Andrew Mikolajski's Garden Design offers a complete breakdown of the process involved in creating a garden, from making an initial assessment of the site's possibilities to applying design principles and choosing plants and landscaping materials. It is aimed at amateurs who have no previous knowledge of garden-making but will also be of value to professionals entering the trade. Most books on garden design are either very technical or are predominantly picture books. This manual is different. A lively and provocative read, it is full of handy hints and tips for creating the perfect outdoor environment. Readers are encouraged to explore and question established ideas about good garden design, and will be sure to grow in confidence as they learn how to make informed decisions about every aspect of the garden design process.

The essential elements of a dry Japanese garden are few: rocks, gravel, moss. Simultaneously a sensual matrix, a symbolic form and a memory theatre, these gardens exhibit beautiful miniaturization and precise craftsmanship. However, their apparent minimalism belies a deeper complexity. In Zen Landscapes, Allen S. Weiss takes readers on a journey through these exquisite sites, explaining how Japanese gardens must be approached according to the play of scale, surroundings and seasons, as well as in relation to other arts, thus revealing them as living landscapes rather than abstract designs. These gardens are inspired by the Zen aesthetics of the tea ceremony, manifested in poetry, painting, calligraphy, architecture, cuisine and ceramics. Japanese art favours suggestion and allusion, valuing the threshold between the distinct and the inchoate, between figuration and abstraction, and Weiss argues that ceramics play a crucial role here, relating as much to the site-specificity of landscape as to the ritualized codes of the tea ceremony and the everyday gestures of the culinary table. With more than 100 stunning colour photographs, Zen Landscapes is the first in-depth study in the West to examine the correspondences between gardens and ceramics. A fascinating look at landscape art and its relation to the customs and craftsmanship of the Japanese arts, it will appeal to readers interested in landscape design and Japan's art and culture.

Unleash your inner geek and let this irreverent romp through the wonders of the garden yield practical results. Curious why caressing your cucumber plants will help them bear more fruit? Or why you should grow oranges from seed even if the fruit is inedible? Or why trees need to sleep and how to help them? Join acclaimed gardener, scientist, and author Lee Reich on a journey through the delights of your garden in this laugh-out-loud treatise on the scientific wonders of plants and soil. Offering eye-opening insight and practical guidance, coverage includes: How to maximize both flavor and nutrition in your garden bounty Helping plants thrive during drought Outwitting weeds by understanding their nature Making the best use of compost Tips on pruning and orchard care Why the dead language of Latin can make you a better gardener. The Ever Curious Gardener is an irreverent romp through the natural science of plants and soil, ideal for newer gardeners moving beyond back-of-the-seed-pack planting to experienced gardeners whose curiosity at the wonders of cultivation grows deeper and stronger with each season.

With growing consumer awareness about the dangers of garden chemicals, readers can turn to "The Organic Gardener's Handbook Of Natural Pest and Disease Control" as the most reliable and comprehensive guide on the garden shelf. Rodale has been the category leader in organic methods for decades, and this thoroughly updated edition features the latest science-based recommendations for battling garden problems. With all-new photos of common and recently introduced pests and plant diseases, readers can quickly identify whether they've discovered garden friend or foe and what action, if any, they should take. No other reference includes a wider range of methods for growing and maintaining an organic garden. The plant-by-plant guide features symptoms and solutions for 200 popular plants, including flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs, and fruits. The insect-and-disease encyclopaedia includes a photo identification guide and detailed descriptions of damage readers may see. The extensive coverage of the most up-to-date organic control techniques and products, presented in order of lowest impact to most intensive intervention, makes it easy to choose the best control.

Grow food for freshness. Grow food organically. Grow food to connect with nature. Whatever the goal, you don't need a lot of space to enjoy the benefits of homegrown veggies, herbs, and fruits. In Grow Food at Home, gardening expert John Tullock shows readers just how easy it is to enjoy "farm"-fresh produce grown right on the windowsill, the porch, or in a tiny backyard. Covering artificial lighting, hydroponics, vertical gardening, straw-bale planters, and more, the book offers even the most confined apartment dwellers plenty of options to get growing. Tullock shares all the tips and tricks readers need to make small-space gardening a success, with information on starting seeds, transplanting, succession planting, "crop" rotation, and other procedures-all tailored to the small-space garden-plus recipes to make the most of the harvest. Readers will be energized to grow a mouth-watering selection of micro-crops, from lettuces and herbs to tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, and even small fruits-no matter how little room they have available.

Unleash the potential of your yard by transforming it into a beautiful and vibrant space offering a continuous supply of food Journey into the good food movement by unleashing the potential of your yard, transforming it into a beautiful and vibrant space that offers a continuous supply of food. Using dozens of beautiful color photographs and watercolor planting charts, infographics, and landscaping designs, Your Edible Yard is the comprehensive how-to guide you need to turn your yard into a bountiful feast. It features: Practical gardening methods and maintenance from weeding to wintering, including foodscaping, container gardening, and saving seeds Permaculture principles including soil building techniques, garden preparation, raised beds, and natural/non-toxic DIY pesticide alternatives How to integrate culinary and medicinal herbs, edible flowers, mushrooms, fruits, vegetables, and wild edibles Gardening resources: where to go for help, buy seeds, and source supplies on a budget Instructions on preserving, fermenting, freezing, drying, and making simple medicines General tips, such as how to find loopholes in laws preventing edible front yards. Whether you're a beginner or experienced gardener in the city, the suburbs, or the country, this manual is the A-Z guide for how to make use of the space you have, highlighting the colorful and abundant array that edible landscapes promise.

Environmentally friendly buildings are a must for our future. Among the many new ideas for buildings are green roofs. But what is a green roof? How do they work? Why are individuals and businesses installing them? And how do you install and maintain a green roof? This book answers all these questions and more.