Book Description

Timber Press has earlier published two critically acclaimed and bestselling books by Piet Oudolf, the influential Dutch landscape designer: Gardening with Grasses (with Michael King) and Designing with Plants (with Noel Kingsbury).

This new collaboration with fellow Dutch plantsman Henk Gerritsen deals with a selection of some 1200 plants most suitable for Oudolf’s New Wave naturalism, which emphasizes the importance of plant structures in providing all-season interest, for after all, plants are out of flower for longer than they are in bloom. The gardener can prune back plants after flowering to create a perpetual spring – at least until the onset of winter – but the authors prefer to follow nature’s example and let plants finish flowering, not only to please the birds and butterflies, but for the beauty well-chosen plant groupings offer as they reach the end of their life cycle.

Many illustrations in this (and Oudolf’s other books) demonstrate the striking effects of his favorite plants in fall and winter. These “dream” plants – perennials, bulbs, grasses, and ferns, as well as biennials and annuals – have been selected because they perform reliably with few demands on soil or gardener. Some worthy plants that may present problems – invasiveness, unpredictability, fussiness – are treated in a special section for adventurous gardeners willing to expend the extra efforts they will require. All of the plants are knowledgeably described, and many are illustrated with superb color photos. In the authors’ view, all are suitable both for low-maintenance public gardens and for dramatic naturalistic home gardens. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good Book!
Dream Plants is a great book. The authers are upfront, the plants they critique are ones they have grown. While I might not agree with some of they're descriptions, I as a gardener realize that I have my own little piece of earth and they have theirs. I found it wonderful. The pictures, the layout, the descriptions, and yes, the I don't agree.

A beautiful book, a guide worthy of owning and studying...
This volume, taken together with Oudolf's "Designing With Plants" -- an invaluable companion -- gives the gardener an inspiring and comprehensive approach to stylish landscape design and plant selection. Taken by itself, "Dream Plants" is a not necessarily helpful guide. It's hard to make sense of it as different from any other plant selection book, as it has no context. But in consort with "Designing With Plants," the design context comes clear: one has both the key and the lock in one place -- the design guide, and the plant selection menu. With both in hand -- and the photographs are lush and suggestive, and the plans bold and clearly illuminated -- there remains plenty of obscurity throughout. But there are not many mistakes here of continuity, and so one has confidence that it is as full and reliable a depiction of natural, early 21st century garden and landscape design principles and practice one can get between two covers.

Contrast this with the dreary corporate planting schemes of van Sweeden and Oehme -- not an inspiration anywhere in their so-called "Bold Romantic Gardens". With Oudolf, the reader discovers as much about the the secrets of his design pallet as can be revealed without actually having him standing over your shoulder. This book is full of mystery, which is as it should be, with detailed clues and hints in the variety of plants discussed in detail, the photographs of combinations that demonstrate his views on plant structure, appearance and sequencing, and the useful back-and-forth between the principles of garden design he favors, and the selection of plants he uses to bring it to life.

I would not purchase "Dream Plants" without also purchasing "Designing With Plants." Together, they are a fabulous combination.

You need to know plants to benefit from this book
Dutchmen Gerritsen and Oudolf label Boltonia a "troublesome, demanding plant." The same with our common wildflower Monkshood. They say that Knipofia won't survive winter. Lobelia hybrids are "only for people with green fingers." "Tierella wherryi is quite reliable when you look after it properly..." All of these plants are favorites in US gardens.

And the crowning insult to American readers -- Echniacea (Purple Coneflower) is labeled "troublesome." This is one of the most popular perennials in the US!

While I appreciate the design ideas of Oudolf's earlier books, this one is a bust as far as plant advice for US readers goes -- and the plant descriptions take up most of the book.

