Tag: book review

Book Review – Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners

Post author By Christine
Post date September 26, 2012
5 Comments on Book Review – Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners

Today I am once again I’m joining Holley of ‘Roses and Other Gardening Joys‘ in doing a monthly book review on a favourite gardening book from my personal library. My chosen book this month was a Birthday present from my Brother last year – and how I love this book.

Exoting Planting for Adventurous Gardens by Christopher Lloyd & friends is a beautiful book full of rich colourful photographs showing the exotic plantings of Great Dixter. My copy is hard cover with beautiful glossy photographs and has pride of place as a “coffee table” book in my living room.

[one_half]Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Book by Christopher Lloyd & friends[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Master Gardener, Christopher Lloyd[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Pages from the book …[/one_half_last]

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[one_half]The view from my ‘reading sofa’[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Sherrie keeps me company on a rainy day[/one_half_last]

I haven’t tried to replicate any of his work (i know my limitations), but it is an inspiring, beautiful book that will enthrall any avid gardener.

From the book sleeve

Christopher Lloyd (1921 – 2006) was one of the twentieth century’s most influential and adventorous gardeners. Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners tells the story of his exotic garden at Great Dixter, which has delighted, and sometimes shocked, summer visitors since it replaced an eighty-year-old, Lutyens-designed rose garden. The bold foliage of palms was combined with handsome, cut-leaved sumach and arching New Zealand flax; statuesque cannas and bright dahlias, threaded with mauve verbena and infilled with annual climbers, added dazzling color from June until the first frosts; and the whole feeling created was one of being wrapped in a voluptuous living community.

For everyone who loves Christopher Lloyd, this book is an unexpected bonus. His last and most adventurous work was almost complete at the time of his death in 2006, and a handful of his gardening friends gladly finished the task. Illustrated with stunning photographs by Jonathan Buckley, Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners both inspires and instructs. Few gardeners will be able to resist Lloyd’s call to “do something outlandish, to splash out, and be freer than ever.”

About Garden Bloggers Book Review

Garden Bloggers Book Review is a monthly meme hosted by Roses and Other Gardening Joys (20th day of the month). Whether its vegetable gardening, flower gardening, specialized gardening, design, landscape, or even fiction (that includes a garden, such as ‘The Secret Garden’), Holley invites you to share your take on the garden books you have read. “Each of our gardens are different, and each of our tastes in garden books will probably be different – but I think if we tell what we like (or not) about each book, we can get a good sense of the books we might want to add to our collection”. Join Holley on the 20th of the month and share one of your books with us all.

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April Book Review – Foliage by Nancy Ondra

Post author By Christine
Post date April 22, 2012
8 Comments on April Book Review – Foliage by Nancy Ondra

Once again I’m joining Holley of Roses and Other Gardening Joys in doing a monthly book review on a favourite gardening book from my personal library. I was originally introduced to this particular book by Cathy & Steve of Our Garden Journal when they reviewed this book last year. After reading their glowing report I promptly ordered the book and was not disappointed when it arrived. Foliage, by Nancy Ondra ticks all the boxes when it comes to great gardening books. Written by Nancy Ondra with photography by Rob Cardillo, the cover will entice you to delve deeper into the art of combining plants based on their foliage to create wonderful “pictures” in your garden.

As a new gardener it didn’t take me too long to realise that experienced gardeners obviously knew things I did not. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t emulate the stunning garden beds I was seeing and realised I was missing something … and then slowly the penny dropped. Creating a stunning garden is not just about flowers and plants. It’s about how you combine the plants to create something that not only works well in nature but creates a garden scene that is pleasing to the eye.

In fact, what really appealed to me about this book is that I already had a lot of the plants featured in it. Putting them together in the right combinations to create a fabulous garden was what I was about to learn from the book. Flowers come and go – insects or the weather can destroy seasonal blooms seemingly overnight – but predictable foliage in great combinations will set the scene or background for a wonderful landscape that is not dependent on pretty flowers.

