Uploaded April 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In the spring, a young man's fancy may be all very well, but for the older generation, whose thoughts turn more to gardens, where on earth, as it were, does one start?
Enter the unpronounceable Tracy DiSabato-Aust, whose magnum opus, "The Well-Designed Mixed Garden", joins its peerless predecessor, "The Well-Tended Perennial Garden" as the standard by which its competitors are judged. This remarkable book, sub-titled "Building Beds and Borders with Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs", runs the full gamut, from basic concepts to layouts, Latin and common names of everyday plants, and their individual characteristics. Its "Encyclopedia of Plant Combinations," which comprises the heart of the book is, however, its anchor: 27 possible schemes, each drawn out in detail and flexible throughout, depending on gardening zone.
Of particular interest is that notoriously overlooked matter of maintenance and the pre-planned reduction thereof. Great attention is paid to this.
460 pages strong, this is "The Joy of Cooking" of gardening. Pricey, but readily borrowed and thoroughly recommended.
More gardening book reviews at thisoldHoarehouse.com
In the spring, a young man's fancy may be all very well, but for the older generation, whose thoughts turn more to gardens, where on earth, as it were, does one start?
Enter the unpronounceable Tracy DiSabato-Aust, whose magnum opus, "The Well-Designed Mixed Garden", joins its peerless predecessor, "The Well-Tended Perennial Garden" as the standard by which its competitors are judged. This remarkable book, sub-titled "Building Beds and Borders with Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs", runs the full gamut, from basic concepts to layouts, Latin and common names of everyday plants, and their individual characteristics. Its "Encyclopedia of Plant Combinations," which comprises the heart of the book is, however, its anchor: 27 possible schemes, each drawn out in detail and flexible throughout, depending on gardening zone.
Of particular interest is that notoriously overlooked matter of maintenance and the pre-planned reduction thereof. Great attention is paid to this.
460 pages strong, this is "The Joy of Cooking" of gardening. Pricey, but readily borrowed and thoroughly recommended.
More gardening book reviews at thisoldHoarehouse.com