Dream Book for Earthbound Gardeners
In concert with Piet Oudolf's previous two books on ornamental grasses and on design, Dream Plants for the Natural Garden expands the vision of an already exceptional garden personality. As a dutch designer and nurseryman, Oudolf offers us his emperical advice about hardy plant selection from an earthbound perspective. Paired here with his fellow garden designer, Henk Gerritsen, Oudolf makes a bold case for the natural style advocated by an international group of landscapers. Instead of conventional groupings by color, Oudolf and Gerritsen communicate both their aesthetic and practical choices here under the headings of "Tough," "Playful," and "Troublesome." They espouse plants that grow easily without pesticides & fertilizers while providing year-round beauty. Oudolf has been renowned for his masterful use of perennials as players in gardens of four-season interest. This volume describes 1200 plants he and Gerritsen have chosen on the basis of behavior, strengths and usage. The combined results of their long experience, provide us with details hard to find in one place before now. Many of these plants are cutting edge (especially in the US) and thus, not widely written about in popular horticultural literature. As everywhere, the Netherlands have their own climatic conditions; thus, gardeners from other countries will need to extrapolate a bit. Luckily, the authors provide enough information on zone, soil and sun conditions to make this possible. The photographs maintain the high-quality of previous Oudolf books. However, since plant descriptions outnumber pictures, it helps to have some familiarity with the specific genera and species mentioned. The clean presentation of format, text and illustration make this eminently readable. As a landscape professional, I cannot more enthusiastically recommend such a distinct and useful publication. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

locally good
I have used this book in two places: the Columbia Basin sagebrushcountry just east of the Washington cascades, and in south-central Idaho. For the Columbia Basin this book is very good. Anything that catches your eye is likely to be included, despite the book's slimness. In central Idaho the coverage is not so good, and you will end up wondering if what you're looking at is in the book. Just remember, as with all small, easy to use plant guides, there are probably five times as many plant species on the ground, even in the Columbia basin, as there are in the book.

The natural history coverage is reliable but not terribly extensive.

In Washington I have found it's nice to have this in combination with the authoritative but unfriendly and jargon-ridden Hitcock and Cronquist flora. Taylor will get it for you if it's a reasonably common plant, or give you a good starting point for wading around in H&C, if there's any doubt.

A Great Field Guide and Reference
This book is useful in many ways: as a field guide, reference, habitat identifier,uses of plants such as food or medicine (e.g. by local Native Americans), soil types, animals present, etc. It opens up the tremendous beauty of the steppe-shrub-sagebrush deserts of the West. Lovely photos. This so-called "barren land" is teeming with amazing diversity and color. It is also helpful for those of us attempting native plant (indigeous) gardens. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

The most comprehensive guide to the botany, history, distribution, and cultivation of all known psychoactive plants.

• Examines 414 psychoactive plants and related substances.

• Explores how using psychoactive plants in a culturally sanctioned context can produce important insights into the nature of reality.

• Contains 800 color photographs and 670 black-and-white illustrations.

In the traditions of every culture, plants have been highly valued for their nourishing, healing, and transformative properties. The most powerful plants--those known to transport the human mind into other dimensions of consciousness--have traditionally been regarded as sacred. In The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants Christian Ratsch details the botany, history, distribution, cultivation, and preparation and dosage of more than 400 psychoactive plants. He discusses their ritual and medicinal usage, cultural artifacts made from these plants, and works of art that either represent or have been inspired by them. The author begins with 168 of the most well-known psychoactives--such as cannabis, datura, and papaver--then presents 133 lesser known substances as well as additional plants known as "legal highs," plants known only from mythological contexts and literature, and plant products that include substances such as ayahuasca, incense, and soma. The text is lavishly illustrated with 800 color photographs--many of which are from the author's extensive fieldwork around the world--showing the people, ceremonies, and art related to the ritual use of the world's sacred psychoactives. ... Read more

Book Description

This beautiful book advises Florida gardeners on how to select and care for plants that will thrive in the environment. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Native Florida Plants
I am the co-author of "Native Florida Plants". The new revised edition was printed in early 2004. The new book is not listed on www.amazon.com I think the problem may be the different ISBN number. The new ISBN number is 1-58979-051-0. The book is available from National Books Network at 1-800-462-6420. We hope to see our book on www.amazon.com very soon. This is a great site to get new and used books. I am a customer. Robert Haehle

very informative. Great field guide.Beautiful photography
I really enjoy this book. I feel like an expert on Florida native plant species, just after reading the first 50 pages. The photos make plant identification extremely easy. I highly recommend this book to anyone that realizes the importance of restoring Florida back to its natural state. The photography in this book makes the reader aware of how beautiful the native species are. I was not aware how many plants native to this area have suffered because of overdevelopment and infringement. This book makes me realize how imperative it is to incorporate native plants to not only personal landscaping, but the Florida environment as a whole. Conservationists will appreciate this book as a tool for preserving Florida back to its natural state, and home owners will have the perfect guide for native landscaping.

