Customer Reviews (1)

What a difference!
We bought a fixer-upper. There were a couple of anchor trees, but we did not know what to do. We consulted a couple of landscape architects, but they were giving us common, canned ideas. With this book, we were able to tell them what we wanted and then the architect we chose was able to give us a plan we loved! Thank you Sunset! ... Read more

Product Description
A garden transformation workbook, this text teaches readers a new way to garden--by working with nature to design a landscape. Detailed instructions for using nature's patterns or color schemes in a garden design, gardening for wildlife, landscaping with stones and/or water, and using native plants are combined with basic instruction. 80 color photos. 75 illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

exemplary book on landscape design
Landscaping With Nature: Using Nature's Designs to Plan Your Yard

As a landscape designer,Jeff Cox's book is one that I use for continual reference. Hehas a poets' eye, married to a practical approach to creating landscapes that mirror and echo the natural.

Highly recommended for anyone with a yard
The key to this book isn't to go out and loot our state parks, roadsides, and private lands to swipe what's growing there and transplant it in our own yards. The key is to go to state parks, roadsides, and other natural places and swipe ideas and concepts and apply them to our own home landscape. The color photo section near the center shows many pictures with a scene from the wild and another showing how that can be interpreted on a home scale, or how the idea can be transplanted from one region to another with entirely different plants.

I've read this book twice this year, cover to cover, as well as referred to small bits and pieces of it a number of other times. In a year or so, I will be implementing the fire pit. I have - and will - use the natural stairway project. And watch out for some melodic stone arrangements down by the meadow, and maybe more along Stone Stream, or on the back bank. In addition to projects and raw ideas, the book also serves as a source on various plants - I refer to it for supplemental information quite often. It's not intended to be an exhaustive list of plants that can be used, but it does provide nice collections of trees and shrubs with interesting bark or berries, as well as group plants by habitat and bloom color.

If I could only have one book on gardening, this would be it. ... Read more

Product Description
A new edition of Better Homes and Gardens(r) best-selling landscaping book. Packed with 408 pages of all-new material from the editors of Better Homes and Gardens(r) books, this complete landscaping guide has everything you need to know transform your yard.

• More than 700 stunning photographs and 100 complete step-by-step projects show you how to improve grading, plant successfully, build a deck, and much more.
• Plus an all-new plant encyclopedia with 95 plant photos! It's everything you need to know to improve your view.
• Step-by-step plans for patios, edging, walls, fences, water gardens, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, garden sculpture, and more.
• Cost estimate, time needed to complete, skill level, and material list included with every project.
• Hundreds of inspiring photographs, ideas, and plans.

Customer Reviews (9)

GREAT!!:)
I love this book it has everything in it. So informative and great photos. I have the "new decorating" book by better homes and garden and it's a lot like that it takes you through step by step to create a great place:) worth every penny:)

Good overview
Having very little gardening or landscaping experience, I found this book to be a good introduction to the topic.It doesn't go into crazy levels of detail on any particular subject, but instead gives you a good overview of what's possible.It stresses planning, explains the importance of practical things like grading and observing the patterns of sunlight year-round, and gives you an idea of how much work is involved in things like building a deck or retaining wall or pond (helpful in deciding whether to DIY or hire a professional).

There's probably not much new in here for experienced gardeners, but as a complete beginner, I now have some ideas about how to start planning the yard, and what subjects I should read about more in depth.

very good with good ideas easy to make
It is an in teresting book with very good ideas easy to do. Actually is one of the best books I have bought about making a good garden. There is a lot of plans well explained with the real photo. There are also make yourself suggestions and plants for different situations. In my opinion it is a good shopping. I would recommeded it to my friends!

Landscaping
If you're looking for a book to help you figure out what to do with your yard, this will help. You can even plan a treehouse!

Great book that covers everything around the house
This book covers pretty much all the projects around the house.Has a section that covers the names of plants, flower, and trees with pictures to give you an idea what they look like. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Landscape design for real people!
This beautiful book is a joy to read for anyone dreaming about improving their home's landscape.I'm a big fan of the TV show and am delighted they've come out with a book that captures the projects so well. Its premise is that everyone deserves good design and you don't have to be rich to get it.There are so many great ideas packed into the book with before and after photos, lists of materials, and clear instructions on installation techniques. I've purchased many residential garden design books only to be left disappointed by pretty pictures of plants and boring text. This book takes a step back and starts with a client's problem and how good design can solve it. Dean Hill is a very talented designer and Jackie Taylor is an enthusiastic co-conspirator.Together, they've created an interesting and informative book about real projects belonging to real people. ... Read more

Product Description
Bare, stark swimming pools - those rectangular concrete holes in the ground surrounded by a chain-link fence - are going the way of the dinosaurs. Pool owners (and there are 7 million of them across North America) have begun to see the pool and the area around it as an outdoor living space, a place for entertaining a crowd or relaxing alone. In response to this hot, new trend, gardener and landscape designer Catriona Tudor Erler has written POOLSCAPING, a one-of-a-kind handbook overflowing with inspiring ideas and practical advice on how to make your swimming pool the lovely, welcoming centerpiece of your property.

