Book Description

First compact dictionary to combine definitions of botanical names in general usage with information on their derivation and guides to pronunciation. A monumental index provides a cross-reference from some 1,800 common plant names to corresponding botanical ones. Indispensable reference combines thoroughness, botanical rigor and interesting facts and lore—all leavened with touches of humor.
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Reviews (3)

Vintage etymological dictionary
This is reprint of A.W.Smith's classic, which since then has been revised by William T. Stearn as "A Gardener's Dictionary of Plant Names" (1972) and "Stearn's Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners" (1992). Comparing it with the latter it is obvious at once that there still is a great similarity, with many entries a 100% identical. The major differences are that the latter has a more modern layout, is updated and contains more information.

This reprint of the original has as bonus points that it is cheaper and includes directions at pronounciation. In some cases it also contains bits of information which were edited out of its modern descendant.

Review of "A Gardener's Book of Plant Names"
I needed a book to use to give me the derivation of the scientific names for plants found in the wild throughout California. I looked at fifteen books at the University of California Davis Library and checked out five. I found this book to be the most useful of the bunch. It had the name of almost every plant I looked up, whereas most of the others had far fewer. I recommend this book if you want to know the derivation of plant names, whether in the garden or in the wild.

I am Happy
I am Min Hye Young. I am living in Seoul, Korea ... Read more

Book Description

Picking up where typical field guides leave off, this handy reference takes an ecological approach, providing complete descriptions of 85 plants found in fields, open meadows, and along roadsides--from Ailanthus to Yucca--as well as wildlife communities associated with them. Written in an engaging manner, this book helps readers identify dry-land plants, discusses what other organisms, plant and animal, might be found in the same area, and explains why. ... 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

Based on the immensely popular six-part BBC program that will air in the United States during the fall of 1995, this book offers what writer/filmmaker David Attenborough is best known for delivering: an intimate view of the natural world wherein a multitude of miniature dramas unfold. In the program and book, both titled The Private Life of Plants, Attenborough treks through rainforests, mountain ranges, deserts, beaches, and home gardens to show us things we might never have suspected about the vegetation that surrounds us. With their extraordinary sensibility, plants compete endlessly for survival and interact with animals and insects: they can see, count, communicate, adjust position, strike, and capture. Attenborough makes the plant world a vivid place for readers, who in this book can enjoy the tour at their own pace, taking in the lively descriptions and nearly 300 full-color photos showing plants in close detail. The author reveals to us the aspects of plants' lives that seem hidden from view, such as fighting, avoiding or exploiting predators or neighbors, and struggling to find food, increase their territories, reproduce themselves, and establish their place in the sun. Among the most amazing examples, the acacia can communicate with other acacias and repel enemies that might eat their leaves, the orchid can impersonate female wasps to attract males and ensure the spreading of its pollen, the Venus's flytrap can take other organisms captive and consume them. Covering this remarkable range of information with enthusiasm and clarity, Attenborough helps us to look anew at the vegetation on which all life depends and which has an intriguing life of its own. He has created a book sure to please the plant lover and any other reader interested in exploring the natural world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Big picture botany
This book presents an overview of many areas of botany. The book is written in an informal style for the general reader rather than specialists or university students. Nevertheless, it contains a wealth of facts and information about hundreds, if not thousands of plant species. What I especially liked about the book is that it doesn't get bogged down in details when discussing topics such as seed dispersal or pollination. Instead, Attenborough has done an admirable job of explaining the issues in very clear language. He also provides numerous examples and anecdotes, along with several full color photos on every page. The photos certainly make this book a fine volume for the coffee table. As an aside, Attenborough is a British author, so some of his examples are of British or European plants that Americans may not be familiar with. At times, Attenborough's almost anti-academic style can also go a little overboard, such as when he rejects the standard practice of italicizing Latin species names. Nevertheless, the book is quite well written, and will be of interest to anyone who likes plants or photography. It could also serve as a science resource for home schoolers.

Brill
A fantastic book which brings plants alive

Interesting and fascinating book of an fore me unknow world
David Attenborough describes the interesting life of plants in a very interesting way, and that makes the book to my number one. He is telling us about the evolution and how it developed the plants, how it have given the spicies such spectacular behaviors, behaviors most of us didn't know about. ... Read more

Book Description

Prickly and frequently taking strange shapes, cacti often thrive when given minimal care, and sometimes languish when owners "nurse them to death." This handsomely illustrated book introduces plant growers to the basics of cactus care and cultivation, then presents an alphabetized, photo illustrated directory of roughly 50 varieties--from Acanthocalycium to Uebelmannia pectinifera. Only avid plant lovers need remember the scientific names. More practical for plant growers, and shown in stunning photographs, is the magnificent variety of cactus flowers that blossom from the fascinating shapes of these plants. In addition to the identifying photos, each plant profile includes information on original region of growth and growth period. Readers get instructions for care, propagation information, and the botanical designation for each cactus plant shown. Cactus enthusiasts will also find sidebar tips that cover everything from water, soil, and light needs to the origins of some of the more interesting cactus names. This remarkable book features more than 275 color photos, a glossary, a directory of American and Canadian cactus societies, supply sources, and a detailed index. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My First Book Ever on Cactus Care.
I have been an avid cactus fan since I was very young (I'm 16 now), but I never had a really good book on cacti until now. This one is concise, comprehensive, and offers a wide range of gorgeous color photos. Sure, it was the only one my local bookstore had. But by the same token, it is excellent, and not too expensive either. For the cactus lover.

Great for beginners and early collectors
Enough information for beginners to start with and valuable information for early collector to keep in mind. EXCELLENT ILLUSTRATIONS!. It has a great variety of species for the size of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Over 2 million square miles of the United States is covered in prairie and is the largest ecosystem on the continent; the prairies are the heartland of the continent, a vast, windswept plain that flows from Alberta south to Texas and from the Rockies east to the Mississippi River. This is big sky country, and until recently, one of the richest and most magnificent natural grasslands in the world. Today, however, the North American prairies are among the most altered environments on Earth. Thorough, detailed, and scientifically up-to-date, Prairie: A Natural History provides a comprehensive nontechnical guide to the biology and ecology of this fabled environment, offering a view of the past, a vision for the future, and a clear focus on the present. Sidebars throughout highlight various grasslands species, tell fascinating natural history and conservation stories, and present the traditional Native view of the prairie and its inhabitants. ... 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

Fungi have come into demand as sources of biological control agents and of particular physiological active substances. Recent studies indicate that fungi can be the prime cause of sinusitis, asthma, and allergenic troubles. Some fungi can be useful however, and can be used to improve the overall quality of human life. With very few books available on the subject of soil and seed fungi, Tsuneo Watanabe's book remains the only work that details information on techniques for isolating, culturing, and identifying soil and seed fungi. This new edition of Pictorial Atlas of Soil and Seed Fungi describes more than 350 fungal species, including:-46 Mastigomycetous species-33 Zygomycetous species-36 Ascomycetous species -9 Basidiomycetous species-240 Deuteromycetous speciesIn this atlas, Watanabe presents the results of his soil-borne plant disease studies including pathological and mycological aspects. The Pictorial Atlas of Soil and Seed Fungi, Second Edition includes 45 new fungal species illustrated in brilliant detail using original photomicrographs and line drawings. ... Read more

Book Description

This field guide includes all the flora and fauna you're most likely to see in the forests of eastern North America. With 53 full-color plates and 80 color photos illustrating trees, birds, mammals, wildflowers, mushrooms, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, beetles, and other insects. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Introducing the Eastern Forest
The purpose of this guide is not to assist one in identifying species of flora and fauna found in the Eastern Forest--such a tome would be monumental in size--but rather to instill in the reader an understanding of the forest's general dynamics. The book is divided into eight sections; they are:

1) How to use this book
2) Forest field marks
3) Eastern forest communities
4) Disturbance and pioneer plants
5) Adaptation
6) Paterns of spring
7) Nature in summer
8) Autumn and winter

This book is an excellent beginning point for those who want to develope a better understanding of forest ecology. I highly recommend it.

If you can only buy one field guide, buy this one.
Eastern Forests is a good field guide for both experts and beginners. Makes a great gift for young naturalists. This book not only provides identification means; it also answers odds and end questions about why plants and animals do different things. Everything from newt behavior to how weather affects bird migration is covered in this guide.

A Great Buy, Very Interesting
This is a great field guide that covers many aspects of forests East of the Great Plains. Although it covers many common species of both animal and plant, it is not overly helpful for positively identifying individual species; and if one wants that, you are better off with a more specific field guide (i.e., Eastern Birds). It does, however, detail the workings of a forest and accompanies this fascinating text with 53 color plates, 80 color photos and many black and white drawings. In the first few chapters, it demonstrates the different forest types through indicator species; and it details the process of Old Field succesion, and the animals and plants that come and go as the process progresses. In the last chapters adaptation, and seasonal patterns are covered. I would highly reccommend this field guide for any one who would like to know how a forest works. ... Read more

Book Description

In this groundbreaking study, 100 different wild plants(including many common weeds)from the Minnesota-Wisconsin area are carefully monographed as to their edibility and/or healing potential.Forty-eight pages of plates containing 171 full-color photos are included to complement the detailed physical descriptions that are provided in the text, often showing the plant in several stages of growth or zooming in on particular features.In addition, several thousand references are made from over 800 bibliographic items (largely consisting of scientific and ethnobotanical studies) in order to buttress the extensive textual information on the edible and medicinal facets of the plants.Rounded out with a glossary, several appendices (including a guide to making herbal extracts at home and a detailed classification of the plants by physiological functions), and a 21-page comprehensive index, this first-of-its-kind study for the upper Midwestern states is sure to become a classic! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Editor, Medical Herbalism journal
Excellent, not limited to Minn and Wis. An excellent overview of 100 plants from the Prairies and forests of the upper midwest. In-depth review of historical uses balanced with the author's own clinical experience and practical how-to informaiton. Good safety data and recommendations. Most of these plants grow around me in Colorado, and everywhere in the 1500 miles to the authors home, so the book's title is too limited.

The Answer Book
I wouldn't say this is the one and only book you'll ever need. But it certainly is a GREAT addition to anyone's herbal library. It's relatively easy to use, because the plants are listed in alphabetical order by their common names. The food qualities and health benefits of the plants are thorough and informative, as well as their habitat and visual description. Points of interest are easy to find and there is a listing of plants that are good for certain illnesses. Plus short descriptions of how to use and prepare them.

This book is very scientific and seems to cover it all in an up-to-date fashion. But if you're not familiar with terms in botany and biology you'll find this book a little difficult to understand. It has a good glossary but a dictionary is still handy at times.
None the less the book has true to life color photos, which are the best I've seen for wild plant identification. Considerably this just may be the answer book for this topic. It's defiantly worth the price, if you desire to take wild herb collecting seriously.

A truly impressive compendium of information
A disclaimer at the beginning of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants Of Minnesota & Wisconsin warns that some wild plants are toxic or even deadly; though the author Matthew Alfs has made every effort to completely describe safe ways to recognize, harvest, and prepare edible wild plants, they cannot be held liable for any adverse effects. With that sober caution in mind, Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants Of Minnesota & Wisconsin is a truly impressive compendium of information and lore about the art of foraging. A beautiful section of color photographs aptly illustrates the many species of edible plants discussed and described herein. User-friendly introductions to using wild plants for food and health benefits are written in clear, concise text easily accessible to the lay reader. A glossary, exhaustive list of references and comprehensive index round out this superbly presented and very highly recommended guide. ... Read more

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 (1)

Scholarly, yet accessible.
This book is a little pricey, but sometimes you get what you pay for. The keys are fabulous, the photography excellent, and by limiting itself to boletes, this book covers most of what you will find, at least in North America. I have been collecting, identifying, and eating wild mushrooms for years, and this is one of the best reference books of the many I've used. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Don¿t throw away your hoe and spade yet
This book is a catalog of mostly uncultivated plants that are edible or have medicinal purposes. The entries are arranged alphabetically by common name, so there is no key system- -if you're looking at a plant and you don't already know it's name, you'll have to leaf through every page of the book to see if it's there. For each entry, there is a short article that provides other names for the plant, and description, distribution, and information about uses. There is also an idealized color illustration of the plant to aid identification. The description sections are not consistent in the types of information that they provide- -some descriptions cover the plant, the fruit, or the flowers, while others cover history, varieties, and more distribution information. The uses section tells us which parts of the plant can be consumed, and how they must be prepared to eliminate any toxins that might be present.

I was quite excited after reading the introduction to this book- -wow! So many plants are out there in the forest just waiting for those in the know to come by and eat them. Why plant a garden? But as I read the entries for each individual plant, I began to recognize that it would be hard to get your sole nutrition from the wild plants mentioned here. A great many of the plants are leafy greens, that are too bitter or too toxic to eat without at least soaking and often boiling, possibly several times. That got me wondering about how much nutrition could be left in a plate of well boiled wild greens, if we are cautioned not to cook cultivated greens in a similar manner because all the vitamins will be washed away. If you have to boil the heck out of these things to make them edible, wouldn't you be better off with greens that have been cultivated for thousands of years to be tender enough to consume them raw, straight out of the garden? In addition to the leafy greens, Angier includes a few fruits like blueberries and cranberries (the illustration for blueberry leaves is like none I've ever seen in the wild before), some trees like maples and others where you can eat the inner bark lining (hopefully without killing too many trees), and some edible tubers. The descriptions of the edible tubers seem the most promising, nutritionally. Overall, I found this book an interesting read as well as somewhat informative, but I think I will keep on gardening after all.

Better than many others
I find this one useful. Drawings are not "natural" but compensate by revealing all major parts clearly: root, leaf, flower, stems. Anyway, I find one needs at least two books for reliable identity and often for any ID at all. Variations among species make identity of individual plants a lot harder than it might seem, excepting for a few easy plants like cat tails, purslane, etc. I agree with a prior reviewer that absence of poisonous plants is unfortunate. Also, absence of scientific names is not good, since common names aren't reliable.

A little knowledge can be dangerous...
This book is very interesting with nice pictures but should not be used as a primary source in the field. In my opinion, it gives a false sense of security by failing to mention poisonous plants that appear similar to those highlighted. Also, it does not pay particular attention to precise plant identification and therefore should not be used for this purpose. Overall, I have enjoyed this book immensely, but would recommend it with caution.

Saved my Life!
When I was stranded with my dog in the Alaska Wilderness for a week and a half, this book saved my life. Without it, how could I have eaten well until the aircraft came - yes, you heard - eaten well! I thank Bradford Angier greatly for this wonderful text!

Great book if you already know some plants...
And still ok if you're clueless. The book's small size, a convenience in the field, limits the amount of illustrations it can contain. For example, the entire gooseberry/currant family is represented by three pictures, all fitting on one page. The text, on the other hand, can't be matched. My suggestion would be to pair this book with a field guide to wild plants until you can recognise them by sight. ... Read more

Book Description

Packed with full-color photos, easy-to-read charts and information, this reference and how-to book is for anyone interested in dry-climate plants from California to Texas.

Plants for Dry Climates offers complete descriptions of more than 300 species, including a variety of low-maintenance and drought-resistant plants. Over 430 color photographs and useful plant charts help you choose your annuals, perennial color, ground cover and trees.

You will also learn how to modify the microclimate in your garden or landscape. Reduce glare and control wind and air flow to create the perfect atmosphere for your landscape plants. Combined with the detailed information on growth characteristics, uses and specific soil, sun, water, temperature and maintenance needs, you'll have all you need to successfully grow plants in dry climates.

Tells how to:
Plan and plant an easy-care landscape
Use plants to modify your climate and save energy
Grow lawns, vegetables and flowers

Identify and treat common plant problems
Use landscape themes
Utilize the minioasis concept
Differentiate climate ingredients that affect plant selection ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Plants for Warm and Dry Climates
Although this book supposedly covers my region of New Mexico, I found so little in it that applied to me that I am returning it. Three-fourths of the book is a plant reference, and most of the plants are not cold hardy below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, making about half the book wasted paper as far as I am concerned. Also, a lot of xeric standards for this region are missing.

If you can, check the map on pages 2-3 to make sure that you live in the Low or Middle regions (as I write this, the map is included in the scanned pages here on Amazon, but isn't displaying properly). For the High region, I recommend instead any of the books by Judith Phillips, who writes toward climates that are slightly wetter and somewhat cooler than the ones that are the focus here.

excellent selection
I borrowed 3 books related to xeriscaping from the library. This was an absolute find, well-organized, full color pictures, with water, soil and sun requirements listed. I chose it as my one MUST have book.

An informative, "user friendly" book
Southwest gardeners who live in very dry areas will benefit from Mary Rose Duffield and Warren Jones' Plants For Dry Climates, an informative, "user friendly" book which tells how to build and maintain a landscape on very little water. Plants For Dry Climates and a focus on organizing a planting area based on usage makes for a title which tells how plants can improve the climate around one's house.

Wonderfull plant directory with great color photos
The plant dictionary is very thorough, and helpful.The color photos are an excellent tool for someone who is unfamiliar with plants for dry regions. Information is easy to find, and to the point.

outstanding book for xeriscaping
The authors start out with the background information regarding the environment and basic gardening techniques. Then the book provides in-depth information on the suitable plants along with photographs. These detailed descriptions are very useful and clear. I highly recommend to anyone who is thinking or just want to know about xeriscaping. ... Read more

Book Description

The world of plants and its relation to mankind as revealed by the latest scientific discoveries. "Plenty of hard facts and astounding scientific and practical lore."--Newsweek ... Read more

Reviews (30)

This book has information that MUST be shared with the world
This was a very informative book. It shows how scientists have recently proven plant thought, emotion, and sensing powers. This book must be read by as many people as possible (except parts of chapter two) before any more of the horrible plant abuse that I am constantly witnessing takes place. This book confirmed many beliefs about plants that I had prior to reading it, and it will help in much of my own experimentation. Thank you Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird!

Life affirming scientific case studies of vegetable life
It is an axiom oft stated that the magic of one century becomes the science of the next. This overly hopeful idea of how perceptions of human knowledge change in time is not supported by this book. Ideas seen as magical are not inevitably accepted by mainstream scientists; instead, theories and practices proven by experiment are routinely denied admission into the halls of academe, because of they support a science of life rather than one of death, and envision a universe which is alive and fertile, a living organism in fact, rather than one which is dead and brittle, made up of pieces with which scientists can play as if they were Tinkertoys.

Tompkins and Bird present this thesis by means of a number of case studies of thinkers at the vanguard of botanical thought. Among these actors in this new study of plant life are Cleve Backster, who showed that plants can sense the emotions of humans; Luther Burbank, who demonstrated that plants will grow to please members of our race; and various researchers who proved that plants will respond to music, growing toward the music of Bach and fleeing that of Led Zeppelin. These experiments prove conclusively that the standard definition of plants as insensible is inaccurate.

These experiments are only the surface of this book, however, the intent of which is not only to do away with old thinking on this matter, but also to inform us or perhaps just to remind us that the entire planet is alive, and that it is for the good of the planet that we begin to feed ourselves in a simpler manner. The authors accordingly provide case studies of farmers, such as J. Rodale, who raise healthy crops without artificial fertilizers or pesticides. These crops have a far greater output than do those raised by conventional methods, because the earth responds to the simpler methods better than to the harsh materialistic approaches advocated by the government and by fertilizer manufacturers.

This book, then, will show those willing to see that plants not only can communicate with us, but that they also are willing to work with humanity to return us to Eden, or more prosaically, that through methods less harmful to the environment and less expensive than commercial fertilizers, farmers can raise crops which surpass the abundance of those raised by conventional methods. There are a few cases, such as those in the chapter on radionic pesticides, which were not supported by sufficient evidence to prove their points, but in general this book demonstrates that plants are indeed more alive than we suspected, and are our willing helpmates in all aspects of life, if we would but listen. Recommended for all who work with plants, and for those who already believe in the living universe, and who want to see scientific confirmation of that fact.

licks the bottom of the toilet
Pseudo-science, fantasy, mysticism, fuzziness, all within a hard "OH NOS THE CLOSED-MINDED SCIENTIFIC ESTABLISHMENT IS TRYING TO QUIET THE TRUTH (and God forbid we should expose our fragile plants to controlled, repeatable, verifiable conditions) RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE" shell. I liked this book when I was sixteen, and preferred dreams over reality. Now, with slightly higher standards, I find this book worth little more than the cackles evoked on nearly every page.

