Garden Book Reviews

In recent years, flea markets, junk yards, garage and yard sales, basements and attics have all been recognized as treasure chests. These places are home to antiques, memorabilia and junk. For the people who have a vision of resurrecting cast-offs found in these places, The book Garden Decoration From Junk is one to read before setting out on your quest. The book will certainly brings new meaning to container gardening and garden accessories!

A little imagination, along with the unique suggestions from the pages of this book and your yard will have a character like no other. The operative word here is imagination and after reading this book, you will chastise yourself for throwing out some perfectly good garden accessories. Everything from tin cans to car springs and cutlery can be incorporated into your outdoor setting. Your deck, patio and yard can have unique pieces that will not be found at the local garden and yard decorating centers.

Visualize old garden tools as a support for clematis, scarlet runner beans or sweet peas. Metal containers such as pots, buckets and tin cans housing your herbs. Books and foot wear that have been damaged beyond repair or restoration once again come alive and will become the center of conversation when used as planters.

From the numbers of page markers that stick out with reference notes, it’s no wonder I have always consider this book as my quilting bible. Through all of the years of quilting, it is the book I have reached for time and time again if I was trying something new and needed a little guidance to get me past the first quilt block.

A quilt block, by itself can make a charming pillow top, pot-holder or hot pad. Put several in a row and you have a table runner. Make a whole bunch and sew them together to make a bed cover. The question may be, just how does one go about making one of these blocks? The directions of making a quilt block into beautiful heirlooms come to life chapter after chapter in The Art of Classic Quiltmaking.

How many times have you seen a finished quilt that you would love to make but your inexperience stops you from purchasing the pattern and attempting it? Fear quilting no more, Harriet Hargrave and Sharyn Craig will guide you through your qualms from the pages within their book.

Names of various quilt blocks and explicit directions on cutting, yardage required and piecing are all included. Each section is written to provide the novice quilter the ability to understand the techniques. The experienced quilter will read and re-read finding new tips and techniques to enhance their passion of making quilts.

The garden journal is an important component of the garden planning process. It allows the gardener to revisit last year’s successes and failures. This evaluation reduces the chances of repeating the same mistakes, helps create a healthier garden environment and helps reduce expensive gardening mistakes, especially for beginning gardeners.

A journal does not have to be anything fancy and can range from a simple school notebook all the way to an elaborate leather bound journal. Some gardeners even use technology to design a one of a kind garden journal that does everything for you accept plant the seed. The key to the journaling process is to pick one that works for you and one that you will really use.

Whether you are a beginning gardener or starting a new garden, the first step in this process is to draw out the garden space. Some individuals find it helpful to do the drawing to scale but that really is not necessary. The important component is that the dimensions of the garden are noted.

Do not limit yourself to the traditional idea of what a garden is. All gardens need to be planned and this includes container, mulch, and straw bale gardens along with hanging baskets, and flower pouches. Keep in mind though; that the information described below is geared for land-based gardens and in doing so will need to be adapted for other types of gardens.

Once the garden space has been drawn out, the next step is to add environmental information. The north, south, east, and west directions need to be placed on the garden drawing. General wind direction and how the sun hits the garden space during the growing season also needs to be noted.

Weather conditions are another component that needs to be added during the growing season. This includes temperature, moisture level or rain amount and any natural disaster that may have affected the garden space. Including this information will help the gardener deal with microclimate issues and help them make a more precise determination of the success of the garden.

Another environmental feature that needs to be added to the garden journal is the health of the soil. This includes pH level, soil type and any nutrient problems. This information is easily obtained through a kit that can be picked up at any local extension office.