Erler takes readers step by step through the poolscaping process, whether starting from scratch or renovating an existing pool. She begins with choosing the best location for the pool and designing (or refurbishing) the deck and edging that will surround it. She presents a host of ideas for dramatic pool lighting, including underwater options. The fencing chapter addresses choosing styles as well as safety issues and even how to disguise a fence with plantings.

Erler explores design options for building or renovating a spa adjacent to the pool, as well as how to incorporate furnishings, pergolas, and pool houses into the poolscape. A plant directory features the best poolside plants, with a focus on varieties of flowers, vines, and shrubs that are low maintenance and look attractive throughout the pool season. Erler also offers ideas for outstanding poolside planters and containers for bringing greenery and color right up to the pool.

Illustrated with beautiful full-color photographs of outstanding poolscapes, this unique guide demonstrates how any pool owner can transform the pool area into the showpiece of the neighborhood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Not a book for plants!
I had high hopes due to high reviews, but I was very unhappy to find that only a small section of the book is actually about plants! You would think with a name like "Poolscaping" that the book would have had more to do about plants and landscaping around the pool. The book is instead divided in chapters about how to build a pool and many pictures on waterfalls and spa's. Very generic as a whole.

what I needed to know
This book was an excellent resource for the designer looking to work with swimming pools. The ilustrated examples and artistic tips were an invauable inspiration for sparking the imagination when designing pools. Before reading this I did think of pools as slabs of concrete filled with water, but I believe this book has put far down the path of being able to design elegant swimming pools. I consider this a must read for any architectural designer.

Not a great source for landscaping ideas
Based on the description, I believed this book would be full of design ideas and photos of well-landscaped pools.It isn't. If you are looking (as I was) for examples to show a landscaper (or to do it yourself), you should look elsewhere.

Not so good
This is one of the not so good books for pools like many many others. I don't know may be it is too hard to write for pools. There are inside some pictures but nothing to catch the eye neither spectacular. THis book was suppouse to guide you how to create your own pool but I have see much better books!
So if you are going to spend money to build a pool keep on searching for another book!

Covers swimming pool decor and appropriate landscaping
Transform the swimming pool of a backyard into a Tuscan paradise with tiles and flowering plants, or create a pool with a beach-like presence filled with beach plants: that's the idea of Pool Scaping, a title which covers both swimming pool decor and appropriate landscaping around it. Pool Scaping is a lovely guide which covers the specifics of plants in a water surrounding. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you are planting a yard from scratch or modifying an existing area, LANDSCAPING FOR WILDLIFE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST will help you select, arrange, and maintain plants and other landscape elements that fulfill wildlife needs.Homeowners, property owners, professional wildlife managers, landscape architects, and garden designers will all find it invaluable

Nearly 100 illustrations of common Pacific Northwest wildlifeenhance the text which includes a wealth of information on thefollowing topics:

Wildlife habitat and landscaping basics
Birds, mamals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects likely to be attracted to your property
Specialty gardens for butterflies and hummingbirds
How to plant and maintain woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and waterways
Feeders and nest boxes
Ponds and birdbaths
Potential problems
Wildlife viewing tips
Extensive plant lists ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Everything on attracting wildlife
This book is much, much more than I was expecting:it provides helpful and readable instructions on how to structure and manage your yard or acreage to attract a wide variety of wildlife.I especially appreciate the compendium of bird, bat, and bee box construction for various species.A chapter on designing hedgerows includes helpful tables of plants so the reader can select the desired characteristics (e.g., drought tolerant, native, forms a dense thicket, thornless) and easily determine the plants that fit the need.I rarely write book reviews, but this is exceptional.

Great source for developing wildlife habitat
Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest

I have owned this book for several years now, and having applied the information Russell has provided here, I have found it truly helped us develop a wonderful little piece of habitat for our wild friends.
I highly recommend this book. Follow what works for your landscape situation, and as your gardens develop, so will the list of wildlife that makeyour property its permanent home

A great book to give away to friends and relatives!
This is my 4th or 5th purchase of this wonderful book.I have given all my copies away and need another for myself.It has great resources on the plants birds, insects and animals use for food, cover, etc. We made our voilet green swallow nest boxes from the plans in the book. We've watched new swallows peek out and take their first flight every year since we put them up.

We live in the foothills of Mt. Hood and it took me a few months after moving here to realize I shouldn't bring the invasive plants I used in town to the mountains.And I realized I could have turned my city home into a wildlife haven.The book is a great resources for all city, suburb or rural locales in the PNW.

It's just a wonderful book!

more than just the Pacific Northwest
We live in Southern California so I was a bit dubious how useful this bookwould be. Happily, it still has much to offer for anyone wishing towildscape. There's plenty of general advice re. food/water/nesting sitesetc. and good plans for bird houses and bat houses. There's a nice chapteron attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, and plenty about creating andmaintaining water features (a huge attraction for wildlife in hot areaslike ours).