You don’t even have to read a single word in the book – just paging through it and seeing the effects created by combining plants based on colour, size, shape and texture will have new gardeners itching to get outside to change things around.

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The book is organized by colour and texture with each chapter explaining the characteristics of plants chosen for the singular appeal of their varying foliage. Colours range from, my favourite, brilliant Chartreuse to blues, silvers and the darker colours like the reds, maroon and blacks. Size of foliage and shapes of leaves (e.g. spiky, bold, medium and fine) with surface textures varying from rough to smooth or satiny, and outlines that are smooth, ruffled, irregular or uniformly even – all this is covered in this wonderful book.

Rob Cardillo’s amazing photography has to be mentioned here. With the range of colours and textures as captured by his camera, it doesn’t take a novice long to realise that season-long interest in the garden depends on the foliage of the plants you choose and how you combine them that creates the base of a stunning garden. Get the foliage plants right and then the plants you choose for flowering in combination will create magic!

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about gardening with foliage and how to create a year round garden that is beautiful.

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March book review

I’m quite pre-occupied with my pond make-over project at the moment so I’ve been perusing “pond” books at the book store and have even bought a few. Most have been fairly useful, in one way or another, but none has actually motivated me to make the changes to the pond I know are necessary. Until I walked past a second-hand book shop and decided to look in and see what gardening books they have.

I stumbled on and old book by Peter Robinson entitled Pond Basics, paged through it and was sold. It’s a real little treasure for anyone who is completely new to pond maintenance or has decided to build a pond feature and has no experience. It’s really basic which is exactly what I need at this stage.

I’ve found the book very useful. Having read this book and used it as a starting point, I have now managed to plan what I want to do with the pond and have broken in down into a step by step list that I’m tackling one task at a time. So we now have actual “Project Pond” Progress! The book is divided into 9 sections and covers Planning; Excavation and Installation; Moving Water Features; Decorative Features; Wildlife; Planting; Plants; Troubleshooting and lastly, The Pond Year.

I have to admit that the reason this book helped me so much is that it had plenty of examples of water features that have similarity with mine, in terms of size, position and shape. I was able to start visualising what my Pond or Water Feature really could look like using the examples and combining ideas (coupled with suggestions I’ve been given by gardening friends – Amongst others, Alocasias and Cannas are on my shopping list!).

The section on plants and ‘how tos’ (where, when and how) has also helped me to create a plan for my ponds planting and how I am going to tackle it all. Well written in a get to-the-point, simple way I appreciated the troubleshooting section and the pond year which gives guidelines on how to manage the pond and what to expect in all the seasons. All this information made me realise that I can do all this by myself (mostly, might need help erecting the trellises), but it’s now a project I am capable of doing myself and I think may look quite nice once I’ve finished.

[one_half]Pond Basics Contents[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Introduction to Pond Basics[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Nicely illustrated with photographs[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Planning tips & requirements[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Many different types of ponds[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And examples of ponds I liked[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Different plants types[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And a trouble shooting section[/one_half_last]

My copy of the book is a hard cover version, published in 2004 by Bounty Books. I’ve checked Amazon and it’s available at Pond Basics by Peter Robinson on Amazon.co.za as a paperback.

I recommend this book to new gardeners who have little or no experience with a pond or water feature and are interested in adding one to their garden.

What gardening books have you read lately? Join Holley and friends the March Garden Book Review meme and share one of your gardening books with us!

Happy gardening!
xxx

PS: In my next post I’ll be showing a short video of the Starlings enjoying my pond!

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The Complete Planting Design Course – February Book Review

Post author By Christine
Post date February 23, 2012
4 Comments on The Complete Planting Design Course – February Book Review

For this month I’ve chosen to do my book review on a book by Hilary Thomas called “The Complete Planting Design Course – Plans and Styles for every garden”. I first came across the author when I did a distance learning course about garden design and Hilary Thomas was the tutor. At the time I blogged about the course here and at the end I decided to buy the book by Hilary. I’m really glad I did.

