Features
- Cover Type: Hard Cover with 400 pages
- Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt April 30, 2000
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0618055908
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0618055906
-
Book Dimensions:
11 x 8.9 x 1.2 inches
- Weighs: 3.8 pounds
From Publishers Weekly
Comprehensive and easy to follow, Buchanan's companion volume to Taylor's Master Guide to Gardening covers just about all the features that can be included in home landscapes--from lawns and foundation plantings to fences, driveways, bridges, steps, outdoor rooms, pools and outdoor lighting. Buchanan encourages homeowners to think carefully about the specific requirements of the site (topography, shape of the lot, size of the budget, etc.) before beginning a landscaping project. Then home landscapers can follow her step-by-step instructions and carry out the project on their own or use her tips on hiring professionals to do the work. Buchanan offers a wealth of practical information, from advice on seeing the overall character of a home and its setting to opinions about details, such as which materials are best for paths and walkways. There are also suggestions for choosing and caring for trees, shrubs, vines, ground cover and perennials, with lists of plants appropriate for individual situations. An interesting aspect of the book is the author's emphasis on seeing the home landscape in relationship to the surrounding neighborhood and the community as a whole; there are hints, for example, on how to counteract the antisocial impression made by a wall or a fence erected in front of a house. Buchanan's clearly written, abundantly illustrated guide should go a long way toward helping amateurs have the courage to tackle what often seems a daunting task. 425 color photographs not seen by PW. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reader Reviews
The book is what its title says and that's good - a master guide to landscaping. While I respect Ms. Buchanan's opinions on matters of landscaping since she obviously is versed enough to complete this well done and comprehensive book, it seems to me that her opinions sometimes get in the way of common, useful, tried and true landscaping practices. Example: On page 229 she adamantly states, "...Disregard anyone who tells you to set hedge plants in a zigzag pattern...", yet the picture above depicts just that and, quite frankly, it's commonly recommended to do so. As a designer, I do use that technique for hedge planting because it creates a billowy effect and it's more visually interesting, in many instances. The point is, that statement is an opinion that may not be based on anything more than personal taste.
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