You will need to cross reference the plant lists againstwhat's native for your area, and find your own local native plantnurseries, but there's still lots of great advice here for wildlifegardeners that can be adapted to almost any region.

Trish

The Best Landscaping for Wildlife Book
Link, Russell, Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest,University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1999, 320p.

Soft cover, perfect binding, acid free paper, 8.5 X 11.

The book is divided into 5 parts 1) Wildlife Habitat Design and Maintenance 2)Pacific Northwest Wildlife inthe Landscape 3)Special Features for Wildlife Landscapes 4)Coexistingwith Wildlife 5)Appendices

Volume has good index , bibliographicreferences and is clearly printed.

Over one third of the book is in theAppendices, they are excellent, perhaps its best `part'.

A)PacificNorthwest Habitats B)Wildlife Plants Lists, Tables, and Maps C) Landscapeand Wildlife Information for Specific Plants D)Construction Plans forNest Boxes and Bird Feeders E)Resources (in my opinion, veryimportant)

Content:

Well written, educationally enhanced by wonderfulillustrations, good examples and step-by-step procedures.Quality, abetsmall, section of color photos of wildlife identification and descriptions. Includes description of habitat construction from apartment balcony toacreage.Also discusses ponds, dust paths, nest boxes and nest structures,feeders with detailed tables, brush piles, snags, hedgerows, bird watching,problems with wildlife and responsible pet ownership.

Book can be readas text or used as a reference resource.The publication is a must for anyland steward or wildlife enthusiast.An excellent purchase as a gift foryourself or fellow enthusiast.Available in bookstores or if you orderfrom the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife you receive a copyautographed by Russell. ... Read more

Product Description
A complete guide to adding substantial value and beauty to a home through careful landscape design. Amazon.com Review
The promotional materials that came with this book said,"Surprisingly, money DOES grow on trees!" I've seen a lot ofgardening how-to books over the years, and this is one of the first toapproach the topic not only from an aesthetic or problem solving pointof view, but also from an economic one. The book was interesting andeye-opening and it will certainly be helpful to landscapers,architects, and, most specifically, homeowners. It is wellthought out, clearly illustrated, and easy to follow; the informationwill help people to avoid common errors while giving them ideas forhow to landscape with an eye to increasing value. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

super helpful!
This book was great. I originally checked it out at the library,and was too busy to read it. When I went to return it,I discovered that I lost it. After ordering a replacement book from amazon, I did read it- and it was great. Super-great. It was easy to read and had simple steps to make my yard more beautiful for me, and for the re-sale of my home.Lots of ideas and loads of details that even a beginner can do. Buy this book. You won't regret it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Usefull book to get ideas of stone landscaping
I'm glad I bought this book.

In the first part there are lot of pictures about stone use in the garden (stairs, patios, walls, paths...). For someone who needs the ideas or insight of stone landscaping possibilities I would recommend it. Of course the number of examples is limited with the number of pages, but it is in accordance with the price.

In the second part are how to instructions which are also OK. This kind of instructions can be found also in other books, so for me the reason for buying this book would be the first part.

Xcellent!
You may only need this book on occassion, but when you do you will be very glad you have it. It proved indespensible for me recently!

Great for the amateur gardenscaper.
Easy to follow.Beautiful photos. A really nice collection of ideas and stone concepts.Lots of variety.

The sun has finally set on Sunset's 70's guide books - amen
This is a well designed, and obviously recently redone, book.The content is a "hot" subject in the landscaping industry particularly as stonework relates to low water/low maintenance outdoor spaces. Both thesculptural and "connection with nature" qualities of stoneworkare now in vogue as well. And people don't mind spending the money todayto acquire the permancy, strength and beauty of good stonework.This bookshould get even the passive observer excited about the possiblities.

As alandscape designer, I'm constantly looking for good references and ideasthat might not be common in my geographic area.This book does a very nicejob of pictorally displaying dozens of stone-based designs and settingsfrom all over the country (and possibly some internationally). Theeditorial content and organization of the chapters also contribute to thesuccess of the book.

If you like to look at a lot of professionally shotpictures of professionally designed, stone-based landscaping (and getdecent captioning for each picture) this book should more than satisfy you. The only issue I have is that the type was a bit small and therefordifficult to read.But for the price, this book was a really goodinvestment.I only hope all of Sunset's books have been equally upgradedto more current designs in order to meet and exceed our expectations. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Design Ideas for Home Landscaping
This is one of the best illustrated landscaping textbooks that I have ever purchased.The photography is outstanding and the author does a great job with this book.I would recommend this book for someone who wants to get all types of landscaping ideas. Well worth the money for such a great book. ... Read more

Product Description
This all-new second edition, the companion book to the much beloved Western Garden Book, promises to be just as successful as the first. Packed with expert advice from landscape designers, gardeners, and others, it addresses climatic, soil, and topographical challenges—and solutions—for Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and southwestern Canada.