It’s a pretty comprehensive book that helped me to view plants in a different light (or with fresh eyes). The chapters / subjects were very similar to what we covered in the course, so for those who don’t have the time to do a course and submit assignments etc., this book is great as it covers pretty much everything we learnt on the course. From initial vision to finished planting, the book clearly explains the practical steps, considerations, opportunities and decisions that need to be taken. This process can be applied to ones own gardens, and it will also help you to take your skills a step further into other people’s gardens!

The key subjects covered are:

understanding plants in design
How to get the most from your site
Planting ideas for every style
Finding a theme for your location

According to the book blurb, once you’ve read this book and put into practise what you learn, you should be abl;e to design a garden. Once you understand colour, shape, texture, and form and know how to use these to best effect in a garden setting you will soon be designing your own garden and then you’ll be moving on to designing for your family friends. You will learn to create expert planting schemes using your newly learnt skills and techniques.

What I liked most about the book (and the course) is that Hilary taught me to look at the garden in a new way. Instead of planting for planting sake I learnt to plant for year-round interest. I learnt how to choose and combine plants for specific effects, for year-round color and interest, for drama and movement and to overcome site difficulties. The book is beautifully illustrated (photography by Steven Wooster) and chapters are divided and subdivided in a very simple, easy-to-follow way. I regularly pull this book off the bookshelf as the photographs are very inspiring and I seem to learn something new every time I pick up this book.

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“Grasses” by Nancy Ondra – A Review

Post author By Christine
Post date January 19, 2012
12 Comments on “Grasses” by Nancy Ondra – A Review

Grasses by Nancy Ondra with photographs by Saxon Holt

This month I’m joining Holley of Roses and Other Gardening Joys in doing a book review on a favourite gardening book from my personal library. From front cover to back, “Grasses – Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design” by Nancy Ondra with photography by Saxon Holt, is a visual feast. Even if you don’t read a word of this book you will be inspired to start gardening with ornamental grasses – the photography and layout of the book had me hooked from page one.

But it’s not just about the visuals. Here is why I think you should add this book to your library of gardening books …

The photography is outstanding. These are not just photographs of random grasses, they are photographs of skillfully designed garden settings where grasses (often in combination with perennials and other plants) were used to create scenes that are not just aesthetically pleasing, but, for want of a better word, WOW! I’ve added a few photographs below to show what I mean about the huge “Wow” factor this book created in my mind, before gardening with grasses was something I’d seriously considered.

The blurb on the cover says “Select beautiful ornamental grasses, combine them with perennial flower and other garden plants and care for them so that they look great year-round. Photos, plans and plant lists for 20 unique garden designs, along with more than 160 colour photographs, provide inspiration for using ornamental grasses in a variety of garden settings“. This books certainly delivers.

The book is divided into four distinct sections; Getting to Know Grasses, Colour Palettes, Seasonal Usage and Selecting for Location. In her usual very well written and conversational style, Nancy takes us through the ABC’s of gardening with grasses from identifying grasses right through to designing with and caring for grasses in your garden. Section one looks at the different types of grasses, flower forms, growth cycles through to choosing the right grass for your site. She further goes on to discuss how to plant, vare for, divide and finally cut back your grasses to ensure the best year-round display.

Easily my favourite section of the book, the second section; Colour Palettes; looks at the various hues and shades of grasses from reds, coppers, bronzes to steel blue and silver. Each colour group is dealt with in-depth and a list of examples with descriptions is provided. Throughout this section the author and photographer provide us with wonderful inspiration in the form of outstanding photographs of colour and plant pairings with a small design detail indicating the plants used (see example in the fourth photograph below).

The third section of the book looks at using grasses in combination with perennials and other plants in any garden setting or gardening style and shows how to use grasses to create the look you want to achieve in your garden.