New Edition
Native Florida Plants is NOT out of print! A new, updated edition was published early this year, and includes additional plants, an updated source list, and a list of family names. Hope it appears on Amazon's website ASAP. (I am the co-author.)

Native Florida Plants: Low Maintenance Landscaping and Garde
As a fairly new resident of Florida I look forward to Robert Haehle's NGA email each month, with his great advise & tips. This book is a "must have" for anyone new to tropical gardening, as well as, the Southern natives. The information & beautiful photos are especially helpful in identifying what is in my yard & what I would like to add.

Phenomenal Book
This was very helpful. It organizes plants by type, but gives enough information so you know where they best grow. It has lots of color pictures and also some landscape designs that make it easy for you to create something for your own yard (especially if you are a beginner). I wish there were something like this for the Pacific Northwest (now that I've moved). ... Read more

Book Description

A definitive reference by the recognized authority on the genus, combining taxonomic information with ethnobotanical insights. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent
- Based on 25 years of travel and research, this is the ultimate guide to agaves. This is the second printing of a classic. - Eco Travels in Latin America website END

The Bible of the Agaves is back in print!
Back by Popular Demand The University of Arizona Press called this week, to let me know that they have reprinted Dr. Howard Scott Gentry's Bible of the Agaves..."Agaves of Continental North America." This book, originally printed in 1982, is an indispensable guide to the Agaves, a group of plants that have been used by the people of Mesoamerica for well over 9,000 years. With a copy of this book in your fat little hands, you can learn how to brew up a few cups of killer Mescal and weave a mat to rest on while you contemplate the authority of your brew... Dr. Gentry gave twenty-five years of his life to the Agaves, conducting field research from central Nevada south to the islands off the coast of Panama. Widely recognized as the world's leading authority on the Agaves, Dr. Gentry was an agricultural explorer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more than 30 years. I first met Dr. Gentry while on a field trip in Mexico in the late '50's. I was asked to be his mailman. I delivered mail from the U.S. to him and took mail back to post from El Paso. I learned more about the Agave family in one night around the campfire than I could have learned in two semesters at a University. I was invited to a reception honoring Dr. Gentry back in 1982 at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. The occasion was a giant celebration of the publication of the book Agaves of Continental North America. Part of the funding for the book was from a grant from the National Academy of Science. A day after the reception, Dr. Gentry took me over to his office to share some field data and photos with me. When I asked Dr. Gentry about the fine points of funding research and writing, he smiled and said: "You know, I would rather re-write the entire book and do all of the field work all over again than I would fill out all the paper work necessary to obtain funding from the National Academy." Dr. Gentry's book is one of those rare books that speak to the scholar and to the layman. Every serious student of desert plants needs a copy of this book. I know that Dr. Gentry is in Agave heaven, visiting with Mayahuel, the Goddess of Agaves and together, they are profusely thanking the University of Arizona Press, for this important reprint!

One of the classic books on agaves: a resource.
Exhaustive, well-written, highly-detailed, indispensible for a correct classification of agaves. Nothing currently in print is as authoratative and complete ... Read more

Amazon.com

When your new gardening bible comes with chapters entitled "Birth," "Life," and "Death," you know you're in trouble. But be brave, turn to those chapters, and in some very practical little essays on planting, you'll uncover the very down-to-earth principle from which Piet Oudolf's radical reinvention of gardening is based: plants die.

In the traditional mixed border, shrubs, climbers, perennials, bulbs, and annuals defy mortality; when one plant passes its best, there's always another in the wings, waiting to grab the eye. But such borders have very little impact: there is too little at any one time to hold one's attention. Oudolf wonders why we fight the unavoidable. Why not create borders that bring out the beauty of plants throughout their natural cycles?