Features:

* The only landscaping guide designed specifically for Western gardeners

* Over 600 photographs and dozens of ready-to-use landscape plans

* Step-by-Step illustrations and exploded views show easy, do-it-yourself solutions

* Seasonal gardening guides and checklists ensure year-round success for experienced and novice gardeners alike

* Easy-to-understand plant selection and growing instructions ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

So beautiful
I lent it to my brother and he landscaped his whole backyard to be low maintenance and look great! Now we just have to do our own yard!

Very Helpful
I have always referred to my Western Garden Book and found the listings helpful but always wished for more pictures and ideas for landscaping. This companion book fits perfectly!

Good ideas.
Covers all Western climates from hot, arid Arizona to cool, wet Washington. Besides lots of info on appropriate plants for each region there are many ideas for structures to compliment you landscape such as decks, arbors, gazebos, paths, patios, ponds, walls, rocks and more. Covers factors to consider when making your plan such as erosion, prevailing winds, need for privacy, protection from sun, etc. plus lots of sample landscape layouts. A good book to browse then delve into the areas that are applicable to your area and that interest you. Even though the plants you can use depend on your specific climate the layout designs and structures could be implemented anywhere.

It's for inspiration / Pictures
Anytime I am tired of working on my housing projects I can look through this book and get excited again.

I didn't find much useful advice or How-To in here, so if that's what you want there are much better books out there.

For my purposes it is perfect: Inspiration and beautiful pictures.

The info in there is OK, but don't buy it for that or you will be disappointed.

Sunset Western Landscaping Book
Interesting but not very deep. Good for ideas, then use another reference to research plant choices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Sunset Northeastern Landscaping Book
Great book for yard landscaping.Sunset does a good job of making gardening solutions straight forward and simple.Also, wonderful photos and diagrams of garden layouts.We just moved into a new house and wanted some ideas for flower, shrub, and path layouts.The book was a few years old, but did not matter, and was in excellent condition.
Rich

A Plethora of Gardening Ideas
The reader is offered a plethora of gardening ideas through attractive and plentiful photographs.Numerous garden types, garden designs, structural elements, and plant life are discussed in this book.However, by covering such an extensive variety of garden topics, the reader never gains an in depth appreciation of each particular garden style.This book will provide a complete overview to gardeners uncertain with which particular garden style they wish to pursue.Once the selection is made the reader would be better rewarded with purchasing a garden book dedicated to the chosen garden style.

A must have for the photos alone!
Sunset, the bible of west coast gardening, finally comes east and it is well worth the wait.

As the owner of a home on a desolate, windswept acre, I have bought over a dozen landscape books and magazines looking forinspiration.I could have saved alot of time and money and just boughtthis one.

So well written you could sit down and read it straightthrough.And so well organized and indexed you can use it for quickreference.

It covers everything from planning to installation.Includesmany sample plans with plant lists.But the best thing about this book isthe PHOTOGRAPHY.The photos are stunning and plentiful.Most photos arerefered to in detail in either the main text or a side bar and the photosactually pertain to the topic (which is most unusual for this type ofbook)! ... Read more

Product Description
A beautiful landscape reflects well on your house, making it a  welcome part of a  neighborhood or native terrain. And it  dramatically increases your home’s value. Landscaping also makes your house and yard more useful and better able to complement your family’s lifestyle. Trees shade your home to reduce energy use. Thorny shrubs deter prowlers. Lawns reduce dust from bare ground and give children the perfect play area. Patios and decks are great for entertaining. And a vegetable garden can yield fresh, delicious salads to eat on that patio or deck.

Landscaping for Dummies has everything you need to turn the little patch of earth you call your own into a personal paradise. Whether you’ve waited for the day to have property to landscape, you’d never given it a second thought until you had to, or you want to improve on an existing landscape, this book offers a clearly written wealth of knowledge on:

• Designs
• Fences, walls, gates, and paths
• Decks, patios, and outdoor rooms
• Trees
• Shrubs and vines
• Ground cover

From the basic principles of landscape design, to all the ins and outs of hillsides, balcony gardens, and water gardens, this book will show you how to:

• Think like a designer
• Dream up the right landscape for your family’s needs
• Increase your home’s resale value
• Conserve energy
• Deal with contractors, nurseries, and hardware suppliers
• Create an edible landscape

Full of helpful problem-solvers for all kinds of landscapes, Landscaping for Dummies also features sample plans, “theme” landscape ideas, and a brilliant color photo section to inspire the imagination. Accessible and informative to both beginner and expert landscapers, this is the complete guide to creating the yard you’ve always wanted. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Novice
My novice son is finding this book helpful. Down to earth and informative. He needs all the help he can get!!!!!!!!!!!

