants sure to delight gardeners who covet their dramatic effects and flamboyant beauty. Drawing on his experience running the acclaimed Exotic Garden in decidedly un-tropical Norwich, England, Will Giles shows how—with a dash of insider know-how—a myriad of beguiling exotics can be persuaded to flourish in the unlikeliest places.Lavishly illustrated, this book is an inspirational and authoratative resource. It will inspire gardeners to question conventional hardiness restrictions, experiment with new plants, and create gardens that are out of the ordinary.

    Aimed at beginners and veteran gardeners alike, this book is designed to help Wisconsin gardeners find, plant, and maintain the best native species for their specific sites, however modest or lavish. Gardening with native plants is an ever-more popular practice—and for good reason.  Naturally suited to a region’s climate and soil, native plants tend to thrive, and to reflect a true “fit” with the environment. The Native Plant Profiles section offers comprehensive descriptions of some 600 species of flowers and groundcovers, trees, shrubs, vines, evergreens, grasses, and ferns native to Wisconsin, as well as information on planting, maintenance, and landscape uses for each plant.With advice on the process of designing a natural garden that fits each lifestyle and family, the book will guide readers to the level of native plant landscaping that is just right for them.

    It will help you to create beautiful, productive, healthy gardens and have fun doing it. Writer, educator, and broadcaster Doug Welsh gives a wealth of practical gardening advice in this book. Encouraging us to "think like a plant," Welsh holds pruning school in February, conducts a lawn clinic in April, builds a perennial garden in September, and shows us how to grow fresh vegetables for Thanksgiving. Yet this barely scratches the surface of all that is offered in this comprehensive, fun-to-use guide. With colorful and instructive illustrations and helpful information boxes, plant lists, charts, sidebars, and tips, the book is written in the engaging, conversational style that anyone who has listened to Welsh's radio show will recognize. Whether your passion is roses or green beans, wildflowers or trees, reading this book is like having a personal garden consultant and friend at your side. Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac will inspire you throughout the year and make you more eager than ever to get out into your garden.

    Each species is covered in detail with information on how to identify, whether from a leaf, twig, bark or whole tree, plus extra information on where the tree grows (including a map), how high they grow, what uses the tree is used for and its unique history.Every species is also comprehensively illustrated with photographs of every useful feature – bark, leaf, seed, flower, twig and whole tree.Sample identification section:Silver Birch Betula pendula (Betulaceae) height to 26mA slender, fast-growing deciduous tree with a narrow, tapering crown when young and growing vigorously. Older trees acquire a weeping habit, especially if growing in an open, uncrowded situation.

    Yet despite these outstanding qualities, there has never been an entire volume devoted to them—until now. In this definitive, comprehensive, generously illustarted guide, internationally renowned woody plant expert Michael Dirr provides a wealth of information about every species and cultivar worthy of horticultural consideration. Never one to pull punches, Dirr bestows praise on viburnums that deserve it and is frank in his evaluation of other plants' occasional shortcomings. These finely judged appraisals make it easy for the gardener or designer to choose the right plant for the right situation.Whether you're a home gardener in search of a four-season shrub; a nursery professional seeking woody plants with proven appeal; or a designer looking for specimens that are both functional and guaranteed to impress clients, Viburnums will acquaint you with a group of plants capable of meeting all these requirements.Michael Dirr has said that a garden without viburnums is like a life without the pleasures of music and art. After reading just a few pages of this unparalleled work, you're sure to agree.

    for over ten years. Their column For Beginners explained the basic elements of growing violets in an entertaining and straightforward way that anyone could understand. Now these columns have been adapted and edited to provide even the most novice grower with a step-by-step guide, whether the goal is simply to keep violets alive or to exhibit the plants in competitive shows.

    Judith Larner Lowry, winner of the prestigious John Burroughs award, here builds on themes from her best-selling Gardening with a Wild Heart, which introduced restoration gardening as a new way of thinking about land and people. Drawing on her experiences in her own garden, Lowry offers guidance on how to plan a garden with birds, plants, and insects in mind; how to shape it with trees and shrubs, paths and trails, ponds, and other features; and how to cultivate, maintain, and harvest seeds and food from a diverse array of native annuals and perennials. Working in passionate collaboration with the scrub jays, quail, ants, and deer who visit her garden, and inspired by other gardeners, including some of the women pioneers of native plant horticulture, Lowry shares the delights of creating site-specific, ever-changing gardens that can help us better understand our place in the natural world.

    Not only are they the supreme plant for shade, but they also can be used in the landscape either as striking specimen plantings or as accommodating companion plants. Few pests bother them, and little maintenance is required, making hostas even more attractive to busy gardeners.Each year a staggering number of new hostas are introduced. To assist gardeners and landscapers in selecting the right hosta for a particular situation, veteran plantswoman Diana Grenfell has teamed up with distinguished photographer Mike Shadrack in selecting 280 of the best hostas. Ranging from tried and true favorites to cutting edge newcomers bursting with potential, each plant has been handpicked for its superb performance in the landscape. An additional 545 hostas are briefly mentioned.