Oudolf also thinks our obsession with color is another deadening influence on current gardening practice. Plants have form: leaves, flower heads, and stems have beauty and variety, too, and last far longer than any bloom. Why not create gardens that use the whole plant, not just its genitals? This, as you've probably already guessed, is a recipe for perennials, and without any of that anxious autumn rush to cut down those perfectly lovely bare stems and seed heads.

With these versatile plants, Oudolf would have us all create gardens that change month by month, week by week, even day by day. It's a radical, beautiful vision that's absurdly easy to achieve. In Designing with Plants, Noel Kingsbury has done a terrific job of bringing Oudolf's work within reach of the rest of us. --Simon Ings, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wow
The gardens in this book are amazing. As a landscape design student, the designs in this book give me something to aspire to.

The authors do a good job of providing most of the plants names for what you see in the pictures. The individual information about the plants is beneficial to determining their use.

I just love looking through this book and just enjoying the beauty of these perennials.

Refreshing and Inspiring
This is not a reference book for active, summer gardening. This is an inspiring book for winter gardening by the fireside, a book from which to dream, plan and design and to gain a liberating aspect of gardening.

This book presents a peerless horticultural perspective on natural habitats and how these might be brought to gardens, delivering unique ways of planting and seeing by shape, form, color, size, texture and, singularly, by light. In this the author awes the reader with the beauty of plants affected by the seasons and their elements: light, fog, dew; rain, frost and snow. As a practical tool to aid the shaping of these gardens, he includes an unconventional index that lists the characteristics, cultural requirements and companions for selected plants.

The photography is stunning, enlightening and informative in its content--and valuable. Through their exemplary quality, serious gardeners and professionals will discover a freer and more natural mode of horticultural expression. This is one of the few gardening books that both stimulates and satisfies the spiritual and aesthetic quests of many gardeners.

Tremendous inspiration
Even if the book has designs that seem more than you can handle now, the book is so breathtakingly beautiful that its inspirational value alone make it one of the best I've ever read. In the process of stretching your imagination in just one or two areas, a great deal of result may be seen in your garden, and you will have pulled the target for your creativity up several notches.

Designing with Plants
A good resource for the personal landscape and a even better one for the professional. The two authors did a wonderful job laying out the many ways in which plants can be used to create the outdoor room and place. Their bold approach is reinforced beautifully in the full color photographs that are abundtly found on the pages of the book. Not a lot of additional information, but there are numerous lists and tables to help guide in ones plant selection. More slanted towards the professional, yet for the true gardener, a wonderful addition to your library. ... Read more

Book Description

Plant Life of Kentucky is the first comprehensive account of the native and naturalized ferns, flowering herbs, and woody plants of Kentucky.

Ronald L. Jones has compiled detailed identification keys to families, genera, and species. The plant family descriptions contain information on wildlife and human uses, important weeds, poisonous plants, and medicinal herbs, and the species accounts provide scientific and common names, flowering periods, habitat, physiographic distribution, state and federal designations, and wetland ranking. A total of 179 families, 856 genera, and 2,600 species and infraspecific taxa are included, and nearly 2,000 line drawings illustrate the volume.

The extensive introduction includes information on a variety of topics, including the history of the flora, vegetation types, and current conservation issues.

Plant Life of Kentucky is an authoritative, accessible guide to Kentucky's flora, and an indispensable resource for students, teachers, researchers, wildlife biologists, farmers, county agents, amateur naturalists, land planners, environmental consultants, foresters, and conservationists. ... Read more

Book Description

The Visual Method for the Practical Identification and Recognition of Shrubs (and vines and ground covers) -- and an important supplement to existing botanical methods.

The book is in two parts: Pictorial Keys and Master Pages. The Keys are designed for easy visual comparison of details which look alike, narrowing the identification of a shrub to one of a small group -- the family or genus.

Then, in the Master Pages, the species of the shrub is determined, with similar details placed together to highlight differences within the family group, thus eliminating all other possibilities. The details of laurel blossoms on this plate are an example and are followed in the book by details of laurel fruit, leaves, and bark.