Great for the price.
This book will give you a basic understanding on what and where to place plants and flowers as well as an idea what is the best grass for the kind of weather in your area. It breaks things down to plain english and provides step by step procedures on landscaping.

I'm a Dummie for buying this book
Did not tell me what I needed to know to pick plants for my yard.I found most of what I needed in Sunset's Western Garden Book (I'm in the western US).

Very nice starting point for a broad subject. Great bibliography
`Landscaping for Dummies' by Philip Giroux, Bob Beckstrom, Lance Walheim and a cast of thousands is a typically ironic example of what you will find in this huge `Dummies' series of books, which started out as a series of texts for PC subjects, where the PC had a knack of making us all feel like dummies. Since then, it has expanded to touch virtually every `practical' subject in the known universe. That is, I haven't seen any `Wittgenstein for Dummies' or `Quantum Thermodynamics for Dummies', as neither of these subjects are things the average intelligent, but uninformed person is likely to pick up to brief themselves for a weekend project of as a start to a new hobby.

The irony of this particular volume is that you really can't make full use of it if you don't have a good head on your shoulders and a fair amount of book learning under your belt, including such arcane High School subjects such as geometry and some building skills such as working with mortar, power saws, a level, and a full-sized shovel.

The first thing you discover is that landscaping is a really big subject. You probably didn't know this, or you would not be considering buying this book. In four `parts', the book breaks the subject down into Designing, Hardscaping, Planting, Planning, and Tips for putting Landscaping to good use. Since this book (and all books in this series) advertises itself as `A Reference for the Rest of Us', I can't complain too much about the odd order of these five subjects, but it does seem that `Objectives' and `Planning' should be Parts I and II respectively, rather than Parts V and IV. I confess that I even bought the book exclusively for its Hardscaping chapter, so I didn't care if that came before or after planning.

Regarding the Hardscaping material, I found it remarkably advanced for a `dummy'. The projects start with simple walkways, but quickly advance to retaining walls, brick walls, and fences. My biggest surprise was the depth to which one must build deep planning into so simple a job as a retaining wall that is installed to square off an annoying slope in your yard. Not only do you have to lay a deep foundation, you also need to worry about drainage and install a special drainage pipe to carry off rainwater. Who Knew!!!

In other Parts of the book, it devotes relatively short chapters to subjects to which one could easily dedicate a whole book. One example is in the selection of a tree or trees to plant in your landscaping project. I looked at the description for Japanese maple (since I happen to have one of these) and found the entry reasonable, but possibly not as detailed as one may want, since it glossed over the fact that the difference in growing speed and average height of the different varieties of Acer Palmatum are sizable, and one will be disappointed if they get the tall lanky variety, when they wanted the low, burly `weeping' variety.

But, if what you want is a first book on the subject, you could really do a lot worse. It has the one essential ingredient for an introductory book, a comprehensive bibliography, which includes not only books, but lots of magazines, professional organizations, and international web sites for getting more information.

I rarely resort to books in this series, but for those of you who want to venture into do it yourself landscaping, this is probably better, and possibly far better than, for example, the `Home Depot' manual on the subject.

Okay for the basic landscaper
I've been working in commercial landscaping off and on for nearly four years now.I borrowed this book from a friend just to check it out.I think if you are a new homeowner and don't have much experience in landscaping then this book will probably work.If you are familiar with planting tree's and shrubs, bricklaying, fencing, and bordering, then maybe you should try and find something a little more advance.I suppose it depends on how big the project is you are working on. ... Read more

Product Description
Drought tolerance, low maintenance, and hardiness are just some of the major advantages of using native plants. In Texas and throughout the southwest, cities have initiated programs encouraging the use of native plants as a means to conserve water: a critical problem facing much of the region.

In this comprehensive guide, 350 species of cacti, trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and vines are described, selected for the highest landscape value and year-round beauty.

Ten chapters deal with landscape maintenance, water and energy conservation, and specific habitat information. Also included: landscaping tips, professional drawings, and landscaping plans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

High Desert Gardening
I found this book in our local library and liked it so well that I am pruchasing one.The plant listings and discriptions are concise and complete.There us information on propagation, altitude requirements,alternate species and group planting suggestions. All in all, a very goodbook for the high desert and native plant gardener, particularly for thenew desert dweller.

High Desert Gardening
I found this book in our local library and liked it so well that I am pruchasing one.The plant listings and discriptions are concise and complete.There us information on propagation, altitude requirements,alternate species and group planting suggestions. All in all, a very goodbook for the high desert and native plant gardener, particularly for thenew desert dweller. ... Read more

Product Description
Landscape Construction provides detailed instructions for the installation of a majority of landscape elements used today. The text proceeds step-by-step, offering readers a clear, chronological order. First, the construction process is outlined and the pre-construction activities are covered. Then, the steps of site grading, landscape related utility installation building of landscape walls, paving sites, construction of wood improvements, placement of fences and freestanding walls, landscape amenities such as pools, fountains, and site furniture are explained. The text concludes with the installation of plant material and turf areas. Irrigation installation is not included in this text, since that aspect of landscape work has grown into a specialized construction area. ALSO AVAILABLE -- Instructor Supplements: Instructor's Manual (ISBN# 0-8273-8429-7) and Student Workbook Instructor's Manual (ISBN# 0-8273-8430-0). Call Customer Support to Order. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

An Essential Resource For Landscape Contractors
I'm glad I decided to buy this book, despite its high price.Having just recently become a landscape designer/contractor, it proved invaluable many times in the course of our company's first big job. For example, the sections on stone paving were very helpful when we were building a flagstone patio, as they helped us select the best foundation and edging materials.