    Whether you have a half acre of land in the country or a tiny patch of grass in the city, whether you’re an experienced digger or you’ve never held a trowel, Whiteside offers forty-one versatile projects that will make anyone into a proud gardener. In The Way We Garden Now, Whiteside, known as House Beautiful’s Garden Goddess, tackles every aspect of creating beautiful and personal gardens, from making a new bed to adding decorative details. Always down-to-earth, Whiteside believes that “fretting over having a perfect garden is not fun, but getting out there and accomplishing basic garden goals will always leave you happily fulfilled.” To that end, she shows how to create the garden that’s just right for you by mixing and matching projects according to your skill level, space limitations, climate, and even how much time you have. The Way We Garden Now is graced with whimsical watercolors, fun sidebars, and Whiteside’s expert tips. In five accessible sections, she teaches you how to:-Get going with ten easy, manageable projects that will turn your yard into a garden while helping you master basic garden chores -Surmount design dilemmas with solutions such as hedges, paths, and patios -Organize ornamentals—from containers to a cutting garden -Add edibles: Start a small salad garden that can evolve into an organic herb and vegetable potager -Be a gardener for all seasons with summer bulbs, winter gardens, spring shows, and more...With all the information about the supplies you’ll need, preparations to make, and even a helpful rating of how big an undertaking each project is, this is an indispensable book from a wise and witty mentor—a gardener who has been there and tried that.

    All the true grasses, sedges, rushes, restios, and cattails that possess ornamental merit or that can contribute to ecological plantings are described, and practical matters of propagation, growth, and maintenance are also covered. More than 1000 stunning photographs show details of individual plants and hundreds of gardens and landscapes in which grasses play a prominent part. This worthy successor to The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses is a new type of design reference that sets a standard for inspired, sustainable use of grasses.

    You will learn how trees grow, which species grow best in the different regions and soils, varieties from which to select, preparing the soil, planting, watering and fertilizing, pruning and grafting, thinning the fruit, diagnosing problems, controlling pests, and harvesting. You'll also find special attention given to organic and non-toxic pest management and fertilization methods. Key pests and diseases are identified and natural control methods are emphasized. Irrigation methods for the backyard grower are discussed and the difficult task of how often and how much water to apply is simplified. The focus is on giving the trees enough water but doing so in an efficient, water-saving manner. Included are hundreds of photographs and diagrams that clearly show how to produce the best crops. Photos of several practices, such as key budding and grafting methods, are depicted in step-by-step photos. No other publication provides this breadth and depth of coverage --

    This abundantly illustrated, beautifully produced, easy-to-use volume is a one-stop guide to California's trees. An essential resource for gardeners, homeowners, landscape design professionals, and anyone interested in the state's abundant flora, it provides a comprehensive photographic compendium of 107 native and 311 ornamental species. Trees of the California Landscape gives the what, how, and where of tree selection, planting, and design, paying particular attention to the need for improving sustainability and for increasing awareness of native habitats. It also features a valuable overview of the topography, geography, and climates that define California's unique landscape. * More than 1,000 color illustrations include spectacular photographs, detailed drawings of specific features, and informative maps * Each species is treated on a full page with an array of color illustrations and drawings * Habitat ranges, water requirements, growth rates, mature sizes, suitability for specific landscapes, and more, are listed for each tree * A fully illustrated section covers the basics of tree identification Copub: Phyllis Faber

    Each year more than 100,000 visitors come to this Cotswold hilltop to admire the intricate parterres and exuberant borders, to wander through the fabled series of 'garden rooms' and the mysterious woodland glades and find inspiration in the varied gallery of plants. No garden made in the 20th century has more clearly charted the direction to be taken by garden style. None has offered more vivid inspiration to the makers of gardens large and small.

    Drawing from four decades of experience as a fern specialist, Olsen leads the reader through every genus with horticultural merit, focusing primarily on the temperate species but also including tropical ones. In this comprehensive reference, Olsen presents succinct descriptions, habitat information, and cultural recommendations for more than 960 ferns, accompanied by 700 color photographs. Early chapters focus on ferns in history, as well as on cultivation, propagation, and structure. A series of appendices highlights qualities that will enable gardeners to further refine their choices, such as which species will tolerate dry shade, boggy conditions, strong sunlight, or other special conditions. Rounding out the volume are useful lists (with contact information) of places to see and purchase ferns.