All of the 3,550 photographs were made specifically for use in this book and were taken either in the field or of fresh material carefully selected from the more than 20,000 specimens collected. Wherever possible, details such as leaves, fruit, twigs, etc., appear in actual size; otherwise, similar details are reproduced in the same scale.

Reviews (5)

great book
I think this book is great. I've been able to id almost every tree/shrub we've got in our woods (I also purchased some of the other books by this author so I can id vines and things too). True the pictures are in black and white but it really isn't a big deal. You're looking at leaf shape and vein designs and things like that - it would be green and white if it were in color. I think its a terrific reference and I'd buy it all over again

Fantastic guide!
I bought both Symonds' Shrub guide and Tree guide. They are both terrific! The Shrub guide has not only shrubs but also vines and ground covers. It has plants that I've been wanting to be able to id for ages but because the only book I had found until now were wild flower guides, I was always at a loss. This book is fantastic. It has master plant pages a the back so you can look at all the parts of the plants together (I use this when i have an idea of what it might be already and just need to narrow it down) or you can go to the parts sections in the front of the book and go to "leaves" for example and search that way. Its the best approach I've seen and the pictures, although black and white - are terrific. They show great detail and actuall because they're b/w you're not confused by variations in color. Definitely one one my best books - the one I go to first.

Rare and valuable multiple entry key
"This is a 'multiple entry' key, a rare type. You can start with any part of the plant - leaf, twig, flower, bark, even armament -- and quickly reduce your possibilities or confirm your id.

the best field guide for shrubs
This came highly recommended by the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commisions, so I had my local library borrow it from another town library for a test-read. It proved to be the BEST field guide I've found yet for shrubs. I got my own copy for Chrstmas, but am slightly disappointed by the too-dark printing of the excellent photography, which is why I gave it 4-stars. The author's contribution is immortal, the publisher's effort less impressive. Nevertheless, it is an invaluable addition to a naturalist's collection.

A visual guide
Companion to The Tree Identification Book, a visual method with photos and but minimal text needed. Sections on: leaves, Flowers, Fruit, Twigs, Bark (all photos refer to master pages), and Mater Pages by species which include all these characteristics, plus common and scientific names, size, and range, of species native or common to the U.S. and much of Canada. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very useful manual for coastal wetland plants:
Sections include:
-Coastal Wetland Ecology: A General Overview (different tidal wetland habitats, their description and characteristics, & typical species of each)
-Identification of Coastal Wetland Plants (keyed system, easy to use diagnostic keys)
-WETLAND PLANT DESCRIPTIONS and ILLUSTRATIONS (this is over half the book, organized by environment: Each entry with name, common and scientific names, family, full description, habitat, range, similar species, and very accurate diagram drawings by Abigail Rorer. Over 150 species covered).
-Places to Observe Coastal Wetlands, with maps
-Sources of Other Information, References, Glossary, and Index.

Should the author ever desire to revise or write another edition, I hope he doesn't change much, as it is good, but he might consider adding a few key upland plants which grow in extreme proximity to coastal wetland plants; these might be American Beach Grass (Ammophila brevigulata), Beachpeas (Lathyrus maritimus), Seaside Rose (Rosa), Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), Sea Celery (Ligusticum scoticum), Common Sow Thistle or Beach Lettuce (Sondus oleraceae) - but these are easily learned on their own.

This is an excellent, very well written reference manual, useful to environmental consultants, wetland delineators, and botanists. Get a plastic book cover to protect it, and use it in the field (or salt-marsh, as the case may be). This may be the best text on this particular subject. -DMM ... Read more