A Fine Companion Book To "Silent Spring"
The science of plant life and human interaction come to life in this fine book and if read with an open mind and heart, one will no doubt be left with a new awe and feeling for our plant world. One might also feel the rage about the assault of the thoughtless/needless chemical assaults perpetrated against plant life- overflowing into all other life forms- what goes around, comes around! (Kharma, as in bad?)

Rachel Carson's beautiful and enlightning work: "Silent Spring", is mentioned along with a host of other not so well known scientist and farmer's such as England's Friend Sykes who in 1951 wrote about the alarming side effects of the chemical pesticides and fertilizers and the ludicrous, unneccessary, vicious cycle of ever expanding need for more chemicals while nature is so expertly altering it's composition to resist this assault. Of course, the chemical manufacturers (aka: merchants of poison and death) are laughing all the way to the bank with this dangerous and insidious snake-oil scam.

As other reviewers have stated, "this book should be read by every human on the planet"

This Book is Pseudoscience at its Worst
A breathless, credulous, vast and poorly informed excitement fills this book. Its approach to fantastic claims of vegetable sympathy is non-critical in the extreme. I would recommend this book to people who wish to enjoy fantasies and dreams, because the authors share a certain sympathy with their subjects. The actually verified secret life of plants, however, is interesting beyond description, and deserves a more truthful and honest exploration. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

How to Identify Grasses & Grasslike Plants
This book is practical and systematic. The topic is difficult, at best, and the author gives all the tools and understanding needed to build up your skills. As a consultant that works with native plant materials, I have found this book to be a useful field reference in separating out invasive species.

Best glossary
Not especially useful for beginner grass identification because concentrates on structural detail rather than overall appearance of growth. However, I recommend it for its excellent illustrated glossary.

Excellent manual on morphology of these difficult groups.
As a former student of the late Dr. Harrington who taught me much about plant classification, I highly recommend this book. It is similar to his How to Identify Plants, but the diagrams are much better. It is a very thorough review of the morphology and terminology specific to sedges, rushes, and grasses. These are all very difficult families to identify and there are few books that so thoroughly describe the critical and unique morphology of these plants. This is a knowledge that is critical to the identification of these fascinating and important plants. Dr. Harrington also includes a section on the vegetative characteristics, especially of grasses. For field ecologists like myself, being able to identify plants without the flowers, especially grasses, is critical when doing quantitative sampling. If you are just a beginner in your pursuit of these difficult plants, this is an excellent and valuable resource. But for even the plant scientist this book provides an excellent reference to refresh your memory regarding the unique and important mophology of grasses, sedges, and rushes. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

A Gorgeous, Informative, Sturdy Field Guide
Pam MacKay's 'Mojave Desert Wildflowers' is a wonderfully informative & beautifully photographed guide to the wildflowers of the Mojave. This sturdy plastic-coated field guide contains over 300 gorgeous photos, finely detailed plant descriptions, and is virtually an introductory textbook on Mojave Desert ecology. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the Mojave Desert. The author lives & teaches in the Mojave and her dedication, attention to detail, and love of the desert are revealed on every page.

Jim Otterstrom

Beautiful Book!
This guide is so easy to use and the pictures are beautiful. I highly recommend this guide for first time wildflower enthusiasts! ... Read more

Book Description

In the spring, California's rolling hills, green valleys, and coastal slopes are colored with wildflowers treasured by both residents and visitors to the state. First published more than forty years ago, this popular guidebook has helped thousands of amateur and intermediate wildflower enthusiasts learn the names of the flowers located in some of the state's loveliest and most accessible areas--from below the yellow pine belt in the Sierra Nevada westward to the coast. Thoroughly revised and updated throughout, it is now easier to use and more accurate--the perfect guide to take along on outdoor excursions in California and surrounding regions.

* Includes 244 new color photographs and 102 detailed drawings

* Now describes more than 400 wildflowers emphasizing the species most likely to be encountered in the state today

* Plant descriptions now include more detail, helpful identifying tips, and locales where flowers are likely to be seen ... Read more

Amazon.com

In an auction held in Holland in February 1637, 99 lots of tulip bulbs fetched a staggering 90,000 guilders, more than $3.5 million in today's money. Tulipomania had reached its height, and its story is told in just one of the fascinating sections of Anna Pavord's wonderful book on this most seductive of flowers.

Pavord's passion for the flower is evident from the opening pages of the book, where she tells of scrambling across the hillsides of Crete in search of an obscure, indigenous purple tulip. The story of the discovery of this tulip leads into Pavord's extraordinary history of this beautiful, enigmatic flower. As with all the best love stories, Pavord's is told from the perspective of the object of affection--in this case, the tulip--from its adoption by the Ottoman sultans of Istanbul in the 18th century to its present cultivation by the Wakefield Tulip Society.

Along the way, incredible stories of people's investments in the flower emerge, the result, as Pavord explains, of a unique feature of the tulip. Its variegated colors are produced by a small parasitic aphid, which weakens the plant but produces its gorgeous hues. The tulipomania that gripped 17th-century Europe was a form of futures trading, as people purchased tulip bulbs at increasingly inflated prices with the hope that they would flower into the most beautiful and kaleidoscopic colors imaginable. Tulip is an extraordinary book, beautifully illustrated and offering a fascinating story of our obsession with the most ephemeral of objects. Buying tulip bulbs will never be the same again. --Jerry Brotton ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Interesting,but heavy.
Ms.Pavord certainly does love her tulips - the narrative is strewn with latin names for every variety of tulip.
Originally from the middle-east and very different to most other flowers, the discovery of strange multi-coloured hybrids that appeared spontaneously kept nurserymen occupied for years looking for the perfect specimen. This led to an outrageous inflation in the price, people selling their homes to buy one bulb!

Written in a style that fails to hold one's attention, there is perhaps a tad more botanical detail than is necessary for the layman, but when one considers that this is the second book - a corollary to a scholarly exercise - on tulips, it is surprising that so little jargon is used.
Very informative though lacking in story-telling. ***.

the topic seemed so interesting...
I could not finish this book, and I thought it would be right up my alley. It was a sort of a mix of anecdotes and history. Personally I could have done without the anecdotes.

The real mystery is...
The strangest thing about this book is the bit on the jacket where it says Anna Pavord makes her living as a journalist. The real mystery here isn't the puzzle of what caused the Dutch tulip mania (a genuinely enticing subject that Pavord somehow manages to render yawn-inducing), but who on earth would employ a woman with the world's most tedious prose style as a writer. Stick to the gardening, Ms Pavord, and leave writing books to people who are properly qualifed to do it!!

Oh, dear. A decorator's book...
read the reviews and thought I would love this book but, ohmygod, yawn, this is the sort of book that decorators (and only decorators) enthuse about. Text is really badly written, nice pictures - yes, nice pictures - but that's about it. Can't help feeling that Ms Pavord needed a good editor to take her in hand and help sort out the mind-numbingly dull prose style. But, yes, there were also bits I liked (Turkish stuff was ok and the virus/breaking stuff was ok) but... etc

The Tulip
This book, generally touted as 'the definitive book' on tulips, is somewhat disappointing. More interesting historical information exists on tulipomania and tulip fever. Particularly irksome is the prevalence of passages in French with no English translations. Come on, Ms Pavord, we aren't all academics schooled in French! I thought information on the discovery of the virus that causes tulips to 'break' should have been included: so much has been written already about tulip fever through the 16th and 17th centuries that to continue the history to the 1920s, when the cause of breaking tulips was discovered, would have rounded out the picture nicely. But we only receive a vague reference here and there. Considering also that the latter part of the book concerns species and hybrid tulips, more photographs would have been helpful. One description sounds much like another after a while. ... Read more

Book Description

Kentucky is situated at a unique biological and geographical crossroads in North America. As a result, citizens and visitors to the state are greeted by an astonishing variety of magnificent wildflowers. This nontechnical guide—featuring more than five hundred dazzling full-color photographs by award-winning photographer Thomas G. Barnes—is the indispensable guide to the most common species of wildflowers and ferns in the Commonwealth.

The first to appear in thirty years, this guide references more than six hundred fifty species of flowers. High quality photographs and illustrations accompany each plant’s common and scientific name, plant family, habitat, frequency, and distribution throughout Kentucky. Organized by flowering season, color, and habitat, Wildflowers and Ferns of Kentucky is an essential addition to the library or field pack of the botanist and all nature enthusiasts. ... Read more