    However, such simplification, Ruggles contends, denies the sophistication and diversity of the art form. Islamic Gardens and Landscapes immerses the reader in the world of the architects of the great gardens of the Islamic world, from medieval Morocco to contemporary India.Just as Islamic culture is historically dense, sophisticated, and complex, so too is the history of its built landscapes. Islamic gardens began from the practical need to organize the surrounding space of human civilization, tame nature, enhance the earth's yield, and create a legible map on which to distribute natural resources. Ruggles follows the evolution of these early farming efforts to their aristocratic apex in famous formal gardens of the Alhambra in Spain and the Taj Mahal in Agra.Whether in a humble city home or a royal courtyard, the garden has several defining characteristics, which Ruggles discusses. Most notable is an enclosed space divided into four equal parts surrounding a central design element. The traditional Islamic garden is inwardly focused, usually surrounded by buildings or in the form of a courtyard. Water provides a counterpoint to the portioned green sections.Ranging across poetry, court documents, agronomy manuals, and early garden representations, and richly illustrated with pictures and site plans, Islamic Gardens and Landscapes is a book of impressive scope sure to interest scholars and enthusiasts alike.

    Big Book of Buds brings together a tremendous amount of information on the plant and the newest varieties, with specific descriptions on appearance, ripening time and growing. Interspersed throughout are short engaging essays, interviews with the breeders and compelling images of the plants. This is a must have for all bud enthusiasts whether it be for a wish list, resource guide, or a coffee table book. Readers get an all-in-one guide offering a unique blend of useful, entertaining and practical information for the marijuana appreciator.

    Culpeper—a famed astrologer, physician, and author—covered almost 400 herbs and plants from Aconite and Adder’s Tongue to Yew and Yucca. For each entry, he gave both the Latin and common names, details on where to find it, its flowering time, astrology, and medicinal virtues.  Following the alphabetical list of herbs comes the inventory of illnesses and their cures, as it appeared in 1649.  Many of these plants still occupy a prominent position in the dispensaries of today’s herbalists, so in addition to Culpeper’s entertaining and often caustic comments and descriptions, there are notes on contemporary usage by an established practitioner

    In this fun and informative guide, Nancy J. Ondra shows you how to use foliage plants to add drama and structure to your landscape. Ondra’s approachable and easy-to-follow advice, along with Rob Cardillo’s stunning photography, will inspire you to employ foliage to transform your outdoor world into a dazzling mixture of colors, shapes, and textures.

    It explains how they live, answers your questions and helps you find the owls you haven't seen. Packed with beautiful photos, this book has it all!

    Not just blue, but red, pink, violet, yellow, and white forms exist to entice gardeners. Expert authors bring all their expertise and enthusiasm to this book, which is a much-awaited publication on a plant that offers much to the gardener. Introducing both wild and cultivated delphiniums and discussing breeding and the use of the flowers in the garden, the book also covers cultivation and propagation and talks about the pests and diseases that affect delphiniums.

    Lots of color photographs and useful information.

    This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know to grow and maintain a thriving lawn using organic gardening methods. With expert advice on planting the best grass varieties, nourishing the soil, watering, fighting weeds, and sustainable maintenance, Paul Tukey helps you create a luscious and inviting lawn that is pesticide-free and safe for your children and pets.

    With this book, you’ll know what to do each month to have gardening success all year. Written by authors in your state, the information is tailored to the issues that affect your garden the most.

    Profusely illustrated with more than 1,500 crisp photographs and brimming with concise descriptions of both species and their numerous cultivars, this meticulously researched reference provides information — including size, appearance, hardiness, preferred growing conditions and susceptibility to pests and diseases — for almost every hardy conifer you're likely to encounter in the trade, whether it's a tried-and-true favorite or a connoisseur's treasure. So if you've ever been torn between, say, 'Golden Mop', 'Lemon Thread', and 'Sungold' sawara-cypresses, relax — choosing and identifying conifers just got a whole lot easier.

    Since launching his first international mail-order catalog in 1991, Latvian nurseryman Janis Ruksans has rapidly gained a reputation as one of the world's foremost experts on rare and unusual bulbs: Juno irises striped like exotic birds; gem-like corydalis; dusky, brooding fritillaries. For decades, Ruksans has been scouring remote and dangerous regions of Europe and Asia to bring back seed of the botanical treasures that he offers through his nursery, often contending with corrupt government agents, armed rebels, drunken drivers, and even (before the fall of the Soviet Union) the KGB. Once you read Ruksans' accounts of his extensive travels, you'll never look at a flowering bulb in the same way again. A crocus will take you to the shores of Lake Abant in northwestern Turkey, a tulip to the mountains of Chimgan in Uzbekistan. Although adventure abounds in Buried Treasures, there's a great deal more for the gardener seeking trustworthy information. As well as being a renowned collector, Ruksans is a grower and propagator of bulbs second to none, and he generously shares his professional knowledge about the care and cultivation of every major and minor genus of bulb-forming plant. As richly diverse as the plants it describes, Buried Treasures will open your eyes to the beauty and fascination of the world of bulbs.