Book Description

PLANT BIOLOGY, Second Edition provides a complete introduction to the science of plants, combining the most current, real-world examples with information on plant biodiversity and ecology, including topics like biotechnology, economic botany, and plant/human interactions.PLANT BIOLOGY begins with elements of botany that are most familiar to students: the structure, function, reproduction, physiology, and genetics of flowering plants. The evolutionary survey is then presented, with detail on the Prokaryotes, Protists, Fungi, Bryophytes, early Tracheophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms. The overall sequence of subjects builds from metabolism and plant function to reproduction, then from simpler to more advanced organisms, concluding with two ecological chapters. Each chapter has been written in a modular fashion, however, to allow them to be taught in any order.In this new edition, the biodiversity chapters provide the best-supported, most current phylogenetic view of the organisms. Cladistics are introduced along with basic information, including gene sequences, followed by modern studies using cladistics and sequence information to identify natural plant groupings. Through this presentation, students can appreciate different types of evidence that describe the past events and directions of evolution.Ecology is another exciting area of study for the introductory student. Can photosynthesis by plants ease problems associated with the burning of fossil fuels? Can we stem biodiversity loss through better ecosystem management? Questions like these are addressed, making the text topical, readable, and a useful guide, all the while maintaining the length and language appropriate for beginning biology students. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This book is a great visual help to botany
I bought this book as a additional resource to a basic plant science course that I was taking.It has great pictures, and explanations on the basic proceses in plants. This is not a book that a begining self taught person could learn from easily.This is a textbook, not a home gardener's type book. The only drawback is the binding.All the books that I have seen have been falling apart.I would recommend the spiral bound edition or just live with the binding

This book is junk
I'm a UC Davis student who took the plant biology course that uses this book. The professor doesn't even follow the book because it's so bad. It's unorganized, confusing, and useless for my class. Even some of the illustrations in the book are wrong. Don't buy this book if you just plan to learn plant biology. If you have to buy this book because course requirement, good luck ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Don't get me started!
I have always been interested in horticulture and gardening. However this is the book the peaked my interest in arborculture above all else! The possibilities here are dizzying.. While the book is comprehensive as a text the layman can jump right in to what most interests them without much prior knowledge. The pictures are very enlightening while the greenhouse techniques are practical even for partime nurserymen, gardeners, or hobbiest.

This has everything on tree propagation by species.
An excellent and thorough review of propagation techniques by species. Covers a wide range of tree types and the best method to propagate. Would love an update with southern hemisphere data where appropriate. ... Read more

Book Description

This completely revised classic volume is an up-to-date synthesis of the intensive research devoted to woody plants. Intended primarily as a text for students and a reference for researchers, this interdisciplinary book should be useful to a broad range of scientists from agroforesters, agronomists, and arborists to plant pathologists, ecophysiologists, and soil scientists. Anyone interested in plant physiology will find this text invaluable.

Key Features
* Includes supplementary chapter summaries and lists of general references
* Provides a solid foundation of reference information
* Thoroughly updated classic text/reference ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition of Whitmore's classic introduction to tropical rain forests has been comprehensively revised and updated, reflecting the changes which have taken place since it was first published in 1990. The sections on human impact have been extended to include a new global assessment of deforestation as well as details of new research on biodiversity and conservation. Discussion of the future of the rain forests and priorities for action is incorporated. The book remains unique in linking rain forest biology and ecology with silviculture, and with concerns over sustainable resource utilization and the future of the tropical rain forests. It includes sections on the diverse animal and plant life forms which are found in the rain forest, and the interconnections between them. Nutrient cycles and forest dynamics are fully explained, with new data on ecophysiology and forest microclimates. The geologic and climatic history of rain forests, and the wide-spread canopy disturbances now understood to have occurred in the past, are explored. Accessibly written, and illustrated throughout with line-drawings and photographs, this is a must for biology and geography students, and anyone else who seeks to know more about the nature and importance of the world's tropical rain forests. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

this book was very enriching and enlightening, spiritual
It was a book that helped me gain knowledge but it also made me want to go out and explore it, it was fabulous Icould hardly put it down and it helped a lot with my research paper. Thanks ... Read more

Country Living Gardener

This handsome guide, written by an ever-practical expert on shade gardening, "tells almost as much about the mechanics of moss gardening as the Kama Sutra does about dancing." ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Esoteric, beautiful, reverent book for moss & lichen lovers
This is a beautiful book, and I treasure it. I've shared it with several others who value the green mosses and lichens of the outdoors and they were also impressed. It is high quality paper, every picture (abundant) is in color. The descriptions are thorough. It is a treasured book of mine, one of my favorites for information and for pleasure. The joy of moss and worts.

