Showing posts with label Gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gardening. Show all posts
Friday, March 20, 2026
Bitter Tea and Mystery: A Brush with Death: Sheila Pim
Bitter Tea and Mystery: A Brush with Death: Sheila Pim: Between 1945 and 1952, Sheila Pim, an Irish crime novelist and horticulturist, published four mysteries set in Ireland and with a focus on...
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Joan Reeves: Book Spotlight: Vegetable Gardening from the Ground Up by Stephanie Suesan Smith
Joan Reeves: Book Spotlight: Vegetable Gardening from the Groun...: Please welcome my friend Stephanie Suesan Smith who is a gardener extraordinaire. Join us as she answers 3 questions about her new book, Ve...
Sunday, October 10, 2021
Friday, September 20, 2019
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Living with Air Plants
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Living with Air Plants: Once again, we welcome back Kevin Tipple with a review. Catch up with more reviews, book news, and interesting links at his blog, Kev...
Monday, August 26, 2019
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens...: Guest reviewer Kevin Tipple is back with his review of a book on terrarium gardening. Check out his blog Kevin's Corner for m...
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Review: Miniature Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens by Megumi Oshima and Hideshi Kimura
Moss isn’t just
found deep in the mountains in some cool, damp place. It can appear on the side
of a brick wall, the edges of pavement, and many other places. Miniature
Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens by Megumi
Oshima and Hideshi Kimura gives the reader the necessary knowledge to recreate
the outdoors inside by way of container gardening.
“Chapter 1: An Introduction to Moss” begins on page 10 and gives
the basics of moss. Classified as “Musci” nearly all of the 20,000 species or
varieties are perennial and evergreen. They need sunlight to survive and
propagate by releasing spores on the wind. There are three types of Moss which
are the Musci, Hepaticae and Anthocerotae. How the leaves and stems grow are
the primary distinguishing aspects of each type.
“Chapter 2: Observation, Discovery, and Gathering” begins on page
17 and is all about tracking down moss. After getting permission from the
property owners and ascertaining the living conditions of the moss you will be
gathering, there are good ways to gather the moss living outside. How to do it
and the gear you need is explained here.
You have identified the moss, gathered the moss (and maybe a
rolling stone or two) and have brought green treasure home. In “Chapter 3: Care
and Maintenance” you are taught what to do and just as importantly what not to
do to maintain your moss. Along with some more information on how to select
moss whether you are buying at a store or getting it from your yard,
neighborhood, etc., maintenance is the major focus of this chapter. There are a
lot of tips on the simple items you will need to maintain your moss as well as
actual care of the moss regarding fertilizer, the proper way to water and or
misting the moss, placement on your patio or inside the home, and diagnosing
issues as they arise. Also included in this section is information on how to
grow more moss by way of seeds, cuttings, and “stretching” it out on a soil
bed.
You have your moss, it is thriving, and things are going well. Of
course, you need to show of your moss. Starting on page 41 with “Chapter
4: Making and Displaying Moss Creations” various ways of doing so after you
work through a flowchart that helps you pick out the right type of moss for
your personality and skill level. While the chart on pages 42-43 is interesting
and helpful, it seems a bit late in the book to be presented here.
Though the location here does tie into the following pages. Each
depicted moss fits one of 4 types in ranges from A to D. Once you know the type
of moss that is right for your personality and skill level, then there are
pages that reference that type of moss in a container as well as the other
choices related to that particular type of moss. Also included here is an
explanations of the necessary items needed for moss gardening, soil types, and
more regarding what you do with various types of moss as well as more planting
and care tips.
“Chapter 5: Finding Moss in Cities and Mountains” begins on page
85 and gives far more detail on the finding and harvesting of moss than what
was covered at the beginning of the book. These pages are informative and
helpful and would have been better suited closer to the front of the book. Much
of the pictures in this section come from Japan and not only are close up
pictures of moss, but also scenic shots of various types depicting manmade
structures in their local natural environments. Cultural landmarks are
referenced with details pictures and illustrating the moss found in the area.
“Chapter 6: Moss Identification Guide” begins on page 107 and
details some of the moss types you may encounter outside in your local area.
This is done over several pages and would also have better served readers if
placed earlier in the book. The conditions that each moss type needs to thrive
in the outdoors is also presented here as is info on how to recognize it and
use in your home setting. A “glossary of moss terms” on pages 116-117
follows as does afterword sections from each author and additional close up
pictures of various staged moss settings.
