American Horticultural Society Complete Guide to Water Gardening (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides) [Hardcover]

Peter Robinson (Author)

Book Description

Series: American Horticultural Society Practical Guides | Publication Date: April 1, 1997

Expert advice and ideas are available on every page, highlighting the latest trends in planting, products, and design.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you find aquatic plants fascinating but aren't sure where to start, let this thorough how-to manual be your guide. Brimming with practical insights and photographic inspirations, the Complete Guide to Water Gardening supplies step-by-step instructions for all types of water features, from full-blown oriental ponds to a simple container of bog plants. Possibilities are only as limited as your size and budget.

Proper planning is essential to good results, and this book takes it nice and slow. Explanations are straightforward and comprehensible for folks who have some previous home improvement experience, but for a first-ever project, this may be biting off a bit more than you can chew. Leveling, backfilling, laying concrete--these are a few of the details to prepare for in adding even a small pond to your garden. You'll see your efforts pay off quickly, though. Flourishing plants and a return of natural amphibians are a couple of rewards in sight.

Plant selection involves a good understanding of this developing ecosystem, and the sections concerning options and routine maintenance are specific in the requirements of your new garden. Close-up shots of healthy plants and systems, as well as diseases and pests, will provide an excellent education. If you're looking for a new adventure in gardening and don't mind getting your feet wet, this could provide just the experience you're looking for. --Jill Lightner

From Library Journal

Publishers have been generous with water gardening books in recent years, so to compete for shelf space, new titles should probably offer either comprehensive treatment or a fresh angle. Fortunately, each of the following titles does both. Horticultural consultant Robinson, who has written several books on water gardening, takes a practical, how-to approach to constructing water features and integrating them into the landscape. Color photos and drawings are used to splendid effect. Included are handy instructions for evaluating purchased plants and fish and for handling routine care and feeding, pests, and diseases. The book concludes with a catalog of plants organized by their function in the garden (submerged, floating, or marginal). Recommended for most gardening collections. Part of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's "21st-Century Gardening" series, The Natural Water Garden also reviews the basics of installing water gardens, but its value lies in examples of specific wetland gardens. An intriguing example is the "stormwater marsh" created in a Virginia garden by directing rainwater from a roof into the bed via plastic tubing. Concluding chapters catalog wetland plants indigenous to six regions of the United States and list specialty nurseries. This book should appeal to adventurous gardeners and anyone concerned about wildlife gardening and habitat reconstruction.?Beth Clewis Crim, Prince William P.L., Va.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789414783
• ISBN-13: 978-0789414786
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #619,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Complete overview of Water Gardening, June 19, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: American Horticultural Society Complete Guide to Water Gardening (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides) (Hardcover)

The AHS's Complete Guide to Water Gardening is an excellent source of information on the history of water gardening as well as design elements. Looking to add a water element to my present garden I have found the Complete Guide to be indispensable. The most useful content in the book to me has been the number of design styles that are diagramed and critiqued. This has made my move towards what I am hoping to accomplish easier. You will find all sorts of information on building and maintaining as well.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Book on Water Garden Construction and Maintenance, April 19, 2000

By 

Denis Hijmans "Sir Readalot" (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Horticultural Society Complete Guide to Water Gardening (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides) (Hardcover)

If you want to build a pond/stream/waterfall, and you want the pleasure of doing it yourself, this is THE book to buy. There are several good ones available, and you should consider some of them to help yourself gain valuable knowledge about the subject.

However, of all the books in this field, this is the most comprehensive, best illistrated, and the most diverse guide of its kind.

The Hard cover edition (if available) will be a book you'll want to keep with your other favorites.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars OK for general info., June 6, 2002

By 

"laurashipr" (Southington, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Horticultural Society Complete Guide to Water Gardening (American Horticultural Society Practical Guides) (Hardcover)

My husband and I found this book helpful as a general reference for building our pond. We were disappointed that there wasn't more detail in certain key areas. For example, when you look up pH in the index and turn to the selected page, they just show you a picture of a pH test kit. It would be nice to know why we need one!
The equipment section would have been enhanced with a greater variety of filtration/pump set-ups and the pros/cons of each configuration.
The section about plants is excellent; it is extensive, with detailed thumbnail descriptions, and helpfully separated into groups.
I would recommend this book, but not as a complete source of water garden info.