    They are distinguished from other art forms by a philosophy that views human beings as a part of nature. Designers intend to embody the integration and harmony between humans and nature by creating a natural landscape, which elevates their garden designs to the level of an art form. This book introduces the soul of Kyoto, the Japanese garden. Addressing variations through the different types of temple gardens -- gardens of the imperial family and aristocratic households; the urban courtyard and other gardens -- it offers an understanding of the compelling fascination which these gardens with their beauty and philosophical depth inspire.

    Over 950 color photographs and 50 original artworks showcase individual plants and full garden designs, as well as proper techniques for preparing beds, planting, pruning, and propagating garden plants. Specially commissioned garden plans are included, featuring all-new layouts suitable for an urban oasis, a suburban backyard, or an extensive country garden. Everything from soil management and understanding microclimates to gardening in arid environments or wet is discussed, along with selecting plants for sun and shade, creating spaces that encourage wildlife, and innovative recycling and reusing of garden materials.

    This gorgeous volume, rich in visual impressions as well as knowledgeable information, guides readers through all the fascinating facets of Occidental gardens.The gardens observed in depth range all the way from antiquity to the contemporary, with special emphasis onthe artistic garden landscapes of the Renaissance and the baroque period in specific European countries.

    In this richly-illustrated tour of modern tropical gardens, Made Wijaya takes novice gardeners and professionals around the world in search of innovative designs. From South America to the tropical states of the U.S.-including Florida, California and Hawaii-to tropical Asia and tropical Australia, Modern Tropical Garden Design covers a profusion of different environments. The styles of garden design are as various as the terrain covered, and includes gardens by Wijaya and numerous other talented designers. Modern Tropical Garden Design also explores the myriad of different elements that can be found in the modern tropical garden, including courtyards and patios; pavilions, pergolas and verandas; pavings; water features; pools; walls; plants; colors; furniture; lighting; tropical flower arrangements and art. Incorporating a lively discussion of the work of ten exciting garden visionaries, as well as the work of some early modern masters of garden design, Modern Tropical Garden Design will prove an inspiration for gardeners everywhere. Gardening topics include:Tropical AmericasTropical AsiaTropical AustraliaDesigning Modern GardensAvant Gardeners

    Now available in paperback for the first time, this critically acclaimed volume presents an array of wonderful locations and garden-design ideas, from small, sophisticated, minimalist city gardens to large, richly planted gardens in breathtaking rural locations. Each garden is beautifully photographed to show all its key features and essential details, while concise descriptions explore the aims and achievements of some of today’s most influential garden designers. With full captions identifying the plants depicted, Dream Gardens is a valuable source of information and inspiration.

    The premise is simple: create a partnership between local farmers and nearby consumers, who become members or subscribers in support of the farm. In exchange for paying in advance—at the beginning of the growing season, when the farm needs financing—CSA members receive the freshest, healthiest produce throughout the season and keep money, jobs, and farms in their own community.In this thoroughly revised and expanded edition of a Chelsea Green classic, authors Henderson and Van En provide new insight into making CSA not only a viable economic model, but the right choice for food lovers and farmers alike. Thinking and buying local is quickly moving from a novel idea to a mainstream activity. The groundbreaking first edition helped spark a movement and, with this revised edition, Sharing the Harvest is poised to lead the way toward a revitalized agriculture.

    Simple techniques for harvesting and propagating are combined with exhaustive guides to vegetables, herbs, fruits, and ornamental flowering plants.

    A commemoration of more than two centuries of gardening in Australia, this tribute focuses on eight extraordinary women who helped establish the country's rich gardening heritage. Their challenging and sometimes tragic lives are set against the backdrop of their gardens, which provided them with sanctuary and a creative outlet during troubled times.

    G.](AUTHOR)PAPERBACK

    This guide shows how trees and shrubs can be turned into practical and fun towers for children to play in; bent over as pliable saplings to create bridges, arches, tunnels, and temples; planted in semicircles or pairs to create arbors and arches; or even transformed into conceptual sculptures. Accessible and practical, the text is accompanied by the author's original concept sketches and a wealth of beautiful photos of the end results. The book also discusses the many forms that are possible and includes tricks suitable for the urban gardener or those with small balconies or terraces. With many simple tricks and quick ideas, as well as more challenging projects, readers will be inspired readers to view trees and shrubs as potential design aspects of any garden.

    This new addition to White Star's bestselling CubeBook series celebrates the diversity of man-made landscapes, depicting through more than 500 photographs, the huge variety of gardens around the globe. Flowers and Gardens CubeBook takes readers on a delightful tour of the finest gardens on five continents, including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Huntington gardens in California, Filoli in Florida, the Boboli Garden in Florence, the Royal Botanical Garden in Kew, Vaux le Vicomte and Versailles outside Paris, and the Keukenhof flower show park in The Netherlands. Spectacular panoramic photographs capture the stunning landscapes and meticulously tended flower beds of these gardens, while close-ups demonstrate the jewel-toned glory of every kind of flower under the sun. The gardens in these pages will inspire gardeners, artists, poets, and anyone who appreciates nature's bounty.

    This reference book contains facts ranging from the origins of names to preferred habitats.