As in any book from Tuttle Publishing, there are plenty of
pictures and textual information. The pictures are always colorful and the
textual information is clear and a lot of depth. There is a paragraph textual
style immersed with small bullet points areas containing additional useful
information.
While all the
information is useful, the placement and flow of the book has issues as noted.
The way things are organized in the chapters as well as the placement of the
chapters themselves does not work to resent the information well for the reader.
Miniature
Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens by Megumi
Oshima and Hideshi Kimura is an interesting and informative book, it should
have been laid out better for readers. This is especially true for the intended
reader market of those new to the world of gardening with moss.
Miniature Moss Gardens: Create Your Own Japanese Container Gardens
Megumi Oshima and Hideshi Kimura
Tuttle Publishing
April 2017
ISBN#978-4-8053-1435-7
Hardback (also available in digital format)
128 Pages
$19.95
Material supplied by the good folks of
the Dallas Public Library System. My review copy came from the Kleberg-Rylie
Branch.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2019
Monday, June 03, 2019
Review: Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens Using Easy-to-Grow Plants and Inexpensive Glassware
While
any author creating a fictional story is, in a sense, “world building,” authors
in the fantasy and science fiction genres refer to the term all the time and
claim great credit for doing so. When one is doing it right, one is bringing a
fictional world to life in a reader’s mind by way of dialogue, descriptive scenes
and setting, and more. In a very physical way, you are doing the same thing
when you put a terrarium together as you are most assuredly world building. You are creating an environment that--if you
choose wisely-- will thrive. Choose incorrectly and you may create a dystopia
for your plants or worse.
Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens Using
Easy-to-Grow Plants and Inexpensive Glassware seeks to guide you
in creating a beautiful and thriving world. Published by Tuttle Publishing in May
2018, the book is primarily broken into 4 chapters full of information by text
and picture.
The book opens with a short introduction that explains what a
terrarium is, what kind of containers or glassware is best suited for what
types of plants, and how the various chapter categories for the plants are
determined. Along with plenty of informative text, there are numerous pictures
making it very clear what the text is covering A nice touch is the fact that
many of the smaller plant pictures have handy page number citations. Also
included in this section are tips as to what tools you may or may not want/need,
how to basically create a terrarium, watering, the various types of ornamental
gravel, and caring for the plants as the seasons change. Some of this
information varies by type of plant and those differences are explored here.
Then, it is on the chapters with “Chapter 1: Wetland Plants”
starting things off on page 15. Plants that fit this situation will need to be
placed in a sealable container. Most of the plants that are in this section are
various types of moss. Surprisingly, at least to me, moss can come in all
shapes and sizes and not just as a sort of ground cover. It isn’t just moss in
this section as there is also some information devoted to carnivorous plants
and African Violets. The chapter winds up with some advice on the various places
to gather your moss. Apparently, a rolling stone gathers no moss, so you may
have to consider nonmoving rocks or areas under trees in parks and other places
should you seek to be a moss gatherer.
Page 31, begins “Chapter 2: Air Plants.” These are plants that
normally are usually found living in trees and thus will need to be placed in
open hanging containers so that the air in your home or office moves around
them. While you could create a terrarium in a vase with such plants, you could
also construct hanging terrariums of various types. Ways of doing so are depicted
in this section. Hanging Terrariums are not only a great space saver; they
serve as a way to get plants away from pets or children that may be tempted by
their presence.
“Chapter 3: Arid Zone Plants” begins on page 53 and this is where
you find succulents. Such plants come in all types and this allows you to create
a desert like environment or a very low water type one. As in the other
chapters of a book, various types of containers are used here and there are
numerous plant suggestions as well as instructions on how to create the
terrarium shown. One of the neat things in this book can be found at the end of
this chapter with “Practical Tip 3: Finding The Perfect Container.”
This book repeatedly stresses thinking beyond the classic
terrarium style container. Terrarium light bulbs which are lightbulbs specifically
designed to house plants, candle holders, beakers for a science project, and
more are suggested here. This page details numerous options and possibilities
beyond the usual terrarium shape.
Of course, sometimes you can combine the three types of plants into
one container and mix them up. That idea drives “Chapter 4: Mixed Terrariums.” Starting
on page 79, four distinctive possibilities that combine multiple plants from
multiple environments are depicted. Each suggested combination has tips to be successful.
Because you are putting different environments together you are going to need
some skill in maintaining the world so that everything survives and thrives.
Next is followed by a couple of pages devoted to cataloging
succulents by type. The same is done for air plants as well as moss and other
wetland plants. Those pages are followed by a page devoted to details about the
publication of the book, information about the publisher, Tuttle Publishing,
and their mission statement.
Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens Using
Easy-to-Grow Plants and Inexpensive Glassware is a colorful and
informative book that works for both the novice as well as the experienced
world builder. It serves as a repository of creative ideas as well as a spring
board for your own creativity. Filled with plenty of information and pictures, Miniature
Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens Using Easy-to-Grow Plants and
Inexpensive Glassware is going to be a winner for those interested in
creating a magical world.
Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens Using Easy-to-Grow Plants and Inexpensive Glassware
Fourwords (division of Actus Interiors)
Tuttle Publishing
May 2018
ISBN# 978-4-8053-1477-7
Hardback (also available in eBook format)
104 Pages
$17.99
Material
supplied by the good folks of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2019
Friday, May 17, 2019
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: A Beginner’s Guide to Succulent Gardening: A Step-...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: A Beginner’s Guide to Succulent Gardening: A Step-...: Guest reviewer Kevin Tipple is back with his review of a book on succulent gardening. Check out his blog Kevin's Corner for...
Sunday, May 05, 2019
Review: Living With Air Plants: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing and Displaying Tillandsia by Yoshiharu Kashima and Yukihiro Matsuda
In a way, air plants are the cats of the plant kingdom. They
require little maintenance to thrive and will work almost anywhere. In Living
With Air Plants: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing and Displaying Tillandsia
by Yoshiharu Kashima and Yukihiro Matsuda, readers are taken step by step
through the world of air plants.
Because no dirt is involved, you don’t have to worry about dirt or
special soils. As long as you have air, you are good. If you don’t have air,
you have bigger problems and this book absolutely will not help you at all. Instead
of using soil, air plants take in water and nutrients by absorption through the
leaves and are often hardy in dry conditions.
The very colorful and informative book is broken into three parts.
“Part 1: Cultivating Air Plants” is where readers learn that air plants are
separated into two categories- silver and green leaf color. The silver
ones are slow growers and are more resistant to dry conditions. They are also
less suited for terrariums because they tend to grow mold. On the other hand,
the green ones don’t do well in direct sunlight and usually like steamy
conditions so terrariums work well for the. While air plants can be easy to
deal with, it is important to getting the right ones for the right situation.
Advice on location, sunlight, ventilation, watering, and other cultivation tips
dominate this section.
Now
that you have your plants and things are going well, you may have decided you
wish to show them off a bit. That is where “Part 2: The Fun of Displaying Your
Air Plants” comes into play. Starting on Page 27, various ways of showing off
your air plants are offered and they are not just limited to standard pots on a
shelf or a table setting. Using on old display rack, a hanging mobile, as a
sort of wild chime, and other suggestions are offered as are terrarium options,
a doorway bouquet, bird cages, and more.
With more than 110 types of air plants depicted in the book, “Part
3: Air Plant Reference Guide” is rather important. This part begins on page 54
and leads off with an explanation of their guide to plants. That is immediately
followed by the 48 plants that make up their “Easy-to-grow Varieties Recommended
for Beginners.” Each plant has a picture, an idea of their size when in bloom,
how much sunlight is needed, and a short text about the plant that is chock
full of information. These pages, starting on page 55, are color coded a light
green color making them easy to find when flipping through the book.
They
are followed by the light blue color coded pages. These signify the plants that
are “Specialty Varieties.” Hard to find plants that can be difficult to grow.
They outnumber the easier ones as there are seventy varieties in this section.
A two page index of the Latin name of each plant brings the book
to a close.
Living With Air Plants: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing and
Displaying Tillandsia is exactly as marketed. Filled with large color pictures and
plenty of informative text, this is a book aimed primarily at folks new to
gardening with air plants. This good book primarily serves as a resource for
people new to this type of gardening but also has plenty of tips and
information for seasoned air plants gardeners as well.
Living With Air Plants: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing and Displaying Tillandsia
Yoshiharu Kashima and Yukihiro Matsuda
Tuttle Publishing
ISBN#978-08048-5104-6
March 2019
Hardback (also available in eBook form)
96 Pages
$17.99
Material
supplied by Twyla Marr, Publicist, Tuttle Publishing with no expectation of a
review.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2019
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Review: A Beginner’s Guide to Succulent Gardening by Taku Furuya
As we roll into spring, thoughts here in North Texas turn to
planting as well as worries over baseball sized hail, tornadoes, and all matter
of insect and bug many of which sting. Though the rains have been plentiful
these last several months, drought is always a fear lurking just over the
horizon. Cacti are always an answer to drought. Like cacti, though not thorny
at all in many cases, are succulents. A solidly good resource on them is the new
book from Tuttle Publishing, A Beginner’s Guide to Succulent Gardening: A
Step-by Step Guide to Growing Beautiful & Long-Lasting Succulents
by Taku Furuya.