I Love This Book!
Lush photographes of excellent quality. Mr.Schenk writes with flair and wit and as though he is speaking directly to you, the reader. I can't get enough of this book. I want to memorize all of it's info. So much in such a tiny book and with such personality. {no dry science book of the 50's, 60's and 70's.}He gives you exactly what he said he would in his preface. Great read and lovely to look at.

Moss Gardening is marvelous!
Impressively illustrated with glorious full color photographs of the many & various moods of moss gardening from a tilled sand Zen meditation complete with mossy stones to wild, serene woodlands carpeted with lush colonies glowing in slanting sunshine, this is one Edenesque read. If you know of anyone with moss on their minds, this is a unique love story of one fellow who bent down to earth to study these little green plants. As magnificent as the subject itself. Very well done!

Bryophyte Buddha
"Moss Gardening" is inspirational reading. The author's Zen-like appreciation of these tiny plants is infectious. A chapter that is sort of a field guide would have been helpfull, although it may have not fit with the author's intention. This book's purpose is to arrouse passion and it does that job well.

Good one
I recommend this book to begineers, it is nicely written and easy to understand. Will definitely encourage you into moss growing.

I would have appreciated a mean of identifying the types of moss that already grow in my garden, maybe some magnified pictures ? There are in this book but maybe not close enough. Although there are 15000 types of moss, maybe it is too tricky.

Good book anyway ... Read more

Book Description

Rock Garden Plants: A Color Encyclopedia is a unique resource, invaluable for beginning and expert rock gardeners alike. From Abies balsamea to Zinnia grandiflora, Mineo mentions more than 1300 plants, none of which grow to more than 24 inches (60 centimeters). He describes plants that have extremely diverse characteristicsperennial, herbaceous, succulent, shrubby, woody, and more. They have very different requirements for sun, soil, and temperature; included are true alpines, plants for dry or desert areas, woodland plants, Mediterranean plants, and plants for other climates. A thorough appendix lists rock garden plants for specific purposes and locations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very Beautiful Book
Clearly a work of long effort and love, this magnificent volume shows what'you've always wanted to grow in your rock garden'...including some very rare, very astonishing plants. The only thing it seems to lack is a discussion of some of the finer points of culture of some of these gems, but if you've gotten to the point of growing some of them, well, you'll know.

Seeing is believing
One of the most difficult parts of selecting rock garden plants is anticipating what they will look like in one's own rock garden. The pictures and descriptions in Baldassare Mineo's book are extraordinarily accurate, interesting and authoritative. We've seen Mineo's thrilling gardens and know that he understands his subject from the scree up! This book will become a classic. ... Read more

Book Description

A critical, synthetic and comprehensive account offering discussion of early environments, the history of thought on land plant origins, various approaches used to study early plant evolution and the characteristics of green algae. Includes new ideas regarding evolution, comparative studies of fossil plants and carbon availability. Features abundant illustrations and an extensive bibliography. ... Read more

Book Description

The most complete work on the medicinal plants of western North America, this guide offers the best information in the world on the nearly 500 species covered, much of it available for the first time. More than 530 color photographs illustrate the plants. An index to medical topics helps locate information on specific ailments. Symbols next to the plant descriptions provide quick visual warnings for poisonous and allergenic plants. Organized by flower color for fast identification, this guide is an essential aid to appreciating native plants and the wild areas they inhabit. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Botany contribution.
Peterson's Guide to Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs is a contribution to botany and field identification. This guide includes medicinal species, potentially dangerous ones, and plants with true healing powers. There is a description of range, habitat, medicinal uses, and a toxicity warning beside the species listing. Hundreds of species are covered, making a classic guide, one that deserves to revolutionize the botanical field guide section.