    From 1989 until 2006 - when he died aged 84 - he produced his Guardian column from his beloved house and garden, Great Dixter in East Sussex. His knowledge as a plantsman was prodigious, yet he wrote in an easy, direct and vigorous manner, advising, entertaining and cajoling his readers as he guided them through the gardening year.Nothing was too small for his sharply observant eye and his impish disregard for received opinion or fashion - 'that awful phrase, good taste' - endeared him to his readers, and emboldened many to take up his constant challenge to experiment.Preparing the ground, planting for summer scent, choosing a shrub for all-year round pleasure, pruning, going organic, cottage gardens, placing a favourite hellebore, thinking about conifers or growing your own veg - all fell within his purview. And, in everything he wrote, he transmitted his huge appetite and enthusiasm for the pleasure that a garden brings.

    Homeowners are realizing the health benefits derived from gardening and the increase in their home's property value. This book contains easy-to-use advice on the top landscape plant choices.It also recommends specific varieties, and provides advice on how to plant, how to grow and how to care for the best plants.

    With detailed accounts of 89 different perennials, along with information on 621 recommended varieties and cultivars perfect for Pennsylvania gardens, this book takes the guesswork out of perennial gardening. The authors' practical, commonsense advice will help bring color and variety to your garden: * Flower and foliage colors * Height and spread ranges * Blooming periods * How and when to start your plants * Planting strategies * Light, water and nutrient needs * Choosing the best perennials for different growing conditions * Over 550 color photographs.

    It was part of an unprecedented horticultural, botanical and forestry enterprise on George W. Vanderbilt's magnificent Biltmore Estate, envisioned and designed by brilliant landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The nursery was created to provide the millions of plants needed to adorn Biltmore Estate's renowned gardens and grounds, and it quickly grew into a monumental commercial venture that supplied plants to customers around the globe. This landmark book tells the story of the Biltmore Nursery in two fascinating ways: a revealing overview history and a complete reproduction of the 1912 Biltmore Nursery Catalog. The history tells the story of the nursery from its establishment in 1889 to its destruction in a catastrophic flood in 1916, and the profusely illustrated catalog offers a guide to the cultivated trees, shrubs and plants of North America during the early twentieth century, with more than 1,700 distinct varieties described. Presented here as never before, Biltmore Estate's rich botanical legacy will resonate with Biltmore lovers, horticulturists and gardeners, botanists and dendrologists, landscape architects, students, and historians.

    Nancy Lancaster, society hostess and interior designer, sports an elegant straw sombrero and snips delicately at her roses, while Mr. Shepherd, her gardener, wields his shears and neatly clips the topiary at her house, Haseley Court. They and many other dedicated gardeners are captured here by the discerning eye of Valerie Finnis--with just the gentlest touch of humor--in her photographic portraits. A well-known and well-loved figure in postwar British gardening, Finnis was also a talented photographer. With great skill and verve, she took photographs of gardeners, gardens, and plants from the mid-1950s on, using a Rolleiflex camera that had been given to her by a friend. Together with her husband, Lord David Scott, Finnis traveled through Great Britain, meeting the famous--Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst, Lady Birley at Charleston Manor, Roald Dahl and his family at Great Missenden--as well as less-known gardeners, nurserymen, plant enthusiasts, designers, and artists. All are seen at home in their gardens, weeding, inspecting, watering, and standing proudly by their plants, wearing the fashions of the day, epitomizing life and society in the second half of the twentieth century. 200 illustrations, 100 in color.

    Today, few gardens are without their share of camellias.This encyclopedia is a comprehensive, one-stop reference for camellia enthusiasts at all levels. It provides information on how to grow and care for camellias as well as detailed descriptions of a handpicked selection of over 600 garden-worthy species and cultivars. The highly informed and truly international plant selection includes classic favorites as well as the latest introductions from around the world. Significant coverage is given to cold-hardy cultivars and there are chapters devoted to establishing camellias in the garden and growing them successfully in containers.Over 800 enticing images will entice all gardeners to accommodate more of these exquisite plants.

    Along the way, learn how red chile on a white T-shirt can look like a gunshot wound, and how a man driving a VW Jetta with 100,000 miles on it can feel "richer than a Hollywood divorce lawyer" while he searches for the elusive beauty of blooming wildflowers. Why? Because "there are some temptations that are too great for a renegade gardener to resist."

    Now, with the arrival of a new generation of cultivars that excel in mixed borders, containers, and other small spaces, there is more reason than ever to grow them. As well as being modest in height, many of these new clematis are extremely floriferous and self-supporting in a wide range of garden situations and they are joined here by a selection of classic species and cultivars that perform well.The clematis featured in this book are hand-picked for their longer flowering periods, large flowers and resistance to diseases. Internationally renowned clematis breeder Raymond Evison recommends the best clematis for particular situations, such as containers, mixed borders, patios, deck gardens, hanging baskets, and balconies. Clematis associate well with a variety of other plants and the author lists suitable companion plants and explains how to achieve a compatible mix of color, shape, and other characteristics.This unprecedented book celebrates a new generation of clematis and will appeal to both established enthusiasts and beginners.

