Landscape gardening Books

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Book SynopsisTurn your outdoor landscape into a rich, living canvas of color and texture. Encouraging experimentation, Stephanie Cohen and Nancy J. Ondra show you how to plan a garden that incorporates unique combinations of plants to achieve stunning effects. With an overview of garden design fundamentals and 20 sample garden plans, Cohen and Ondra will inspire you to play with creative juxtapositions of vibrant hues and subtle textures. Let your imagination run wild as you create your own unique and original garden designs.

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Book SynopsisTrees and shrubs can bring regal silhouettes, delightful shade, and spectacular foliage to any home landscape. 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.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the deep, ancient culture of Chinese gardening with this colorfully illustrated and informative book.How did designers from the ancient dynasties combine flowers, plants, buildings, and ponds to create a work of art that expressed the thoughts and views of their time? How much did Confucianism, Zen Buddhism and Taoism influence their aesthetics? Answers to these questions are in the illustrated pages of Discovering China: Classical Gardens in China, where over 15 gardens unfold to reveal the culture and history of a civilization.An overall introduction to China's gardens, Discovering China: Classical Garden in China will not only enlightened you on the aesthetics of the Chinese garden but inform you on its history over the course of several dynasties. Classical Gardens in China contains in-depth analysis of: Yuan Ming Yuan (Old Summer Palace) Chengde Mountain Resort Humble Administrator's Garden Lingering Garden Yu Yuan (Pleasure Garden) And many more…

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Book Synopsis*As seen in The New York Times and MarthaStewart.com "It’s time to rebuild meadows wherever we can. . . Owen Wormser explains why, and how to do this, with oodles of highly readable, ecologically sound advice."—Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home and Nature's Best Hope Landscape designer Owen Wormser explains how to replace the deadscape we call lawn with low-maintenance, eco-friendly meadows. In this second edition of his award-winning book, he includes photos of meadows in progress plus more ways to cultivate your own organic meadow. This how-to book on growing your own wildflowers and native grasses is also about sustainability, regeneration, and beauty. In a world where lawns have wreaked havoc on our natural ecosystems, meadows offer a compelling solution. It is garden landscaping that is beautiful, all year round. Meadows establish wildlife and pollinator habitats, are low-maintenance and low-cost, have a built-in resilience that helps them weather climate extremes, and can draw down and store far more carbon dioxide than any manicured lawn. Wormser describes how to plant an organic meadow garden or traditional meadow, that’s right for your site. His book includes guidance on: Preparing your site Designing your meadow Planting without using synthetic chemicals Growing 21 starter native grasses and wildflowers, including butterfly weed, smooth blue aster, purple coneflower, wild bergamot, blue grama grass, switchgrass, and many more Building support in neighborhoods where a tidy lawn is the standard. He also shares 28 color photos that highlight the multitude of ways you can cultivate your own organic meadow. To illuminate the many joys of meadow-building, Wormser draws on his own stories, including how growing up off the grid in northern Maine, with no electricity or plumbing, prepared him for his work.Trade Review"It’s time to rebuild meadows wherever we can, including the deadscape we call lawn. Owen Wormser explains why, and how to do this, with oodles of highly readable, ecologically sound advice."–Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home and Nature's Best Hope"I love the voicing in this book. It brought meadows and flowers to life for me in many ways that I am going to continue to enjoy."–Jon Kabat-Zinn, Scientist, writer, and founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction"This wonderful book by Owen Wormser has a humble title, Lawns Into Meadows. But it is all about a very big idea, namely the conversion of lawns into meadows as a powerful way to help save the lands, protect the waters, and stabilize the climate. Lawns are a very destructive force in an ecological sense. They consume huge amounts of water and depend on toxic chemicals, fertilizers, and fossil fuels for their maintenance. Meadows do just the opposite. They employ biodiversity and nature’s genius to heal landscapes, build soils, and sequester atmospheric carbon while supporting pollinators and other beneficial insects and plants. The author tells us how to grow a meadow, and become a positive force on behalf of the planet. I highly recommend this book."–Dr. John Todd, author of Healing Earth"The practical organization and clear-cut instructions provided in this book make it an indispensable guide for growing and maintaining a meadow. With its charming cover and interior illustrations, it is also a beautiful addition to any gardener’s library. Recommended for anyone interested in rewilding their landscape."―Casey Laine, Butterfly Gardener"I just made the mistake of sticking my nose into Owen Wormser's Lawns into Meadows and before I knew it, it had interrupted my plans because I kept reading it. Lovely book, lovely ideas, and graceful illustrations. Highly recommended."–Christopher Madden, Woodhall Press"I like the straightforward, can-do approach of Lawns Into Meadows―whether for a replacing a curbside stretch of grass, or an island bed in your backyard, or something bigger. This is a really accessible, how-to book that's also about sustainability, regeneration, and beauty. I'm so glad to get this book."–Margaret Roach, A Way to Garden, New York Times contributor

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate celebration of England’s most gorgeous gardens, showcasing their enduring appeal from historic masterpieces to individual creations of today The English Gardener’s Garden spans seven centuries to spotlight over 60 of England’s finest gardens. Adapted from Phaidon’s bestselling The Gardener’s Garden, updated, and organized geographically by county, the selection ranges from formal Renaissance gardens, herbaceous Arts and Crafts gardens of the 20th century, to artistic creations and healing gardens by contemporary designers. Each entry is illustrated with sumptuous photographs and features a concise text detailing the garden’s historical and stylistic importance and that of its designer, patron, or maker, creating a beautiful and easy-to-use introduction for garden designers and enthusiasts alike. A valuable resource for those seeking inspiration on garden design and planting – and the ideal gift for garden-lovers – this book showcases the enduring appeal of the English garden and features gardens by historic figures and leading contemporary designers – Gertrude Jekyll, Sarah Price, William Robinson, and Tom Stuart-Smith, to name a few. Featuring historic national treasures such as Sissinghurst Castle Garden and Capability Brown’s Blenheim Palace, alongside contemporary examples including Dan Pearson’s Lowther Castle and Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, The English Gardener's Garden is an accessible overview of over 60 iconic and influential English gardens from the sixteenth century to the present day, including all types of garden, including formal parterres, cottage gardens, botanical, and urban gardens. A valuable resource for those seeking inspiration on garden design and planting – and the ideal gift for garden-loversTrade Review‘[Will] provide some excellent inspiration for the green-fingered people in your life.’ – TimeOut'A tribute to Britain's national passion for cultivating ornamental plants.' – NPR.org ‘A welcome addition to any Anglophile gardener’s library. It is part inspirational tome and part armchair travel experience with gorgeous photography to linger over.’ – Gardenista‘A must-have title for gardeners and for those who love viewing the natural beauty that others have primed, nurtured, and developed. A likely favorite in every gardening section.’ – Library Journal

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Book Synopsis

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