Comments for GardeningZone.info

Comment on Home Landscaping: Northeast Region: Including Southeast Canada (Home Landscaping) (Paperback) by Deniz

Deniz — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:19:42 +0000

We have recently moved from California to New York and needed a lot of help in planning the relandscaping of our home. Not familiar with the plants of this region, this book has been an invaluable tool. It has everything one would need to create a beautiful landscape design!

Comment on Home Landscaping: Northeast Region: Including Southeast Canada (Home Landscaping) (Paperback) by Sydney

Sydney — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:19:42 +0000

This is a wonderful book. I constantly use it as a reference and keep meaning to bring it with me when I go to the nursery. (Otherwise I come home with plants like Larkspur, which look beautiful now, but might not make it through the winter.) It is divided into three sections. The first, Portfolios of Designs is full of plans for every location, sun or shade. The Guide to Installaton shows you how to do everything from making wooden planters, building a retaining wall, creating paths and walkways, to installing a pond. The third section, Plant Profiles, gives descriptions and care information for all of the plants in the designs.

I have only one criticism. Cost doesn't appear to be a factor in any of these designs, most call for dozens of plants. It would be nice if they had a few designs for those on a smaller budget.

P.S. Just an update to this review. After trying some of these designs out, I think people need to remember when planting to be careful to match bloom times for their bulbs and perennials. The illustrations show everyhing in bloom during a particular season, but for instance in spring, some varieties might be in bloom in April, others in May or early June. In particular for the design on page 32, Angle of Repose, I'd go with Scilla siberica instead of Spanish bluebells, so they bloom at the same time as the daffodils.

(Also, for those who were wondering, two out of the three Larkspur I planted survived the winter.)

Comment on Home Landscaping: Northeast Region: Including Southeast Canada (Home Landscaping) (Paperback) by Zuleikha

Zuleikha — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:19:42 +0000

If you are just starting to landscape this is the place to start. Like many books there are quite a few landscape plans, but this book does three things others don't:

1)Shows many variations of the same plan (shade and sun, fall color and spring, when planted and when mature).

2)Clearly lists the name and quantity of each plant required, plus the plans are to scale so plant spacing is easy. (You or your installer could work directly from these plans or you can scale the plans up or down to fit your lot)

3)Has an excellent reference section for all of the plants listed on the plans. This feature alone makes the book a good buy for Northeastern gardeners since most landscape books suggest buying a separate, comprehensive plant reference book - that will always contain many,many,many plants not suitable to the Northeast.

Comment on Home Landscaping: Midwest Region: Including Southern Canada (Paperback) by Fallon

Fallon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:25:25 +0000

A big problem I've had with gardening books is that they so often cover areas with different climates (such as the wet Pacific Northwest) than that which I have to face here in the American Midwest. This book, however, has shown itself to be an excellent resource!

It starts out with a portfolio of 23 designs, giving the reader excellent advice on appearance and what plants to use, complete with color pictures, and a sample graph paper design. After that, it has step-by-step instructions (again with great color illustrations) on building projects, such as sidewalks, walls, patios and so much more. The final part of the book is a series of plant profiles that looks at garden plants and their needs.

So, just to make everything perfectly clear, I loved this book, and highly recommend it to every gardener in the American Midwest!

Comment on Home Landscaping: Midwest Region: Including Southern Canada (Paperback) by Yamha

Yamha — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:25:25 +0000

This is a beautifully written landscape book. The tone is conversational, not stilted. The layouts show views face-on and sometimes from above. Some are drawings. All have wonderful color. The strongest feature for me was the ease of finding the plants in several places in the book because of the page references wherever the plant appeared. Nice!! There are sections on ponds, retaining walls, lattices, fences for the handyman. A neophyte home owner would love this book. We have been in our home over 30 years, and are completely re-landscaping the front yard ourselves, using suggestions shown in HOME LANDSCAPING for plant selection and placement. This is the best book of its type, and we have perused a good number of them. A book to own!

Comment on Landscaping Your Home: Creative Ideas from America’s Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides) (Paperback) by Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:54:27 +0000

What a great rescource for someone trying to make those needed changes. Just getting started is aleays the most difficult of any task. This book assists in getting anyone well on their way.

Comment on Landscaping Your Home: Creative Ideas from America’s Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides) (Paperback) by Badu

Badu — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:54:27 +0000

I am loving this book! It has so many helpful instructions on landscaping your home. Plus the beautiful pictures are great. It’s a book that truly lives up to the Taunton tradition of excellent gardening material.

Comment on Landscaping Your Home: Creative Ideas from America’s Best Gardeners (Fine Gardening Design Guides) (Paperback) by Walta

Walta — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:54:27 +0000

A cut above the typical home-center landscape book. Not another do-it-yourself guide but a collection of design considerations and approaches by multiple garden/landscape designers. Excellent for those interested in learning more about various principles of garden design.

Comment on Start & Run A Landscaping Business (Paperback) by Neha

Neha — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:19:54 +0000

Very good book on business side, not much information about landscaping itself. Very detailled information about opening a business. Costs, overhead costs, and initial capital.

Comment on Start & Run A Landscaping Business (Paperback) by Chrina

Chrina — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:19:54 +0000

This book was very well written with good balance between general business advice and more specific landscaping advice. I like that he does not mind going out on a limb to recommend specific brands and types of commercial lawn care equipment. He also includes a very handy CD filled with all sorts of sheets that can b personalized to your individual use. This book should become the authoritative guide to those looking to enter the business.