Good morning friends!
My niece is moving into her first home in Upstate NY (zone 5 - Ft. Drum area) next month -- new house, 3 acres of grass, not a tree in sight,and she has not got a clue about landscaping, plants, etc. I am trying to help her but it's a bit difficult from this side of the country and I won't be back until late fall to actually get my hands in the dirt...
I want to get her some books to help her with basic landscape design and most importantly with plants, trees, etc., I've been perusing Amazon and have seen a few that are specific to NYS that look interesting, but would really appreciate your input!
It goes without saying that one of the first things I am going to get her is a subscription to Dave's!
Thanks!
audrey
Favorite Gaardening Books
Hi Audrey!
Nice to see you posting here again. Congrats to your niece. Not sure about the books, though the American Horticultural Society books are nice. I have a number of them.
Hi Victor! I have not been posting anywhere for awhile, I read posts but have not been inspired to speak...LOL!
My husband would say I'm lying about that..............
I have a number of AHS books myself in a box stored in garage ---- totally forgot! I should probably send them to her, they aren't doing any good out there!
I just got an AHS A-Z encyclopedia from amazon.com. I'm still working on the A's. Man, it is heavy. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
We will welcome her with open arms, too, Audrey.
I have 2 better homes and gardens books that I always enjoy looking at. Step by Step landscaping and the complete guide to flower gardening.
I would go with Palm Wont Grow Here by Dr. David A. Francko Former Prof. and chair of Miami University Botany dept. It is packed full of information that can not be found anywhere else. A true must for the adventurous northern landscaper.
I really love my Taylor's Master Guide to Landscaping. It's not specific to the northeast, but there are so many good ideas and designs.
Can always check the library for books!! Watertown must have a library that is a decent size. That way she could look at books and then decide what to buy. Nice to hear from you Audrey. I'm on most every day also, but don't have much time for posting. Eleanor
I'm glad you mentioned that you'll be getting her a DG subscription, because that was my very first thought on a book. There's webpage after webpage of great ideas and lots of advice. I can't tell you how many times I've 'lifted' a photo of someone's garden to use as a reference for my own.
It's nice to pass the gardening tradition on, isn't it?
As a somewhat new gardener and first time homeowner - I've been trying to educate myself on perennial gardening.
After spending way too much money on too many books, my favorites that I use most often are all from Rodale:
1) Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials: 10th Anniversary Revised and Expanded Edition by Ellen Phillips and C. Colston Burrell
2) Perennials for Every Purpose: Choose the Right Plants for Your Conditions, Your Garden, and Your Taste (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book) by Larry Hodgson
3) Perennial Combinations: Stunning Combinations That Make Your Garden Look Fantastic Right from the Start (Rodale Garden Book) by C. Colston Burrell
And a friend from work turned me onto Organic Gardening magazine by the same publisher and I enjoy it.
Enjoy!
These are my gardening bibles:
"The Garden Primer" by Barbara Damrosch. It covers nearly everything and I can't imagine trying to do much without it. It's always always always the first book I go to when I am looking something up or if I have a question.
"Theme Gardens" by Barbara Damrosch. Great pictures and fantastic garden plans. I've still got my eye on that moon garden...
"The New Organic Grower" by Eliot Coleman. Hard to get better information on soil and vegetable gardening than what is in this book.
"Four Season Harvest" also by Eliot Coleman. It's really about extending the harvest year but it still has great information in it regarding just regular season planting. It's a great companion to his first book.
Last night I was sitting with my graph paper and planning out my vegetable garden for this year (should have done it months ago) and I had all four books at the table with me. That's an inkling as to how much I use them.
More great books - thanks all!
Hi, MrsJ - My mpther's family all came from that area - Gouverneur and thereabouts. If she is able to, telll her to go to the library in Watertown. It has great resourses and the people are extremely helpful. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't give her several names of local gardeners who would help her.
Let us know how she is making out with her daunting project.
p.s. They probably could get her in touch with master gardeners in the area..
I love my "Weeds of the Northeast" book
http://www.amazon.com/Weeds-Northeast-Comstock-books-Richard/dp/0801483344
I also really like anything that is specific for my state, which for Vermont may be easier than for a bigger state like NY! Looks like there's a wildflower one. I also have a shrubs/vines specific for Vermont. Depending on where the house is (along the woods for example), this may come in handy.
http://www.amazon.com/Wildflowers-York-Color-William-Chapman/dp/081560470X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244639568&sr=1-1
That wildflowers link went to the NY book. Did you also see the one for Wildflowers of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont?
http://www.amazon.com/Wildflowers-Maine-New-Hampshire-Vermont/dp/081562803X/ref=ed_oe_h
I have one specifically for Vermont as well as a general wildflower book which shows a bit more of the plant and not just the flower. I linked to the NY one because that's where mrsj's niece is moving to.
Thanks for the link! I have spend a few $$$$$ at Amazon the past couple weeks, 3 books already arrived, one more to go!