    Whether you have a half acre of land in the country or a tiny patch of grass in the city, whether you’re an experienced digger or you’ve never held a trowel, Whiteside offers forty-one versatile projects that will make anyone into a proud gardener. In The Way We Garden Now, Whiteside, known as House Beautiful’s Garden Goddess, tackles every aspect of creating beautiful and personal gardens, from making a new bed to adding decorative details. Always down-to-earth, Whiteside believes that “fretting over having a perfect garden is not fun, but getting out there and accomplishing basic garden goals will always leave you happily fulfilled.” To that end, she shows how to create the garden that’s just right for you by mixing and matching projects according to your skill level, space limitations, climate, and even how much time you have. The Way We Garden Now is graced with whimsical watercolors, fun sidebars, and Whiteside’s expert tips. In five accessible sections, she teaches you how to:• Get going with ten easy, manageable projects that will turn your yard into a garden while helping you master basic garden chores • Surmount design dilemmas with solutions such as hedges, paths, and patios • Organize ornamentals—from containers to a cutting garden • Add edibles: Start a small salad garden that can evolve into an organic herb and vegetable potager • Be a gardener for all seasons with summer bulbs, winter gardens, spring shows, andmore...With all the information about the supplies you’ll need, preparations to make, and even a helpful rating of how big an undertaking each project is, this is an indispensable book from a wise and witty mentor—a gardener who has been there and tried that.

    In addition to learning the basics—including how to grow common plants from seed—young gardeners will be encouraged to discover nature’s cycles, become ecologically aware, and follow their inborn curiosity as they explore. It doesn’t matter whether kids have access to a large green yard or only to a windowsill planter: here are scores of fun projects that can awaken their sense of wonder about the natural world while nourishing cognitive functioning and self-confidence. Youngsters will love building a root-view garden from a milk container, making chlorophyll prints, constructing a hummingbird feeder, and more.

    In a solar cooker you can do everything from simmering to poaching, steaming, sauteing, braising, baking, roasting, toasting, pan frying, grilling, canning, medical sterilization, and even making ice (at night!).The Sunny Side of Cooking includes: How to choose the right solar cooker for you More than 100 vegetarian solar recipes and tips Adapt your favorite recipes to a solar cooker Create a year-round sustainable cooking system

    Harold Peto (1854–1933) was one of the most celebrated landscape designers of the Edwardian era. A leading exponent of the ultra-romantic Italianate style so fashionable in the first two decades of the 20th century, he was also influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement. Much admired by the likes of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens, he was recognized as one of the most successful garden designers of his generation and enjoyed a formidable reputation both in England and the south of France. The commentary is brought to life by 200 ravishing photos depicting many of Peto's gardens in their heyday.

    Later, as chatelaine first of Cranborne Manor and then of Hatfield House, she revived two of the great historic gardens of England. Then there the gardens that, as a professional garden designer, she has created for others, notably for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove and for the Museum of Garden History and Cosby Hall in London ('As a gardener who has lived the greater part of her life in Tudor and Stuart houses, to be asked to design a garden for an Elizabethan palace was an enjoyable challenge'). Renowned for her depth of scholarship and her design skill, she has also led the way in as a pioneer of organic gardening ('when I began, in 1948, I was written off as a complete crank'). Now in her eighties, she not only continues to tend her garden in Provence, she is also making a roof garden ('the first I've ever done') for her house in Chelsea, and designing gardens for clients in England, Ireland, Italy and the United States. This book encapsulates her gardening experience.

    Embedded in the back of the book is a handy and information-packed pull-out guide to caring for your own orchids

    Packed with over 600 illustrations and photos, the book walks readers through the construction of both hydroponic and soil systems and shows how to maintain them throughout the growing season. Everything the budding gardener needs to know is covered in astonishing detail, including setting up a starter room, cloning, indoor designs, harvesting, drying, storing, troubleshooting, breeding, composting, as well as the latest tips and techniques.

    The book covers commonsense advice on repotting, dividing, and growing orchids from seeds in a variety of settings including the greenhouse, the home, and the outdoors. Information is also included on major orchid families and their characteristics, how to choose a plant, how to avoid pests and diseases, and how to enter an orchid in competition.

    Helps in finding the right balance of water for your lawn, while you are installing your sprinkler system or adjusting your above-ground sprinkler.

    Features include: Instructions and plans for creating nine different habitat gardens for hummingbirds, bluebirds, winter birds, migrant birds, shrubland birds, prairie birds, woodland birds, wetland birds, and water birds. Photos and landscape plans of successful bird gardens in the Midwest -recommended plant species for each type of bird garden and information on the birds they attract Details on visual characteristics and cultivation of recommended plant species, along with their native ranges in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin Advice about nest boxes, bird baths, misters, perches and other garden features to attract birds Guidance for maintaining your naturally landscaped bird gardens.