I like the way the book is arranged, i.e. having a large section on paving, beginning with materials and site preparation for paving in general. This is followed by a chapter on each of the specific paving materials, such as concrete, unit pavers, dry laid stones, mortared paving, and granular paving.

The extensive section on retaining walls, which I am about to take advantage of in our next job, is arranged similarly.

This book is the industry standard. It is used as a text in City College of San Francisco, and it is also listed as a resource in the California Contractor's State License Board's Study Guide for the Landscaping (C-27) License Examination.

So if you want to do landscape construction, I highly recommend this one.

Great Professional Book
This book is full of incredible and professional information related to Landscape Construction.It's not meant to be a DIY book you'd get from Home Depot or Lowes.This book is meant for students and professionals wanting to learn best practices regarding Landscape Construction.Amateurs, landscape designers and architects can gain some valuable insights, too.We used this book as our textbook in the various landscape construction classes I took, studying to be a landscape designer.

The Source
I found clear concise information on this subject rare until discovered Mr. Sauter's Landscape Construction. There is a host of Better H & G / Sunset books available, but those are really idea/coffee table books written for the weekend warrior. If you really want to know the best-practices and standards for the industry, this is the reference for you. Great for the student and pro alike.

Landscape Construction
Just another really expensive textbook with no real information provided. The Better Homes and Garden series has much more how-to information, great photographs, and ten percentof the cost too.

Landscape Construction-David Sauter
I found this book to be very thorough and detailed in its approach to a variety of landscape construction issues. It has detailed pictures and diagrams that illustrate the processes and make it easier to understand.The information is up to date, easy to read and a great learning tool forthe student, professional or hobby person. As a landscape student, I findit a great resource book. ... Read more

Product Description
The guru of earth ponds explains how to site, design, shape, and plant these beloved fixtures of rural landscapes--and make them fit your property and your life.

In the decades since he wrote his acclaimed Earth Ponds, Tim Matson has designed scores of ponds, each unique to its site and its owners. In Landscaping Earth Ponds, he shares what he has learned to make these captivating ponds truly fit into their landscapes and into the lives and lifestyles of their owners.

Ponds have long been valued for their charm and utility: how else can you simultaneously enliven your landscape, create recreational opportunities, help the environment, and increase your property value? Earth ponds are increasingly recognized for the full range of gardening, landscaping, and ecological promise they hold. As pond-building methods have been perfected, more homeowners are restoring existing ponds or digging new ones. With dozens of color photographs, Matson shows you how to site a pond in right relation to your house, offering surprisingly simple ways to visually link the two.

His proven methods and designs reflect the many moods water evokes. Screen your pond for privacy, create a sandy beach and natural diving platform, encourage wetland gardens, line the shores with moisture-loving perennials, or design your gardens and paths to create a sense of mystery and adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Repairing Dam on Earth Pond (Lake)
My dam on the lake collapsed on April 1st 2005.
I have been looking for a book with information on how to build (re-build) an earthen dam.This book has a lot of good ideas on how to build an earthen dam and it doesn't hurt to know that the author has been building them for over 20 years.The neighbors said that the dam has been re-built 2 times, and they still have not learned from their mistakes.With this book I can point out the problems and try to rebuild it to last longer than 2 years.Can't wait to try his techniques.

Strongly recommended for anyone searching for an all-inclusive instructional guide to pond building
Tim Watson draws upon more than 25 years of experience and expertise building ponds and developing wetlands in Landscaping Earth Ponds: The Complete Guide. Here is a informative, step-by-step, profusely illustrated reference for creating a more lively and beautifying diverse landscapes and home-area garden areas with ponds. Providing "user friendly" information on how ponds work to enhance a landscape, create recreational opportunities, help the environment, and increase property values, Landscaping Earth Ponds offers a complete and readily accessible account of a variety of methods and techniques to employ in the creation of a pond. An important addition to any personal, professional, or community library reference collection, Landscaping Earth Ponds is very strongly recommended for anyone searching for an all-inclusive instructional guide to pond building and encouraging natural beauty through the development of a customized pond appropriate to the rest of the landscaping environment.
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Product Description
NEW BOOK ! Very good condition. Shows some shelfwear. Our books are shrink-wrapped, and carefully packaged to assure your book will arrive in good condition. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED ! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Decent, photos a little outdated but ideas are not
This book was a little shallow on information for me.It dealt more with different types of fencing than anything else, which was helpful but not terribly creative.Some of the ideas, while very good, are rather cost-prohibitive for most people, such as constructing a sunken patio with stone walls (as seen on cover).