Finally, section four will assist you in making the correct selection for various sites (the recommendations for dry, wet, hot and shaded sites are very useful). For every garden element, from borders, pathways, and containers to location challenges such as shade, slopes and for privacy, this book offers descriptions to aid in specific grass selections and planning considerations. You will find easy to use reference lists showing you which grasses work well in different situations and under varying conditions such as hot, dry sites, shaded areas and moist and wet sites.

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Even non-gardeners will appreciate the coffee-table book quality of this wonderful book and will agree that the photography by Saxon Holt is inspiring. Most of the photographs of grasses are taken in combinations with other plant materials so you get the feel of the various grasses in the landscape. I’d rate this as a “must-have” in any gardening library. If you only buy one book this year, get this one!

Now pop overr to Holley’s blog and see what other books have been reviewed this month: January 2012 Gardening Book Reviews

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Ferns of Southern Africa – a Book Review

Post author By Christine
Post date November 7, 2011
4 Comments on Ferns of Southern Africa – a Book Review

Ferns of Southern Africa – A Comprehensive Guide, is a newly published book I was invited to review. With some trepidation I started to read the 776 page guide even though I removed every single fern from my garden just a year ago. I wondered whether the book could convince to try ferns again – after all, I’ve heard ferns thrive in shade and I’m always looking for good shade plants …

Ferns of Southern Africa starts off with a foreword that hooked me – Did you know that there are over 300 species of ferns that are native to southern Africa? I had no idea. Considering that half of the subcontinent is semidesert or desert this is a really high number as I’ve always though of ferns as requiring shade and thriving in forest type areas. Turns out that there are quite a number of local species that have evolved to tolerate extreme drought and heat, as well as full sunlight and bush fires. And did you know that ferns were flourishing about two hundred million years before flowering plants made their first appearance? The introductory chapter will introduce you to these and many other interesting facts about ferns you probably knew nothing about if you are not a fern fanatic.

Ferns of Southern Africa features a full double-page spread per species with multiple photographs including close-ups (the photography is superb), informative line drawings where necessary and very detailed and comprehensive descriptions. Other features of the book include tables that highlight differences between similar-looking fern species, distribution maps and identification keys to families, genera and species.

It’s a beautiful book, no doubt about that. If you are seriously interested in ferns then this book is an essential for your library. I haven’t seen another book quite like it in our local bookstores, so consider adding it to your collection if you are a “Fern-atic”. But its not a quick, Saturday afternoon read – It is a beautiful guide and reference book I am proud to own, and I’m sure I will page through and refer to it often in the years to come.

[one_half]A favourite reading spot[/one_half]

[one_half_last]A beautiful book[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Its about plants! My favourite book type![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Well written, beautifully illustrated[/one_half_last]

Has this book convinced me to dash off to the nursery to buy a bunch of ferns to plant in my garden? I’d have to say no, but … I am considering a few carefully selected and purposely placed ferns. And I will be using this book to research exactly which type to plant and where.

From the publisher – Random House Struik:

This comprehensive, colourful and lavish guide to the ferns of southern Africa (covering South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana and Namibia) throws new light on a category of plants that’s little-described or featured. Its careful and accessible design enables quick, sure identification of all 321 ferns known to occur in the region. In compiling this unique and beautiful volume, the authors travelled extensively, even finding several new species of ferns along the way. They are all treated in this guide – some described here for the first time. Ferns of Southern Africa will become the standard reference book on local ferns, and will be a treasured resource for many years to come.

About the Authors

Neil Crouch is an ethnobotanist with SANBI. He recently co-authored Guide to Succulents of Southern Africa.
Ronell Klopper is curator of the fern collection at the National Herbarium, SANBI.
John Burrows is a nature conservationist. He authored Ferns and Fern Allies of South and South-central Africa.
Sandra Burrows is an acclaimed botanical illustrator and natural history author who has collaborated on several works, including Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies.

Where to purchase the book:

Ferns of Southern Africa – a Comprehensive Guide is available at:

Leading book stores in South Africa
Available here via Amazon.co.uk
Available here via Kalahari.net

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