    . . in the adjoining ones as well.”—John J. Pipoly III, SIDA“A very handy field guide . . . this book will be of use to anyone in northeastern North America.”—C. Barre Hellquist, Rhodora“It can be used to identify most of the plants . . . in Michigan and adjacent areas.”—James E. Eckenwalder, WildflowerGleason’s Plants of Michigan is a major revision and expansion of The Plants of Michigan by Henry A. Gleason—the 1918 classic field guide to the flowering plants and trees found in Michigan, neighboring Great Lakes States, and southern Ontario. Richard K. Rabeler has completely updated the family descriptions and added easy-to-use keys. Information on habitats and geographical distribution is now included as well as a comprehensive index of plant names, an illustrated section on terminology, a glossary, and an introduction to botany in Michigan.Gleason’s Plants of Michigan will be useful to naturalists, environmental specialists, botanists, and everyone who loves the wildflowers and native flora of Michigan and the surrounding areas.

    Pitched very much at the inexperienced indoor grower, the book sets out to explain cannabis cultivation as if it were conventional gardening. Fully illustrated with step by step pictures and clear and concise captions, the tone of the text is light and delivered in plain language, without technical jargon. After explaining a little about the properties of the marijuana plant, section one addresses the basics of getting started (including finding the right space and the myriad of supplies needed - lights, heater, PH tester, fertilizer etc). Then, it is time to start the garden groundwork deciding on seedlings or clones, organic or hydroponics and choosing containers. Subsequent chapters explain the levels of watering and fertilizer application needed and general care during growth; pruning and staking; harvesting; curing and drying and lastly cleaning up and restarting for the next harvest. Each section has a short refresher piece at the end to enable the grower to double-check work done before proceeding to the next stage, while a troubleshooting page at the rear of the book explores some common problems and how to find solutions.

    All are recommened species for Colorado gardens and include: habitat, height, spread, plant features, flower colors, info on soil, light and water and tips on how to best use the plant in your garden

    The kitchen garden has always been an important part of life in the rural south, at times meaning the difference between being well-fed or going to bed hungry. In recent times, the kitchen garden has become fashionable, and now more and more homeowners (in cities, suburbs, as well as the country) are reaping the delicious rewards of growing their own food. A kitchen garden needs little more than a small raised bed, so an aspiring gardener with only a modest backyard will have plenty of room to get started. Have a sprawling yard and an appetitie for an agricultural adventure? The kitchen gardener can try his hand at some produce requiring a little more space: fruit trees, corn, or pumpkins. Starting with location and soil preparation (where most gardens thrive or fail), authors William D. Adams and Thomas R. LeRoy will take you ste-by-step into the world of the southern kitchen garden. Planting guides for each fruit and vegetable, useful information on propogation and pest-control, recipes scattered throughout, and Adams' own beautiful photography make The Southern Kitchen Garden truly essential reading for all gardeners ready to bring along their produce from seed to the supper table.

    " With a new, easy-to-read design, more plant photography, larger illustrations, and more than 8,000 plant listings--500 of them new--it`s THE essential book for gardeners in the Western states. What plants to grow, how to nurture them, and where they do the very best--it`s all here. You`ll also find updated information on the Western climate zones, 30 Plant Selection Guides, plus a Practical Guide to Gardening with basic advice on plant care and essential gardening techniques. New plant lists reflect current trends, such as Mediterranean gardening and easy-care plants for beginners. For more than 70 years, Sunset has been the source for no-nonsense gardening advice, easy-to-follow diagrams, and encyclopedic knowledge of plant varieties. In this edition, we introduce an exciting new feature: gardening tips from well-known plant experts throughout the West. The Western Garden Book has never been better! Features:8th Edition of this perennial bestsellerMore than 8,000 plant listings, 500 new, keyed to climate zones30 Plant Selection Guides to find the perfect plant for every situationSpecial contributions from 40 eminent Western garden expertsIntroduction by Sunset garden editor Kathleen N. Brenzel, with a photographic tour of gardens that are truly the `Best of the West` gardens

    Month-by-Monthâ„¢ Gardening in Louisiana is one of the first titles of the redesigned series from Cool Springs Press. Top features include: 4-color photography and illustrations to demonstrate cultural practices Covers all major plant categories Specific advice for every month of the year Updated edition includes text revisions, additional reference materials, and a new design

    The basis for the system is a unique type of container that has holes in the sides that are large enough to accommodate mature plants. Planting through these holes, along with planting the top of the basket, yield instant, fabulous results. And it is easy! Most of the containers in this book were planted by beginners! The containers are available as hanging baskets, window boxes, wall pots, and dramatic, new baskets on columns. The book includes 33 container profiles that were personally grown by the author. Each profile includes complete planting and maintenance instructions. Step-by-step illustrated demonstrations, along with lots of practical planting and maintenance information, make designing and growing plants in these containers quick and easy. The author planted over 10,000 plants in the course of researching the material for the book. She recommends 34 of the top choices, with detailed growing instructions for each. Before and after photos show complete makeovers of the front of a house, a porch, front walkway, and porch. Learn how to transform your home in as little as a few hours with this unique, new container system.

    . . . It is a small house in a small garden in a small neighborhood. But it is large enough . . . Large enough to hold everything dear.”Digging In tells the story of the author’s move into an early twentieth-century cottage with a long abandoned back yard, and the work that he and his family had to do to bring a garden to life there. It is the story of the way that the garden became the ground upon which deeper relationships with his family, friends, and neighbors began to blossom and grow.Written in the gentle, revealing prose for which Benson is acclaimed, this is a lyrical and wise book, beautifully evoking the wonder of planting and seasons, humorously recalling the challenges and the struggles of the labor itself, and carefully observing the simple truths and timeless joys that were there to be found.

    With a wealth of information and tested advice, this problem-solving treasure gives gardeners every-thing they need to do battle with garden pests, diseases, and weeds—with safe, natural solutionsCombining a troubleshooting approach with encyclopedic coverage and drawing on the most up-to-date research on biological and non- or low-toxic controls, Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver by Fern Bradley features:• more than 60 vegetables, organized alphabetically from asparagus to zucchini• individual pest entries on the 30 most common insect pests and how to combat them• individual disease entries on the 30 most common vegetable plant diseases—including symptoms and causes and ways to keep plants disease-free• a problem-solving approach to such favorite gardening topics as seed-starting, soil, weather, watering, crop rotation, fertilizing, transplanting, and season extension• "Beyond the Basics" sidebars for those willing to go the extra mile to eradicate a problem in the garden in a safe and natural wayWith numerous tips on prevention so gardeners can spend less time putting out fires and focus instead on producing higher-yielding and more attractive gardens, this will quickly become the trusted companion of every vegetable gardener.

    Shows: how to produce abundant and tasty crops; how special preparations can transform your soil and produce; how the moon affects planting and growth; the difference between 'root', 'leaf', 'blossom' and 'fruit' plants; what the best storage methods are; and more.

    In this comprehensive handbook, Herb Broda blends theory and practice, providing readers with practical suggestions and teacher-tested activities for using the most powerful audio-visual tool available—the outdoors.Emphasizing the practical, this innovative book offers teachers step-by-step guidance to help ensure success when they take a class outside. It provides:Background that helps present the case for outdoor learning: educational theory that supports the concept; overview of the terminology; research on the benefits related to student achievement; alignment of outdoor learning with current teaching practices.Ideas for making the schoolyard an effective outdoor classroom: the planning process; enhancing and maintaining the site; developing gardens and attracting wildlife; finding community resources and funding.Advice on working with a class outdoors: garnering administrative and parental support; considerations before going out; making the most of your outdoor time; using GPS as an educational tool; building on the outdoor experience back in the classroom.An array of proven activities that utilize the schoolyard: activities related to specific subject areas; activities that teach process skills; activities that encourage initiative and build community.At a time when children's natural curiosity about the outdoors is eclipsed by the demands of busy schedules and the ever-present glow of video screens, schools may be the only place where they are encouraged to interact with nature. Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning can help teachers unlock the powerful learning experiences that exist just beyond the classroom door.

    Written by a renowned horticulturist and former gardener at London’s Buckingham Palace, this field guide continues the well-received Success with gardening series, and covers selecting, buying, and placing shade-tolerant plants. There are also complete instructions for pruning, feeding, managing diseases and pests, and other essential maintenance. And with an exhaustive plant directory, ideas for designing gardens to fit new or existing landscapes, tips for managing weeds and fungi, gardening successfully in damp or dry soil, as well as handling mixed-light gardening situations, this is surely an essential reference.

    John Acorn and talented artist Ian Sheldon team up to help shed light on 180 species of butterflies in our province with this beautifully illustrated and written book showing the intricacy of butterfly wing patterns and explaining their complex life histories: * Size, identifying features, habitat, flight seasons, caterpillar food, similar species and notes on name origins and butterfly trivia * Spectacular illustrations of the butterflies in their most natural poses, plus full-colour photos in family introductions * Engaging text to simplify the overwhelming complexities of butterfly names * Tips on studying butterflies and the ethics of collecting.

    This book is a journey into the garden and the world as a whole in ways never likely seen or considered. The author has layed out many of the connections and processes at work when light, air, water, soil and life interact and transform the environment. When working in alignement with nature, many common problems never occur because one is not trying to go outside the natural laws that constrain us all. Instead of struggling to build and control a synthetic environment, one can now identify the existing environmental envelope and work with the natural forces to create and realize horticultural objectives. Once these relationships are seen, so many puzzles will disappear and many mysteries will now "just make sense."