The Informed Gardener

The Informed Gardener

Author: Linda Chalker-Scott

Publisher: University of Washington Press

Published: 2013-03-01

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 0295800321

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Winner of the Best Book Award in the 2009 Garden Writers Association Media Awards Named an "Outstanding Title" in University Press Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries, 2009 In this introduction to sustainable landscaping practices, Linda Chalker-Scott addresses the most common myths and misconceptions that plague home gardeners and horticultural professionals. Chalker-Scott offers invaluable advice to gardeners gardeners who have wondered: Are native plants the best choice for sustainable landscaping? Should you avoid disturbing the root ball when planting? Are organic products better or safer than synthetic ones? What is the best way to control weeds-fabric or mulch? Does giving vitamins to plants stimulate growth? Are compost teas effective in controlling diseases? When is the best time to water in hot weather? If you pay more, do you get a higher-quality plant? How can you differentiate good advice from bad advice? The answers may surprise you. In her more than twenty years as a university researcher and educator in the field of plant physiology, Linda Chalker-Scott has discovered a number of so-called truths that originated in traditional agriculture and that have been applied to urban horticulture, in many cases damaging both plant and environmental health. The Informed Gardener is based on basic and applied research from university faculty and landscape professionals, originally published in peer-reviewed journals. After reading this book, you will: Understand your landscape or garden plants as components of a living system Save time (by not overdoing soil preparation, weeding, pruning, staking, or replacing plants that have died before their time) Save money (by avoiding worthless or harmful garden products, and producing healthier, longer-lived plants) Reduce use of fertilizers and pesticides Assess marketing claims objectively This book will be of interest to landscape architects, nursery and landscape professionals, urban foresters, arborists, certified professional horticulturists, and home gardeners. For more information go to: http://www.theinformedgardener.com


The Flower of Empire

The Flower of Empire

Author: Tatiana Holway

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2013-03-01

Total Pages: 339

ISBN-13: 0199911169

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In 1837, while charting the Amazonian country of Guiana for Great Britain, German naturalist Robert Schomburgk discovered an astounding "vegetable wonder"--a huge water lily whose leaves were five or six feet across and whose flowers were dazzlingly white. In England, a horticultural nation with a mania for gardens and flowers, news of the discovery sparked a race to bring a live specimen back, and to bring it to bloom. In this extraordinary plant, named Victoria regia for the newly crowned queen, the flower-obsessed British had found their beau ideal. In The Flower of Empire, Tatiana Holway tells the story of this magnificent lily, revealing how it touched nearly every aspect of Victorian life, art, and culture. Holway's colorful narrative captures the sensation stirred by Victoria regia in England, particularly the intense race among prominent Britons to be the first to coax the flower to bloom. We meet the great botanists of the age, from the legendary Sir Joseph Banks, to Sir William Jackson Hooker, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, to the extravagant flower collector the Duke of Devonshire. Perhaps most important was the Duke's remarkable gardener, Joseph Paxton, who rose from garden boy to knight, and whose design of a series of ever-more astonishing glass-houses--one, the Big Stove, had a footprint the size of Grand Central Station--culminated in his design of the architectural wonder of the age, the Crystal Palace. Fittingly, Paxton based his design on a glass-house he had recently built to house Victoria regia. Indeed, the natural ribbing of the lily's leaf inspired the pattern of girders supporting the massive iron-and-glass building. From alligator-laden jungle ponds to the heights of Victorian society, The Flower of Empire unfolds the marvelous odyssey of this wonder of nature in a revealing work of cultural history.


A History of the Water Hyacinth in Africa

A History of the Water Hyacinth in Africa

Author: Jeremiah Mutio Kitunda

Publisher: Lexington Books

Published: 2017-11-17

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 149852463X

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Humans and animals are not the only creatures that migrate. Plants also do. This book is a comprehensive and analytical account of the migration of an Old World plant, water hyacinth (also known to botanists as Eichhornia Crassipes) from the Amazon Basin and surrounding areas to Africa through human agency from about 1800 to the present. As an integrative work, which benefits from methodologies and conceptual approaches drawn from limnology, botany, biology, geography, history, ecology and other social sciences and humanities, the book further explores the political, economic, and ecological consequences of the spread of water hyacinth from its native habitat through European botanical gardens to Africa rivers, lakes, dams, and wetlands. In part, as a narrative of Western tinkering with African ecologies gone awry, the study has strong lessons for environmental historians, and social scientists as well as contemporary foundations, aid workers, development experts and African governments. Although it may appear to be a micro-history of a single plant, water hyacinth, it illuminates broader issues in the history of the modern environment in Africa and similar studies worldwide. This study is primarily rooted on the histories of colonialism, bioinvasion, environmental realities and experiences in Africa. The highly visible pathways of hyacinth’s spread across international frontiers along watercourses and communication networks means that not only is this a trans-boundary environmental affair, but one which directly involves bilateral relations between African states.


