This guide provides the ideas and know-how needed for creating a garden from scratch. Aimed at the novice gardener, the book takes you through every stage of the design, construction and planting process, helping to assess your needs and match them to your plot, budget and time available. Construction and planting techniques are illustrated in step-by-step projects that include building steps, planting a tree and installing a water feature. Notebook sections include grids and storyboards for designing individual features and planting schemes. A plant care troublehooters helps you to identify and treat common ailments and a calendar of essential tasks will help your garden look good all year round.

For beginning gardeners and homeowners, this handbook shows you exactly how to plan, build, and plant a simple raised bed. Fully illustrated step-by-step instructions make it easy and ensure success! In just a weekend, using a few basic materials and minimal building skills, you can set up a complete garden bed adapted for vegetables, flowers, or herbs.

"Wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated, and everything you need to know to get more productivity out of your food garden." --Joe Lamp'l, creator and executive producer, Growing a Greener World Discover how to get more out of your growing space with succession planting--carefully planned, continuous seed sowing--and provide a steady stream of fresh food from early spring through late fall. Drawing inspiration from succession in natural landscapes, Meg McAndrews Cowden teaches you how to implement lessons from these dynamic systems in your home garden. You'll learn how to layer succession across your perennial and annual crops; maximize the early growing season; determine the sequence to plant and replant in summer; and incorporate annual and perennial flowers to benefit wildlife and ensure efficient pollination. You'll also find detailed, seasonal sowing charts to inform your garden planning, so you can grow more anywhere, regardless of your climate. Plant Grow Harvest Repeat will inspire you to create an even more productive, beautiful, and enjoyable garden across the seasons--every vegetable gardener's dream.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to ikebana and other forms of Japanese flower culture. Unlike other books on the subject which focus on practice, the book provides both an academic discussion of the subject and an introduction to practice. It examines ikebana and flower culture from anthropological and sociological perspectives, analyses Japanese aesthetics, customs and rituals related to flower arrangements, and outlines ikebana history and the Grand Master Iemoto system. It considers how the traditional arts are taught in Japan, and links traditional arts to current issues in today's society, such as gender and class. This book also covers how to prepare ikebana utensils, preserve flowers and branches, and how to appreciate arrangements, placing an emphasis on acknowledging our five senses throughout each stage of the process. The book will be of interest to a wide range of people interested in Japanese flower culture - university professors and students, tourists and people interested in traditional Japanese arts.

Orchids of South Africa is the first field guide to local orchids to be published in over 30 years, and presents the more than 450 orchid species found in the region, including Lesotho and Swaziland.

A comprehensive roundup of orchids in their natural habitat, the book features:

- multiple photos for each species

- distribution maps

- flowering time-bars

- succinct text, enabling sure identification of these fascinating plants.

An illustrated introduction discusses orchid structure, ecology and conservation status.

Informative, colourful and easy-to-use, Orchids of South Africa is the authoritative update enthusiasts have been waiting for.

In this beautiful book, which features numerous full-page color photographs, Carlos March, a businessmen and nature-lover, relates the story of his garden in Altarejos, located in the foothills of the Sierra Morena, to the north of the Province of Seville. Surrounded by wild mountain pastureland, among rocks and slate slopes replete with rock roses and holm oaks, this spectacular garden in Altarejos is stocked with three hundred varieties of roses and more than four hundred species of trees, bushes and covering plants. After thirty-five years of careful work, this garden represents a prime example of balance and respectful integration with regard to the environment. The history of its creation and its meticulous and ongoing development, together with its achievements, successes and failures, also tells the story of its creator, in his capacity as a nature-lover, gardening enthusiast, hunter and photographer.

Here are 100 beautiful orchids that you can grow in Florida.

These orchids were chosen for their beauty, ease of cultivation, and suitability to Florida's climate. Whether you are an old hand at growing orchids or are a beginner anxious to try it, you will find help here choosing the plants that will work for you, as well as help on how best to make them prosper.

First you will learn about the structure of orchids; how they are named; and how to pot, water, feed, ventilate, and protect them from weather and insects. You will find you can grow them inside and outside in Florida, and some even in the ground as part of the landscape. Then you will be introduced to 100 fabulous orchids that are well-suited to Florida. You'll find answers to commonly asked questions, lists of suppliers, and a handy reference chart to plant size, flower color, bloom size, bloom time, and exposure.

The exquisite art of bonsai is beautifully demonstrated in this authoritative, practical handbook, which takes the reader from a first foray into the world of miniature trees to a level of considerable expertise. The book, now made available again in paperback, covers both indoor and outdoor varieties and is full of practical information about cultivation, propagation and pruning. It is a guide both for newcomers to the art and for bonsai gardeners with some knowledge of the subject. The handbook describes, with clear text and step-by-step artworks and finely detailed photographs, the anatomy and the art of this classic hobby. It describes the rules - and also how they can be broken. It will enable beginners to start up their own bonsai collection, whether of home-grown or bought trees, and to keep their bonsai healthy and in good shape. It will answer questions for those who already have some experience with bonsai. All the tools and the skills needed are described, and a photographic compendium displays the top 24 species, both outdoor and indoor.

In 265 photos, this book provides all the knowledge you need to make the most of your space outdoors, creating landscape for recreation, gardens, and play that is also a safe, child friendly environment. Whether you choose to design the ideal setting for the neighborhood ping-pong tournament, create an imaginative space to inspire games for kids, or add splash-happy features to your pool, this treasure trove of backyard fun will show you how to do it right. The popularity of outdoor living is growing by leaps and bounds as ever-increasing numbers of homeowners look for ways to enjoy economical backyard environments. From croquet, bocce ball, badminton, and table tennis to horseshoes, corn in the hole, and ladder ball, families everywhere are getting outside to play. Why shouldn't you?

As readers and critics around the country agree, any new book by the renowned garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence is like finding a buried treasure. "A Rock Garden in the South" will not disappoint. Released posthumously, this book is not only a welcome addition to the Lawrence canon, but fills an important gap in the garden literature on the middle South.
Lawrence, in her usual exquisite prose, deals with the full range of rock gardening topics in this work. She addresses the unique problem of cultivating rock gardens in the South, where the growing season is prolonged and humidity and heat are not conducive to such planting. She describes her own experiences in making a rock garden, with excellent advice on placing stones, constructing steps, ordering plants, and making cuttings.
At the same time, what she writes about here is in large part of interest to gardeners everywhere and for gardens with or without rocks. As always, she thoroughly discusses the plants she has tried--recommending bulbs and other perennials of all sorts, annuals, and woody plants--with poetic descriptions of the plants themselves as well as specific and useful cultural advice. "A Rock Garden in the South" includes an encyclopedia of plants alphabetized by genus and species and divided into two parts: wood and non-woody plants.

A journal with a perpetual diary, a manual of gardening to inform and inspire, packed with illustrations and an introduction by Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School Three quarters Charles's advice on how to grow great crops, one quarter writing space for each day. Use it year after year to make the best decisions, with your notes alongside Charles's suggestions, for future reference. Advice in the diary section is linked to each week of the season and takes you through the whole process, from clearing weeds, feeding soil and sowing to harvests and storing vegetables. * Advice on sowing and planting methods, plus raising plants at home * Best sowing dates - seeds neither fail in cold nor start too late * Advantages of no dig, saving time, giving fewer weeds and bigger crops * How to maintain control of weeds through timely mulching and hoeing * How to feed soil just once a year, for strong and healthy growth * When and how to make all the harvests, with advice on storing produce too.

Desert Paradises: Surveying the Landscapes of Dubai's Urban Model explores how designed landscapes can play a vital role in constructing a city's global image and legitimizing its socio-political hierarchy. Using the case study of Dubai, Bolleter explores how Dubai's rulers employ a paradisiacal image of greening the desert, in part, as a tool for political legitimization. Bolleter also evaluates the designed landscapes of Dubai against the principles of the United Nations and the International Federation of Landscape Architects and argues that what is happening in Dubai represents a significant discrepancy between theory and practice. This book offers a new perspective on landscape design that has until now been unexplored. It would be beneficial to academics and students of geography, landscape architecture, urban design and urban planning - particularly those with an interest in Dubai or the many cities in the region that are experiencing Dubaiification.

*** 'So you know you want to start gardening but you have no idea where to begin? ... Simon Akeroyd gives step-by-step guidance on everything from creating a cactus collection to growing fruit in hanging baskets. The book turns what is often a daunting task into bite-size steps that can often be done in an afternoon.' George Hudson, Evening Standard, favourite garden publications of the year Aimed at first-time gardeners, those in rented accommodation or anyone with limited outdoor space, this book teaches how to take stock of an environment and start a garden. With ideas for gardens, patio spaces, courtyards, balconies and interiors, these 50 easy-to-adopt ideas provide the steps to success for even the most inexperienced gardeners. Contents include: - Create a floral display with bulbs that last all year - Grow pet-friendly plants - Create a vegetable harvest in pots - Add height in flat spaces - Make a mow-free lawn - Hang plants around your home

From the author of Everlastings comes Flowers Forever - a book that will inspire you to create beautiful floral displays with long lasting, dried flowers. Packed to the brim with information on dried flowers, the book includes a section on the process of growing, drying and working with flowers that last, plus guidance on textures, tones and colours and advice on how to source materials sustainably. Flowers Forever also showcases 10 modern designs including an Autumn Bounty Fireplace, a Winter Solstice Wall-hanging and a breathtaking Tablescape. This is a book for those who question the origin and sustainability of all we consume and are seeking to educate themselves while creating these beautiful projects.

Fruit production is one of the most challenging areas of organic growing, and those wanting to grow fruit organically have often found it difficult to obtain the necessary technical information. Essential reading for serious gardeners, smallholders, small-scale organic growers and farmers wishing to diversify their crop range, this book covers the organic cultivation of all of the most popular pome and stone fruits, strawberries, cane and bush fruits. For each fruit crop, advice and information is given on the latest suitable varieties and rootstocks, growing systems, pruning and training, crop care, harvesting, storage, pest and disease management. Individual chapters cover organic principles and conversion, soil fertility, crop nutrition, weed and habitat management, and protected production. Also the market for organic fruit, retail opportunities and other important outlets is analysed. A chapter by Roy Cook is provided on the important subject of viticulture.

This first full study of Erasmus Darwin's gardening, horticulture and agriculture shows he was as keen a nature enthusiast as his grandson Charles, and demonstrates the ways in which his landscape experiences transformed his understanding of nature. Famous as the author of the Botanic Garden (1791) and grandfather of Charles Darwin (1809-1882), Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802) was a larger-than-life enlightenment natural philosopher (scientist) and writer who practised as a doctor across the English Midlands for nearly half a century. A practical gardener and horticulturist, Darwin created a botanic garden near Lichfield - which galvanised his poetry - and kept other gardens, an orchard and small "farm" in Derby. Informed by his medical practice and botanical studies, Darwin saw many parallels between animals, plants and humans which aroused hostility during the years of revolution, warfare and reaction, but helped him to write Zoonomia (1794/96) and Phytologia (1800) - his major studies of medicine, agriculture and gardening. Captivated by the changing landscapes and environments of town and country and supported by social networks such as those in Lichfield and Derby, Darwin avidly exchanged ideas about plants, animals and their diseases with family, patients, friends such as the poet Anna Seward (1742-1809), farmers, fellow doctors, huntsmen and even the local mole catcher. The is the first full study of Erasmus Darwin's gardening, horticulture and agriculture. It shows him as keen a nature enthusiast as his contemporary Rev. Gilbert White of Selbourne (1720-1793) or his grandson Charles, fascinated with everything from swarming insects and warring bees to domestic birds and dogs, pigs and livestock on his farm to fungi growing from horse dung in Derby tan yards. Ranging over his observations of plant physiology and anatomy to the use of plant "bandages" in his orchard and electrical machines to hasten seed germination to explosive studies of vegetable "brains", nerves and sensations, the book demonstrates the ways in which Erasmus Darwin's landscape and garden experiences transformed his understanding of nature. They provided him with insights into medicine and the environmental causes of diseases, the classification of plants and animals, chemistry, evolution, potential new medicines and foodstuffs and the ecological interdependency of the natural economy. Like the amorous vegetables of the Loves of the Plants (1789) which fascinated, scandalised and titillated late Georgian society, the many living creatures of Darwin's gardens and farm encountered in this book were for him real, dynamic, interacting and evolving beings who helped inspire and re-affirm his progressive social and political outlook.

A comprehensive and sumptuous survey that celebrates the beauty and appeal of flowers throughout art, history, and culture The latest installment in the bestselling Explorer Series takes readers on a journey across continents and cultures to discover the endless ways artists and image-makers have employed floral motifs throughout history. Showcasing the diversity of blooms from all over the world, Flower spans a wide range of styles and media - from art, botanical illustrations, and sculptures to floral arrangements, film stills, and textiles - and follows a visually stunning sequence with works, regardless of period, thoughtfully paired to allow interesting and revealing juxtapositions between them.

**SHORTLISTED FOR THE GARDEN MEDIA AWARDS, INSPIRATIONAL BOOK OF THE YEAR** The lotus, lily, sunflower, opium poppy, rose, tulip and orchid: seven flowers, each with its own story full of surprises and secrets, each affecting the world around us in subtle yet powerful ways. But what is the nature of their power and how did it develop? Why have these particular plants become the focus of gardens, literature and art? In order to find the answers, author and horticultural historian Jennifer Potter tracks this septet of flowers across the globe as she examines the influence they have had on civilizations through the ages. These are both histories and detective stories, full of incident and unexpected revelations. Here are the flowers of life and death; of purity and passion; of greed, envy and virtue; of hope and consolation; of the beauty that drives men wild. All seven demonstrate the enduring ability of flowers to speak metaphorically - if we could only decode what they have to say.

Increase your stock of plants easily and for free by propagating them yourself. RHS How to Grow Plants for Free demystifies the art of taking cuttings and explains the other ways you can multiply your garden plants. Propagating your own plants is fun, inexpensive, and a sustainable way to garden.

An introductory section explains the botanical science behind all types of propagation and defines and simplifies the language. The book is then split into self-contained practical chapters detailing each of the different types of propagation.

Each chapter includes a selection of 'plant profiles' for the plants best suited to each propagation method:

• Dividing Plants covers the easiest methods of splitting one plant into several new ones
• Saving Seeds introduces how to collect and process seeds from flowers, vegetables, herbs and trees
• Cuttings covers how to successfully grow a new plant from an existing one using several different methods for taking cuttings
• The Houseplants chapter shows techniques needed to increase your collection.
• The final chapters show how to grow new plants from kitchen scraps, and gives ideas on how to make the most of all the new plants you've created by giving them as gifts

--fully illustrated in color addressing parks in 30 major international cites including St. Petersburg, Dublin, New York City, Gothenburg, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, London, Mumbai, Brisbane, Toronto, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Barcelona, to name a few