The 100
page book is designed for the novice succulent gardener. It features twenty-one
popular varieties with tons of information by way of color graphics of various
types. Then there are the numerous pictures throughout the book showcasing
various succulents and their possibilities.
After a little bit of general information including how to use the
book, the book really gets going with opens with a section on “Spring/Fall
Types” starting on page eight. In addition to the picture of the plants, there are
several pages of information on how to pick a healthy one at the nursery, best
soil, how to transplant from the store bought container, how to propagate (how
to make more off that first plant), and various tips on growing them including
a simple month by month chart. Along with pictures of the various versions of
the particular type of succulent, there is clear and concise color coded information
on when they flower, level of difficulty to grow, the origin of the plant, and
more. Each section is setup the same way with a lot of information and plenty
of pictures for the particular variety.
You may or may not know that cacti are a form of succulents. While
you may think that Cacti always meant something with spikes or thorns, it does
not always. In this case, most of the varieties depicted in these pages do not have
spikes or thorns making them safe from children and pets. Obviously, you don’t
want either one eating succulents, but you don’t have the thorn issue that you
do with many cacti.
Though some do and if you have pets or children this is something
to pay attention to so that one avoids injuries. The first selection in the Spring/Summer/Fall
Types starting on Page 64 makes that very clear. “Moon Cactus” starts the
section off and it should be a familiar one to anyone who spends time shopping
towards Christmas as such items are always in the grocery stores. There is a
lot of info including the fact that the native region for those is Japan. I now
know my high school biology teacher was wrong about them and a certain test
grade should be adjusted immediately. While many of the chosen varieties in the
previous section did not have thorns or spikes, many in this section do and
that may or may not be of concern depending on your personal environment.
Fall/Winter/Spring Types is the final section and starts on page
80. The very few listed here the more difficult ones to grow in the book.
Nothing in this section is easy and all of them require significant amounts of
care.
A Beginner’s Guide to Succulent Gardening: A Step-by Step Guide To
Growing Beautiful & Long-Lasting Succulents by Taku Furuya closes
with a couple of pages devoted to the growing fundamentals for all succulents,
a glossary, and a short section how to combat diseases and pests.
This is a comprehensive book aimed at beginners that will also
prove very helpful to experimental Gardner. Whether you want to grow just a
couple inside the house or multiples ones outside in the yard, there are
suggestions here for you. Something and quite possibly more than one will
strike your fancy in the very good book, A Beginner’s Guide to Succulent Gardening: A
Step-by Step Guide To Growing Beautiful & Long-Lasting Succulents
by Taku Furuya.
A Beginner’s Guide to Succulent Gardening: A Step-by Step Guide to
Growing Beautiful & Long-Lasting Succulents
Taku Furuya
Tuttle Publishing
ISBN#978-0804851190
March 2019
Paperback
96 Pages
$14.99
Material
supplied by Twyla Marr, Publicist, Tuttle Publishing with no expectation of a
review.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2019
Monday, June 11, 2018
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Country Wisdom and Know-How: A Practical Guide to...
Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Country Wisdom and Know-How: A Practical Guide to...: Reviewed by Ambrea Sometime in May, I stumbled across a book called Country Wisdom and Know-How: A Practical Guide to Livin...
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Mystery Fanfare: Call for Articles: Gardening Mysteries
Mystery Fanfare: Call for Articles: Gardening Mysteries: CALL FOR ARTICLES: Gardening Mysteries The next issue of Mystery Readers Journal (Volume 34:1) will focus on Gardening Mysteries...
Saturday, September 16, 2017
More Humor
I came across the one below while working on a review of a gardening book that you will see late next week. I thought it was funny. I also notice now that it appears to have a decapitated head. Since a decapitated human head is a key fixture in the fist chapter of the book I am writing (at rare times) this deal seems even more appropriate.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Review: "Gardening With Less Water" by David A Bainbridge
While the rains have
come back to Texas, the long term drought to the west, especially in
California, continues with devastating effects. The issue of water is going to
have to change as climate change continues to cause environmental problems.