Fresh Water for Flowers

Fresh Water for Flowers

Author: Valérie Perrin

Publisher: Europa Editions

Published: 2020-07-07

Total Pages: 404

ISBN-13: 1609455967

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An eccentric young caretaker brings exuberant life to a smalltown French cemetery in this #1 international bestselling novel: “Enchanting” (Publishers Weekly). Violette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne, France. Traversing the grounds by unicycle, tending to her many gardens—and being present for the intimate, often humorous confidences of visitors—Violette’s life follows the predictable rhythms of mourning. But then Violette’s routine is disrupted by the arrival of Julien Sole, the local police chief. Julien has come to scatter the ashes of his recently deceased mother on the gravesite of a complete stranger. It soon becomes clear that Julien’s inexplicable gesture is intertwined with Violette’s own complicated past. “Melancholic and yet ebullient . . . An appealing indulgence in nature, food and drink, and, above all, friendships.” —The Guardian, UK


Just Add Water

Just Add Water

Author: Cynthia Gaylin Bigony

Publisher: Graphic Arts Books

Published: 2020-04-14

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 1513262890

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Perfect for budding designers and newcomers to flowers, this book demystifies the art of floral arrangements with 10 simple techniques plus over 20 stunning bouquet ideas, all presented in lush photographs with clear step-by-step instructions. Filled with useful tips and easy-to-follow tutorials, Just Add Water reveals the secret to transforming beautiful blooms and greens into gorgeous designs for everyday enjoyment—and with just a few materials. With creative spirit and a friendly voice, author Cynthia Gaylin Bigony shows you how to use what you have on hand already and then elevate it. Learn to combine different colors, textures, and sizes of flowers into a design, repurpose everyday containers into unexpected ways, use rubber bands and tape to invisible but noticeable effect, lengthen the life span of wilting flowers, and much more. Once you discover how amazingly simple and easy it can be, you too can create uniquely styled designs with this beautiful nature-inspired guide.


Plant the Tiny Seed

Plant the Tiny Seed

Author: Christie Matheson

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Published: 2017-01-24

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780062393395

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How do you make a garden grow? In this playful companion to the popular Tap the Magic Tree and Touch the Brightest Star, you will see how tiny seeds bloom into beautiful flowers. And by tapping, clapping, waving, and more, young readers can join in the action! Christie Matheson masterfully combines the wonder of the natural world with the interactivity of reading. Beautiful collage-and-watercolor art follows the seed through its entire life cycle, as it grows into a zinnia in a garden full of buzzing bees, curious hummingbirds, and colorful butterflies. Children engage with the book as they wiggle their fingers to water the seeds, clap to make the sun shine after rain, and shoo away a hungry snail. Appropriate for even the youngest child, Plant the Tiny Seed is never the same book twice—no matter how many times you read it! And for curious young nature lovers, a page of facts about seeds, flowers, and the insects and animals featured in the book is included at the end. Fans of Press Here, Eric Carle, and Lois Ehlert will find their next favorite book in Plant the Tiny Seed.


The Art of Wearable Flowers

The Art of Wearable Flowers

Author: Susan McLeary

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Published: 2020-03-03

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1452179336

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The Art of Wearable Flowers reveals the secrets to creating gorgeous floral accessories that you can wear. This guide book provides how-tos for 40 floral wearables, including an eye-catching succulent ring, gorgeous hyacinth hoop earrings, a fabulous petal necklace, and a luxurious headpiece, plus bracelets, corsages, headbands, and more. ,br>Renowned floral artist Susan McLeary shares this stunning collection of 40 flower- and plant-based designs that you can try out for yourself. • Each project includes an ingredients list, styling tips, and easy-to-follow instructions paired with step-by-step photographs. • This flower arrangement books gets the ultimate makeover to elevate every outfit with natural beauty • Filled with essential information on tools, design techniques, and plant care, making it easy to create these remarkable arrangements at home Featuring hundreds of inspiring photographs presented in a beautifully designed book, The Art of Wearable Flowers is a must-have accessory for any modern woman. Susan McLeary's expertise in styling flowers—combined with breathtaking photos of her signature arrangements—makes this a wonderful gift for the florist-frequenter. • Not your average flower book, this book is for anyone who wants to make a show-stopping appearance at a wedding, birthday party, or any special occasion • Great for brides (and as a bridal shower gift!), florists, crafters, flower gardeners, and flower stylists • Perfect those who loved Paper to Petal: 75 Whimsical Paper Flowers to Craft by Hand by Rebecca Thuss and Patrick Farrell, The Flower Recipe Book by Alethea Harampolis, Seasonal Flower Arranging by Ariella Chezar, and The Flower Chef by Carly Cylinder


Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden

Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden

Author: Erin Benzakein

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Published: 2017-03-07

Total Pages: 311

ISBN-13: 1452150931

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#1 Amazon Best Seller — Welcome to the farm! The Cut Flower Garden: Erin Benzakein is a florist-farmer, leader in the locaflor farm-to-centerpiece movement, and owner of internationally renowned Floret Flower Farm in Washington's lush Skagit Valley. A stunning flower book: This beautiful guide to growing, harvesting, and arranging gorgeous blooms year-round provides readers with vital tools to nurture a stunning flower garden and use their blossoms to create show-stopping arrangements. Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Cut Flower Garden is equal parts instruction and inspiration—a book overflowing with lush photography of magnificent flowers and breathtaking arrangements organized by season. Find inspiration in this lush flower book: Irresistible photos of Erin's flower farm that showcase exquisite blooms Tips for growing in a variety of spaces and climates Step-by-step instructions for lavish garlands, airy centerpieces, and romantic floral décor for every season If you liked Paris in Bloom, you'll love Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden.