The Bottom Line
- Stunning photos and quality illustrations showing landscape planning in action.
- The "resources" section for landscape planning lists only books, not Web sites.
Description
- "Landscape Planning" has handy lists (with photos) like the "10 Best Drought-Resistant Shrubs"...
- ...the "10 Best Ornamental Shrubs for Shade"...
- ...the "10 Best Early-Flowering Spring Shrubs"...
- ...and the "10 Best Plants for Autumn Display."
- Find out why you should pay attention to scientific plant names.
- Learn tips for shopping for plants online.
Guide Review - "Landscape Planning" -- Judith Adam
Adam follows up her distinction in Ch. 1 between gardening and landscaping with a defintion of what the book is about, saying, "Landscape planning is like a wide-angle lens taking in all your territory and even the borrowed view beyond the hedge."
Ch. 2 forms the heart of the book, in the sense that it is about landscape planning proper. Here Adam informs us about drawing the sketches that provide the blueprint for landscape planning. Her recommendation is that we avoid injecting "'wish list'" items into the sketch, sticking instead to components "rooted in the present." The drawing tips are followed up by advice on how to implement your blueprint.
Ch. 3 is about the backbone of landscaping, namely, the hardscape elements: retaining walls, fences and gates, steps, walkways, driveways, patios and decks, sheds, pools and ponds, irrigation and lighting.
Ch. 4 tells you how to flesh out the backbone provided by the hardscape elements discussed in the prior chapter, taking a look at how to use softscape: trees, shrubs, temporary plantings, foundation plantings, groundcovers and lawns, beds and borders, how to plant steep inclines and berms. Ch. 5 builds on this information with some practical advice about buying and installing the plants for which your landscape planning calls.
