Paths of Desire: The Passions of a Suburban Gardener


Dominique Browning - 2004
    Paths of Desire is the enchanting, amusing, and moving account of making a garden -- and confronting the essence of suburban gardening, with its idiosyncratic ecosystem. This meant struggling with depraved skunks and raccoons, marauding teenagers, plastic jungle gyms, toppling garbage cans, uncontrollable eyesores, potholed drives, and all the grinding, honking, and buzzing of the neighborhood. Browning's delightfully frank prose conveys the very sense of being deep in a garden, with all its organic smells and textures, and the myriad joys of deciding what to plant and watching as the vision is realized. It contains a rich store of advice and illustrative anecdotes for enthusiasts and novices alike, as Browning amusingly documents the missteps she took in the planning of her garden and the satisfactions of finally getting it right. In Paths of Desire she teaches us how to embrace our plots of land -- no matter their size, beauty, or proximity to the city -- and make them our own. But she also reminds us that the life of a garden can never be separated from the people who wander in and out of it: characters like the charming but useless children; the philosophical tree doctor and the band of Helpful Men; the neighbors -- legalistic on one side, aesthetically challenged on the other -- and, best and worst of all, the True Love. By the end of the book, Browning has transformed her garden -- and her life -- and has created a place of enchantment, which is most of all what a garden should be.

Gardening Under Lights: The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers


Leslie F. Halleck - 2018
    You’ll learn the basics of photosynthesis, the science of light, how to accurately measure how much light a plant needs, and details about the most up-to-date tools and gear available. Also included are tips and techniques for helping ornamental plants (like orchids, succulents, bonsai, and more) and edible plants (arugula, cannabis, oregano, tomatoes, and more) thrive indoors. Whether you are a vegetable gardener who wants to extend the growing season, a balcony gardener short on outdoor space, or a specialty plant collector, Gardening Under Lights is a must-have.

Gardenlust: A Botanical Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens


Christopher Woods - 2018
    In this sumptuous global tour of modern gardens, intrepid plant expert Christopher Woods spotlights 50 gardens that push boundaries and define natural beauty in significant ways. Featuring both private and public gardens, this journey makes its way from the Americas and Europe to Australia and New Zealand, with stops in Asia, Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. Along the way, you'll learn about the people, plants, and stories that make these iconic gardens so lust-worthy. As inspiring as it is insightful, Gardenlust will delight your passion for garden inspiration—and the many places it grows.

The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers, and Foodies Are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet


Kristin Ohlson - 2014
    That carbon is now floating in the atmosphere, and even if we stopped using fossil fuels today, it would continue warming the planet. In The Soil Will Save Us, journalist and bestselling author Kristin Ohlson makes an elegantly argued, passionate case for "our great green hope"—a way in which we can not only heal the land but also turn atmospheric carbon into beneficial soil carbon—and potentially reverse global warming.As the granddaughter of farmers and the daughter of avid gardeners, Ohlson has long had an appreciation for the soil. A chance conversation with a local chef led her to the crossroads of science, farming, food, and environmentalism and the discovery of the only significant way to remove carbon dioxide from the air—an ecological approach that tends not only to plants and animals but also to the vast population of underground microorganisms that fix carbon in the soil. Ohlson introduces the visionaries—scientists, farmers, ranchers, and landscapers—who are figuring out in the lab and on the ground how to build healthy soil, which solves myriad problems: drought, erosion, air and water pollution, and food quality, as well as climate change. Her discoveries and vivid storytelling will revolutionize the way we think about our food, our landscapes, our plants, and our relationship to Earth.

Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass


Liz Primeau - 2003
    But more people are discovering a very attractive alternative.Packed with practical tips and beautiful photographs, Front Yard GardensExplores the history of the lawn and our attachment to it Contains examples of front yard gardens from more than seventy gardens across North America Provides step-by-step instructions to start and grow your own front yard garden Liz Primeau transformed her lawn in a quiet suburb to a mixed garden with a profusion of flowering plants, shrubs, and cacti. She now enjoys an eye-catching front garden that requires no chemicals and less watering than her lawn.This book includes overall planning and design, and outlines the steps for removing the grass, enriching the soil, and planting. The book is divided into several types of front yard gardens, including cottage, minimalist, secret, neighborhood, downtown, and natural. She discusses the key elements of each style, gives tips on how to create and maintain the garden, and provides a list of complementary plants.With more than two hundred beautiful photographs taken expressly for this book by Andrew Leyerle, Front Yard Gardens is a sensual treasure-trove of ideas.

Other People's Money: The Rise and Fall of Britain's Boldest Credit Card Fraudster


Neil Forsyth - 2007
    Until, at the tender age of sixteen, he worked out how to use the credit card system to his advantage. Identifying the banks' security weaknesses, utilising his intelligence and charm, Elliot embarked on a massive spending spree. From London to New York, Ibiza to Beverly Hills, he lived the fantasy life, staying in famous hotels, flying first class, blowing a fortune on designer clothes. Time and time again, Elliot managed to wriggle free of the numerous authorities who were on his tail, while his life spiralled out of control. Meanwhile, from a police station at Heathrow, a detective was patiently tracking him down . . . With a likeable hero, filled with humour and as fast-paced as a thriller, Other People's Money is crime writing at its best.'A fascinating and illuminating story' Irvine Welsh'Exhilarating Brit variation on Catch Me if You Can, which never misses an opportunity to up the sweaty-palmed suspense.' "Arena"

The Garden in the Clouds: From Derelict Smallholding to Mountain Paradise


Antony Woodward - 2010
    This is a warm, witty memoir of one man's unlikely quest to create out of a mountainous Welsh landscape a garden fit for inclusion in the prestigious Yellow Book - the 'Gardens of England and Wales Open for Charity' guide - in just one year.

How to Grow More Vegetables: And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine


John Jeavons - 1979
    Updated with the latest biointensive tips and techniques, this is an essential reference for gardeners of all skill levels seeking to grow some or all of their own food.

Miniature Gardens: Design and Create Miniature Fairy Gardens, Dish Gardens, Terrariums and More--Indoors and Out


Katie Elzer-Peters - 2014
    A delightful, fun, and endlessly creative new trend is sweeping the gardening world: miniature gardening! With your imagination as the only limit to this infinitely customizable technique, miniature gardening showcases your individuality. Once you've learned how to design, create, and grow tiny plant combinations successfully, you'll be able to let your creativity loose indoors and out. In Miniature Gardens, gardening expert Katie Elzer-Peters demonstrates the latest in plant options and designs through her gorgeous color photography and laser-focused Do-It-Yourself advice. Plenty of great tips and idea-generating information on small-scale furnishings are included as well. Where other books on this popular subject offer run-of-the-mill images and only limited how-to information, Miniature Gardens gives you a thorough and beautiful window into this tiny world, from fairy gardening to dish gardening, terrariums, and even a miniature water garden project. From cute home tabletop designs to elaborate mini-villages and everything in between, miniature gardening is a pastime that can be enjoyed by hobbyists and families of all ages and in all sizes of living space. With Miniature Gardens, you're just a lightning strike of inspiration away from bringing to life the endless creations unique to your own imagination.

Small-Plot, High-Yield Gardening: How to Grow Like a Pro, Save Money, and Eat Well by Turning Your Back (or Front or Side) Yard Into An Organic Produce Garden


Sal Gilbertie - 2010
     You’ll learn about the most effective natural fertilizers, drought-resistant cultivation methods, pest-repellent companion plantings, trends in heirloom herb and vegetable varieties, and raised-bed techniques for achieving maximum productivity in a limited space. You can even add a cutting garden so you’ll always have fresh flowers on a kitchen table that’s groaning under the weight of incomparably fresh vegetables seasoned with a variety of home-grown herbs.  Whether you’re filling a 10’ x 10’ sandbox or digging up your 3,000-square-foot tennis court, any yard has the potential to produce a multi-crop bonanza. And anyone with a little soil and a lot of heart can do it!

Moss Gardening: Including Lichens, Liverworts, and Other Miniatures


George Schenk - 1997
    The author writes entertainingly of mosses on rocks and walls, in containers, and as a lush ground cover, and he presents a gallery of his favorite moss species.

Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs


Michael A. Dirr - 2011
    Over 380 genera. More than 3700 species and cultivars.Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs is the most comprehensive visual reference to more than 3700 species and cultivars. From majestic evergreens to delicate vines and flowering shrubs, Dirr features thousands of plants and all the essential details for identification, planting, and care. Color photographs show each tree's habit in winter, distinctive bark patterns, fall color, and more. Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs is a critical addition to any garden library.

The Gardener's Bed-Book: Short and Long Pieces to Be Read in Bed by Those Who Love Green Growing Things


Richardson Wright - 1929
    Each of its 365 perfectly sized little essays is meant to be read in bed at night after a long day’s work, either real or imagined, in the garden. A charming and mischievously funny companion to curl up with, Wright ranges comfortably—and lyrically—from giving gardening advice to meditating on such topics as antique collecting and travel, great literature and architecture. He is an addictive delight, as memorable describing the challenges of growing plume poppies as he is the simple pleasure of hanging up the dish towel once the housework is done. Written in language that is as timeless as it is seductive, The Gardener’s Bed-Book will appeal to gardening experts and armchair enthusiasts alike.This Modern Library edition is published with a new Introduction by Dominique Browning, the editor in chief of House & Garden and author of Around the House and in the Garden and the forthcoming Paths of Desire: The Passions of a Suburban Gardener.

1000 Best Tips for ADHD: Expert Answers and Bright Advice to Help You and Your Child


Susan Ashley - 2012
    Even getting through seemingly easy tasks can be a relentless challenge that never seems to get easier. As a child psychologist specializing in ADHD for more than twenty years, Dr. Ashley knows exactly what parents face every day. 1000 Best Tips for ADHD gives parents quick tips and easy-to-implement solutions that make even the toughest days go smoother.FIND TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS ON: Improving behavior Increasing school success Helping out at home Interacting with others And more!

Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth


William Bryant Logan - 1995
    Whether William Bryant Logan is traversing the far reaches of the cosmos or plowing through our planet’s crust, his delightful, elegant, and surprisingly soulful meditations greatly enrich our concept of "dirt," that substance from which we all arise and to which we all must return.