Western Garden Book
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Book Reviews of Western Garden Book
Book Review: A Great Money Saver!
Summary: 5 Stars
I worked for a Landscape Architectural firm for almost ten years beginning in the mid 1980's. Coming from an educational environment, this submission into a branch of the construction industry was definitely a change for me.
One of the most useful things I learned during this time was about Sunset's Western Sunset Garden Book. This firm designed the landscape for large resorts, high-end custom homes and a wide variety of commercial complexes. The landscape designers always used Western Sunset Garden Book for any and all questions regarding plant material they were using on a project. Unless this book was consulted on a specific plant, it wasn't included in the plans!
Western Sunset Garden Book lists any and all useful information on over 10,000 species of plants. This information includes growing traits, the likes and dislikes of the plant (e.g. likes full sun, is drought tolerant, etc.), the size of the plant(s) at maturity, and just about anything else you can think of needing to know.
The information is also broken down by climate zone, so you can see what plants will thrive in your area and which won't last long. This alone can save you a lot of money when selecting your plant material. I picked up a copy of this "Landscape Bible" as many in our office referred to it, when about half of the plant material in my yard didn't survive the first freeze. Yes those Hibiscus and Bougainvillea looked great and were really growing well until the temperature dropped. Have you ever seen a black Hibiscus or Bougainvillea plant? It's not a pretty sight!
I'd suggest this book for any gardening enthusiast or even for the homeowner that wants to change a few planting beds. It's not the type of book that you'd read cover to cover, but if you use it as a reference book, it could save you from making a costly mistake!
Book Review: Everything I was hoping Sunset would provide!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have anticipated this newest edition of "Sunset" for several years, and find it to be all that I have hoped it COULD be. As a nurseryperson fully aware of all the newer cultivars being made readily available to the public, I am very pleased to see that Sunset has obviously consulted with growers and distributors in order to provide information on many new genus and species available to the consumer. This newest edition contains a beautifully done introduction which defines gardening IN TANDEM with Nature in very inspiring form, complete with tantalizing photographs. The Plant Encyclodpedia now includes color in its renderings of plants, in addition to listing many "new" cultivars and charts for plant families with many cultivars. The special Guide to Plant Selection has been re-done beautifully with valuable enhancements to the previous edition. The re-worked Practical Guide to Gardening at the back has been done in a very comprehensive manner, providing many wonderful charts and graphics which "teach" effectively. No matter how many previous editions of Sunset you might own, adding this Millenium edition is well worth the investment. With this newest edition, it seems Sunset has finally caught up with the gardening times!Book Review: Don't be dumb - buy the hardcover
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are serious enough about gardening to want this book, get one that won't fall apart. The hardcover is just a few more bucks, and if you throw in another small item you'll qualify for free shipping. I just replaced my 1988 hardcover edition, and it's still in fabulous condition despite being constantly used. (I keep it sitting in my kitchen, next to my cookbooks, where it can be easily grabbed when a flash of gardening inspiration hits.) The only reason I replaced it was to get the updated information in the newer edition. This book is without a doubt the gold standard of garden books.Book Review: The first book we consult at the nursery.
Summary: 5 Stars
This book does not contain all of the plants for sale in the world, but every plant in the book IS available from nurseries in the west. Having worked at a prominent nursery in San Diego CA, I can tell you that it is the first book we consult for information on plants.
It is an all-inclusive book, with guides for planting situations, many cross-indexes, basic gardening practices, etc. Under "Grapes", there is an entire page (p.370) devoted to trellises and the training of grape vines. The drawings and discussion are the best I've ever seen.
Book Review: Garden Hand-watering gives a zen-like experience
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently wrote a book ZEN OF WATERING YOUR GARDEN. The book is a collection of aphorisms, poems and sayings juxtaposed to photos from all over the world. Though from the East Coast, I have many photos that were taken in Southern and Northern California. This book is a good reference. Of greater interest to me is its philosophical approach to be close to nature in the planting of gardens and the use of water. My book too, was assembled to promote an intimacy of gardening gained through watering by hand.