Best of Field
Peterson Field Guides has produced another winner. Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and Christopher Hobbs is a gorgeous guide book by, pardon the pun, the leaders in the field. This particular field guides sets the standard by which all medicinal plant guides should follow. Brilliant colour photographs of the over 500 identified species organized by colour for quick reference helps any novice quickly identify the plant and what'll happen if you try to make tea out of it. The detailed plant descriptions also include scientific name, family, location found, historical medicinal uses as well as highlighted warnings for poisons, allergies and other areas of caution. A very unique and special field guide Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs also offers harvesting and conservation tips. Pick this book up before you even considering picking flowers, herbs or plants for uses other than the filling your vase, it's a must have for anyone spending any extended time in the outdoors. ... Read more

Book Description

This essential guide to safety in the field features 90 venomous animals and more than 250 poisonous plants and fungi. The 340 line drawings make identification fast and simple; 160 species are also illustrated with color photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Essential to Everyone Outdoors
"Peterson's Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants" is the first thing to be packed in one's backpack.It is essential to every hiker, camper, naturalist, hunter, bird watcher and nature lover. There are a hell of alot less hazards than benign plants and animals (although this varies somewhat according to region. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US has it easy compared to the Southwest) and while most people could identify a few, it doesnt make sense not to learn the 2-3 dozen major ones to avoid.

The book is up to Peterson's usual high standards in a field guide. It covers mammals followed by poisonous plants, shrubs/trees, vines, ferns and fungi. There are color photographs but the black and white drawings are the way to go for IDing. Most people will not read the entire book unless they're a hardcore naturalist or really, really bored in front of a campfire. I recommend checking out the hazards in your partiualr area icluding AT LEAST the following: 1. All poisonous snakes and their look-a-likes 2. Black Widow and Brown Recluse spider 3. Tics and Scorpions 4. Bees, Wasps, Fire Ants 5. Poisonous Plants including the Big 3: Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac 6. Poisonous Mushrooms (not so you can learn which you can eat, but to understand the severity of eating just one wrong one)

There's alot that won't apply to you(save those for a rainy day) and some hazards are less hazardous than others. For example, the short-tail shrew is listed, but most people need not live in fear of "killer shrews". But knowing that their bite has some bite to it, maybe you'll avoid juggling those cute furry creatures. Also, large mammals aren't included, though bears and mountain lions can seem pretty hazardous to me in some situations.I recommend supplementing your reading with "Bear Aware" by Bill Schneider and "Mountain Lion Alert" by Steven Torres. In addition, I wouldn't trust this book solely to gather a gourmet wild mushroom feast, either. I've seen some books topping 1,000 pages on edible shrooms and they still might not be complete. Its best to leave the shrooms alone!
Finally, there are a few diseases found outdoors worth researching: Giardia, hantavirus, rabies, and lyme disease among others.

Also recommended: "Peterson's Wild Edible Plants" and "Medicinal Plants".

Before you know what's edible, know what'll kill you!
Before you dash out into the woods and pick some plants you think are edible, you might want to get this book and know definitely what will kill you, or really mess up your body. Excellent info, bright color pictures, and written for an easy understanding, this book should be in any nature enthusiast's library, right next to Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, possibly the best plant identification guide around.

i didn't know that!
did you know that boxwood, the ever present suburban hedge, is mildly poisonous? i didn't! a very useful book to reference for what not to touch, eat, or annoy. ... Read more

Book Description

New England's diverse geography overflows with edible plant and animal species. Through the seasons, this forager's paradise offers a continually changing list of wild, harvestable treasures. From Beach Peas to Serviceberries, Lamb's-Quarters to Lady's Thumb, Hen of the Woods to Mugworts, Foraging New England guides you to the edible wild foods and healthful herbs of the Northeast. Organized by environmental zone, this valuable reference guide will help you identify and appreciate the wild bounty of New England. Inside you'll find: detailed descriptions of edible plants and animals; tips on finding, preparing, and using foraged foods; a glossary of botanical terms; eighty-seven color photos. Use Foraging New England as a field guide or as a delightful armchair read. No matter what you're looking for, be it the curative Heal-All or tasty Purslane, this guide will enhance your next backpacking trip or easy stroll around the garden, and may just provide some new favorites for your dinner table. (6 x 9, 208 pages, color photos) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Nature's Bounty
Tom Seymour, acclaimed as a naturalist from the State of Maine, has written a fascinating survey of nature's bounty. This book is highly recommended to readers with an interest in ecology and the world of nature. The author supplies much hard to find information concerning nature's many hidden treasures: edible plants, medicinal plants, and the like. The book features superb color plates, cross-referencing, and a writing style that says "keep reading...." ... Read more

Book Description