Nice range of ideas ...
An inexpensive way to get some good ideas for a variety of situations.The photos were pretty but could have been larger but overall a good read.

Gardening Book
Very dated book--the shipper sent this book a full week after the rest of my order arrived.They had misstated the condition of the book_VERY USED.A disappointment.

Good book for the price
For the price, this book was pretty good.I would have liked to see more pictures of various landscaping techniques, but illustrations would have raised the price.I must admit, there is a fortune of text and drawingsthat one may bennifit from.So for the price, I give it a 4. ... Read more

Product Description
This 8 1/2 by 11 paperback book with 232 pages and 450 color pictures is a comprehensive guide to gardening and landscaping practises in central Florida. The area it covers is from Jacksonville to Melbourne on the east coast, the middle part of the State including Orlando and its environs and Tampa on the west coast. It focuses on what is unique about gardening in this part of the State and illustrates plants which thrive here and how to use them in the landscape.

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING IN CENTRAL FLORIDA takes readers from planning and planting, to what to do when there are problems, and where to go for help. Newcomers and long term residents alike will find pictures and information of interest, whether they are doing the work themselves, or having it done for them.

With its emphasison low maintenance, environmentally friendly, personalized approaches, it synthesizes current research and best practises which should be considered by all homeowners. It is practical enough to take to the nursery to aid in plant selection but also so beautiful that it deserves a place of honor on the coffee table. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Disappointed
I found this book to be a complete disappointment.It was a surface discussion that never got into the variety of plants available for selection or suggestions for an appropriate method of determining the site location of plants for the central Florida area.

The publicity blurb on its description on Amazon promised much more.

Gardening books
This book was recommended by the landscape designer we used here in Florida.It is her bible!

florida gardening
The book was in perfect shape and delivered before the promised date.Very good.

Better than nothing
Pictures are terrible (amatuer and low resolution) and I know plants are missing because our newly-purchased Florida place has a ton of "purple heart" on it, which is not mentioned anywhere under any name (scientific or common) in this book. Not a BAD book, but there must be better ones out there... you might get better plant/tree info from [...]

Good Basic Gardening Book for Central Floridians
I am going against the grain and agreeing with E. Dickmann and rating this book three stars.Considering all the good information Ms. Bell took the time to share with us, the pictures were slightly blurred.When I refer to plants it may seem a minor point but I want detail when someone uses the camera.Secondly, considering this book covered a very specific area, I thought many cultivars would be listed: it didn't.An important criteria for me: is it a keeper for my garden book shelf?This wasn't.

All in all, it is a good book for beginners.There are so many subjects to cover and Ms. Bell does it well if you don't have much experience with gardening in central Florida. If you are one of the many people who have moved to our state but have gardened elsewhere, it is not the same.This would be the book for you.

If you have gardened in Florida a long time I have five star reads listed below, check them out:

EASY GARDENS FOR THE SOUTH by Pamela Crawford
HEIRLOOM FLOWERS: Vintage Flowers for Modern Gardens by Tovah Martin
AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ROSES : The Definitive A-Z Guide by Charles Quest-Ritson
GARDENING WITH NATIVE PLANTS OF THE SOUTH by Sally and Andy Wasowski


Every Stick has Two Ends -Southern Saying

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Product Description
Irresistible ideas in a uniquely formatted book. Lavishly illustrated with 200 photos, including 32 full-color photos. Filled with ideas for entryways, patios, driveways, side yards, multipurpose areas, pools, walkways, and much more. Directions for how to design your landscape from ideas to working drawings to planting and maintenance. Charts of plant materials for every area of Florida, condition of soil and sunlight, and purpose. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Landscaping Ideas; Plant Ideas Need Refinement
This book contains many inspiring examples, as well as do-it-yourself instructions, for designing landscapes in Florida. The landscape designs that are presented, photographed and discussed in this book provide nearly everything a Floridian needs to design and plant a landscape of their liking.

However, the treatment of native plants is very limited, and discussion of non-native nuisance plants is almost non-existent.We live in a state with so many beautiful, low-maintenance natives, as well as such an abundance of non-native nuisance plants, that I could not help but be disappointed by this aspect of the book.The one list of native landscape plants is extremely short and includes a few plants that are not native.Also, some of the recommended non-native plants in this book, most notably punk (melaleuca), are plants that are forbidden in several counties due to their tendency to escape cultivation and invade natural areas, crowding out the native plants that our wildlife need to survive.