While one can plant landscapes that feature native plants in terms of grasses
and some flowering plants, the issue with vegetables and fruits that need water
to survive and thrive is a bit more complex. Those kinds of plants absolutely
have to have water. The new book “Gardening With Less Water” by David A
Bainbridge outlines some possibilities regarding the delivery of water to the
plants.
“Low-Tech, Low-Cost
Techniques” that will allow you to “Use Up To 90% Less Water In Your Garden” is
prominently splashed across the cover of this small paper back. Also
prominently displayed is a clay pot inserted into the ground between carrot and
potato plants. Putting clay pots and other devices below the surface of
the ground to deliver water is the primary theme of this book.
After an introduction
that details the water crisis in text and pictures, the book broken into two
parts. Part One covers “Super- Efficient Irrigation Systems” and begins on page
14 with a brief overview on the topic. “The key to minimizing eater use is to
get water to the plant just as it is needed with little or no loss to
evaporation and runoff.” (Page 17)
Part of that is the
aforementioned technique of burying clay pots into the ground. The buried pots
in the form of gourds or wide mouthed clay pots can be used either to hold
water or to hold the plant in the ground. By burying the pot to the top or very
near the top one can water the planet in the pot and contain most of the water
to that immediate vicinity. The pot tends to stay wet longer when buried in
soil and thus restrains moisture around the plant. Obviously, the clay pots
should be porous, not glazed, and in their natural state without wax or paint, that
would interfere with the technique. More tips for this technique can be found
on pages 22 and 23.
Along with suggesting
ways of using clay pots inside of bigger
clay pots for those of us apartment and condo owners where space is very
limited, the author how to effectively garden with, porous hoses, porous
capsules (such as bottles and flasks among others), deep pipe irrigation, wicks,
and more. A number of different techniques are explained in detail by text and
photographs so that you can use one or more ways of addressing your personal
landscaping situation.
The various
techniques and ideas lead into “Part Two: Taking It To The Next Level.”
Starting on page 78 the author gives tips on how to water wisely as well as
advice on how to use your landscape to contain water by way of plants, rain
barrels, grid gardening, and more. Included in this section are tips on how to
develop a water garden plan for your particular situation. Beyond your personal
situation in terms of your landscaping, the author suggests ways to encourage change
with your local governmental policy makers at all levels.
The book concludes
with an appendix, an acknowledgments page, a 2 page list of suppliers and their
contact info, and a 3 page index.
At 130 pages Gardening
With Less Water by David A Bainbridge is a short, but extremely
informative book. Through pictures and text the book details how one can take
very small steps to conserve water as well as how to upscale info significant
savings. Detailed and comprehensive Gardening With Less Water is a well done
source that explains how you can do your part to save our precious resource.
Gardening With Less Water
David A Bainbridge
Storey Publishing
Dec 2015
ISBN# 978-1-61212-582-4
Paperback (also available in eBook)
$14.95
130 Pages
Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Public
Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016
Thursday, June 02, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Review: "The Water-Saving Garden: How To Grow A Gorgeous Garden With A Lot Less Water" by Pam Penick
Native Texans know that the recent
heavy rain and widespread destructive flooding is an aberration in the weather
pattern. Dry weather, bordering or deep in drought is the normal state of soil
conditions in Texas. The Water-Saving Garden: How To Grow A
Gorgeous Garden With A Lot Less Water by Pam Penick might just help you
plan for the next dry spell and beyond no matter where you live.
A major thrust of the book is the theme
that a water saving garden does not have to be just cacti and succulents. First,
you as the gardener have to accept the idea that your garden has to adapt to
the local environment and not the other way around. As homeowners here recently
were reminded both visually and economically it is very hard to maintain
certain types of grass filled lawns when severe water restrictions are enacted
and enforced.
Broken into five parts this colorful
book opens up with “Part One: DRINK UP the beauty & ingenuity of a
water-saving garden.” Through text and numerous photographs of examples in
gardens in Texas, Arizona, and elsewhere that illustrate the concept of taking advantage
of stopping water runoff. Various
landscaping techniques are illustrated as to what can be done to make sure that
the rainfall that happens is either captured and contained or diverted so that it does not just wastefully flow into the streets and ultimately the city
sewer system.
Capturing the water is also the
theme of theme of “Part Two: make your
garden a WATER SAVER, not a water guzzler.” Starting on page 29 going beyond
rain barrels and cisterns, which are discussed in various sizes, other options are
covered such as a “rain garden.” This is an area of your yard that is depressed
and filled with plants that don’t mind being flooded. Dirty water from your
drive way, down spots, and are other surface areas that would not allow rain to
penetrate is channeled into this area. The plants clean the water as it is
collected. That cleaner water eventually soaks in and moves its way down to the
groundwater table and underground aquifers. Other ideas such as micro basins,
berms, swales, terraces, irrigation techniques, paving choices, and more are
discussed here accompanied by numerous photographs to illustrate key points.
“Part Three: PLANTING the water
saving garden” on page 113 starts off with obvious idea-- get rid of the lawn.
The plants that would do better are discussed and showcased. This includes
various native grasses that give one the illusion of a lawn with far less water
or mowing. Suggestions for various additional garden features as well as native
and “well-adapted” plants are found throughout the book as well as specifically
in this section. Get away from the idea that plants need to be in rigid lines
and embrace a sort of organized chaos where groups of plants all gather and
thrive together. The point is also made that beyond the air pollution caused by
leaf blowers is the fact that their use can strip topsoil and nutrients from
your landscaping which is damaging in the short and long run. A nice added
bonus to this section is the piece on container gardening for those in
apartments or condos who have limited space.
One can also bring water features to
such porches and that idea is a small piece of the ‘Part Four: oasis or mirage?
creating the illusion of water in the garden.” Most of the ideas and techniques
discussed here starting on page 163 apply to landscaping, but some can be
modified for those of us apartment and condo dwellers.
“Part Five: 1001 Plants for water
saving gardens” comes next. Because the detailed list is for the entire United
States it may contain plants that are considered “invasive” in your area or region. As
the author points out, you should make sure you check the list for your area
and avoid plants that are considered invasive--even if sold in local stores--
so that your help protect native plants and habitats. The list begins
with trees on page 198 and goes through perennials, grasses, ground covers, and
more before ending on page 222.
An acknowledgement page, a two page
resource list followed by three page photography and design credit list, and a
five page index brings this colorful and inspirational book to a close.
The Water-Saving Garden: How To Grow
A Gorgeous Garden With A Lot Less Water
by Pam Penick is an informative and visual treat for readers, gardeners, and
others. The 330 page book is packed with informative tips and suggestions all
geared toward making you being as successful as possible when you decide to
transform your landscape. It doesn’t do the work for you, obviously, but it can
certainly save you a lot in time, effort, and financial resources if you
consider the suggestions found here.
The Water-Saving Garden: How To Grow A Gorgeous Garden With A Lot Less Water
Pam Penick
Ten
Speed Press (The Crown Publishing Group)
February
2016
ISBN#
978-1-60774-793-2
Paperback
(also available on eBook format)
240
Pages
$19.99
Material
supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Library System.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2016
Sunday, February 07, 2016
Review: "Terrariums: Gardens Under Glass" by Maria Colletti
If winter weather has got you down Terrariums:
Gardens Under Glass by Maria Colletti might be just the prescription
you need to chase the blues. The wealth of information in these seven chapters
and resources is designed to serve as inspiration to get you started in Designing,
Creating, And Planting Modern Indoor Gardens.
These days terrariums can come in
all shapes and sizes. Things have come a long way from the glass bowl with a lid style of terrarium we knew in our youth. In
her opening chapter “Terrarium Design” author Maria Colletti shows you how to
consider the plants you will use in relation to the vessel the plants will go
inside as you create a certain style of environment. Along with plenty of
explanation through the text and tip areas, there are numerous colorful
pictures to further illustrate the important points.
After taking readers through design,
the basics involved with a terrarium, and choosing a vessel to put the stuff
into, it is on to “Getting Started” in Chapter Four. This is when she shows you
how to put it all together through pictures and detailed instructions. This is
an incredibly informative section as she shows you step by step how to
construct a terrarium in several very different vessels.
While one could be in a hurry to get
started, one should pay a lot of attention to the following chapters which
cover all sorts of different plants and their needs as well as maintain the
terrarium once you get started. As in the rest of the book, variety is key here
and showcase by text and photograph.
An extensive resource guide as well
as glossary and a four page index bring this book to a close.
Published by Cool Springs Press, Terrariums:
Gardens Under Glass is a visual treasure trove filled with neat ideas.
This is one of those books that is done very well and can be a huge help in
your quest to recreate a little nature inside your home.
Terrariums: Gardens Under Glass
Maria Colletti
Cool Springs Press (Quarto
Publishing Group USA Inc.)
September 2015
ISBN# 978-1-59186-633-6
Paperback (also available in e-book
format)
176 Pages
$24.99
Material supplied by the good people
of the Haggard Branch of the Plano Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2016
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