Landscape Planning: Practical Techniques for the Home Gardener

by Judith Adam

This book takes the guesswork out of planning any landscaping project.

Landscaping a property can be an overwhelming task. How much will it cost? How long will it take? What plants will grow best in a particular location? Is it a do-it-yourself or a professional job?

Landscape designer and horticulturalist Judith Adam provides every crucial step in designing and implementing a landscape from assessing specific needs and planning a budget and timeline, to making the best choices for a successful garden. From her years of experience, Adam describes 200 of her favorite plants, shrubs and trees. This revised edition includes a new chapter on low-maintenance and self-reliant gardening that helps the home gardener get the most out of the space with the least amount of work.

This new edition of Landscape Planning

25 fully illustrated step-by-step projects 27 fully illustrated Ten Best lists, such as ten best drought-resistant shrubs; ten best plants for autumn display A property assessment survey, budget questionnaire and sample four-year plan ideas for steps, sidewalks, fences and lighting working with plants, shrubs, trees and lawns Techniques for planting, irrigating and fertilizing plants and controlling pests A list of tools that every gardener needs Plans for a low-maintenance garden -- and much more. This comprehensive guide is a must-have for homeowners and avid gardeners alike.

(20080719)

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference

248 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2002

Reviews

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent how-to instructions for landscape design and construction for slopes, drainage, steps and pathways. The book is somewhat dissappointing with regard to plant selection because the author recommends a number of aggressive and invasive plants. It's also not clear where she was gardening. References to bloom times make me think she was in British Columbia, but certainly not Ontario.

[Juanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is suitable for a first-time backyard owner like myself and also for the seasoned backyard landscaper. It gives how-tos from simple things like planting bulbs to more complex projects such as fixing drainage and putting in fences and walkways. It is north-american based, and well organized and designed. I took this book out from the library, and after looking at it i'd like to by it for myself as it seems like a good "go-to" book when it comes to designing, planning and maintenance. This is a beautiful book - at first glance it could be a coffee table book, or one that you see in the backdrop in house and home magazines, and a practical one too.

[PoligirlReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam's wasn't lying when she said it would be practical. This is well-designed for the first-time landscaper. What I liked about this book was the attention made to considering what the average person might be thinking. In other words, there's an emphasis on cost, thinking about the impact on neighbors, and the use of the land (what might look cool in a magazine might not be practical for a family of small kids and multiple pets).

I liked the breakdown of different plants to achieve different effects (10 best trees for garage corners, top plants to cover a shed, etc.). The pruning section is excellent.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had great tips, with well-done illustrations, on pruning a variety of items. I would recommend it as a pruning reference alone, though it has countless other useful recommendations and how-to's.

[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for any homeowner. I bought it for the lessons in building patios, walkways, and other hardscaping.

[Richelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent plant guide & basics for creating stone paths/steps and fencing. Very basic depictions; novices to landscaping may need a more detailed guide.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful framework for planning projects large and small. Wry acknowledgment of non-gardening needs for the space and help frame choices about plants in terms of needs of a larger (or smaller) household.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve recently created a large space for a garden. I’ve never crew a garden from scratch before so this books has been very useful as I begin to design my future garden.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

How-to projects, mostly unnecessary.