Use this book to design your landscape and to get a general idea of which plants will do well in Florida.However, when selecting your plants, I recommend purchasing a good book on landscaping with native plants, such as Rufino Osorio's or Bob Haehle's, which are also available on amazon.com.This will insure that your landscape will not only look beautiful but will also require little water, pesticides or fertilizers and will be compatible with our wonderful natural environment. ... Read more

Product Description
The Garden Writers Association of America awarded Garden Stone a 2003 Garden Globe Award of Achievement for Writing. The Washington Post wrote, "Garden Stone is one of the best idea books on using stones in the landscape that I have seen." And Country Living Gardener said, "While the book is visually stunning . . . diagrams and step-by-step instructions show how gardeners can make their dreams come true."

Garden Stone capitalizes on a hot trend in landscaping: adding stone to bring texture, color, serenity, and strength to the garden. Author Barbara Pleasant offers gardeners more than 40 enchanting designs--from something as simple as a flagstone path to an elaborate Zen-inspired meditation garden. But this is not just a picture book. Each project is packed with practical, down-to-earth installation advice, including clear line-drawings and instructional diagrams. Furthermore, an up-to-date resource list helps do-it-yourselfers find the tools and materials they need.

Pleasant helps gardeners decide which type of stone is best for which kind of design. Limestone, for example, is ideal for stacking to make rock walls. Sandstone is easy to cut for steps and adds warm shades of red, yellow, or chocolate brown to the landscape. Blocks of granite can be used as sturdy paving stones. And an upright piece of marble or basalt adds a decorative touch to any garden.

Pleasant also shows how to create stone water features, such as fountains and natural-looking ponds and streams. And, making this valuable as a gardening book as well as a stone projects book, she provides hundreds of detailed suggestions for plants whose color, texture, and shape will enhance the stone--whether growing in rock gardens, bordering paths and steps, or meandering along water elements. Both practical and inspirational, Garden Stone shows any gardener how stone can add enduring beauty to any landscape. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great landscaping guide!
The photos alone are worth buying this book!That said, the info on how to use stones in landscaping and gardening is very good.Maybe one of these days I'll even have enough money to actually DO some of this stuff.

I recommend this book.

Garden Stone
This book was nice to look out but didn't really give me what I was looking for.I wanted some ideas on using stone with running water.

Many Beautiful Pictures
I loved looking at the pictures in this book and there was some information about types of rock which was interesting and well-wriiten.However, a lot of the book's ideas centered around rocks in combination with water features; very pretty but useless for those without water in their gardens.That also seemed a tad presumtuous considering the title.Maybe it should be called "Landscaping with plants ,stone and water features".

Helpful
Many options and suggestions for stone work.I thought the book illustirations were beautiful and the material well presented. Helpful book for the garden library.

Inspiring!
Beautiful photographs. Gorgeous landscapes. Makes you want to go out and hoist some stones! ... Read more

Product Description
This book has been the inspiration for tens of thousands of gardeners facing the challenging winds, soils, and droughts of low- and high-desert gardens. A perennial gardener's favourite, this guide - with 53 colour photographs and an all-new appendix of adapted plants - is the classic resource for reaping the rewards of landscaping with native and adaptive plants that will make a success of any gardening effort. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A very useful book from the authoritative author
Any search of the web reveals Judith Phillips as the authority in this field, and this large, thick book reveals why. Encyclopedic in its presentation of native southwestern USA plants, it also discusses planning landscapes, maintenance, propagation, etc. and is therefore immediately useful to the gardener, like having a wise and knowledgeable friend at hand in the dry desert garden.

The other review here discusses the trouble of the northern New Mexico high altitudes. I have other challenges at under a mile high in a drought ridden desert with roaming herds of large jackrabbit which eat nearly anything green, including spiny cactus. As they say, under the right conditions, these rabbits will eat anything, even what they do not eat!

The European shrub Rosemary (romero) is one thing they will not eat, apparently, and so it is well planted here, as it also resists drought and in fact prefers good drainage. Nevertheless, I seek to restore native plants ravaged by years of overgrazing by those other large rodents: cattle, who have left nothing but greasebush to chew at.

Judith Phillips in her many books, but in particular this one, is the guru to turn to. This book is well laid out, with understandable tables and charts and room for notes in all the right places, as well as full color photos and other illustrations and all the right names, familiar and Linnean binomial nomenclature.

I only wish it provided much more precise and specific indications for my favorite native, the Ocotillo, including its propagation, but from the general information given we can determine proper techniques, including the rooting of cuttings (with hormones) and the starting of seeds (which I have a bag full on the kitchen table now that need sometihng very soon! Now where did I hide that bag of Perlite?!).

If you know of any desert rats like me hiding in exile in the southwestern desert, please send them this book and make them smile, a dusty dry smile but a smile. This is the one book that has it all, with every native plant of this region and how to grow it and where. Get one today. Who knows, the way global warming is going you might want one for your region too!

Great gift
I originally bought this book as a gift for my mother who lives in New Mexico. She then bought two additional copies for her friends living in the area. While you can't really grow much at high altitude in New Mexico, the book did provide some realistic suggestions and help choosing what might grow. ... Read more