Amazon.com Review
A gardening reality that everyone faces up to, usually sooner rather than later, is that anyone who loves plants never, ever has enough garden space. That is why a book such as
Gaining Ground is as useful for gardeners trying to squeeze one more tree or shrub into their half-acre backyard as it is for those learning to garden in pots on the deck of their new condominium. So many of our gardening books are from England, where anything smaller than an acre or two is considered to be a tiny garden. We need more American gardening books like
Gaining Ground, which deal with gardening on suburban plots and apartment-house balconies.
Author Maureen Gilmer, host of the new PBS show Backyard Living, has written a book filled with creative and practical ideas on how to make the most of whatever space you have. How to shield out street noise, plant narrow privacy walls, use color to create the illusion of space, and personalize even the smallest garden are clearly illustrated in both photos and text. The color photographs feature the designs of Michael Glassman, Gilmer's cohost on Backyard Living, whose dramatic style and attention to detail is well suited to small spaces and urban living. The use of water to bring noise and movement to the garden and lighting to capture night views are signature Glassman, as are pots filled with flowers and expert hardscaping.
Gilmer gives clear and thorough advice to aid in plant choices. If your space is limited, it is especially important to choose trees, shrubs, and flowers that look their best most of the year or are so fabulous that they earn their garden space through sheer flamboyance.
Gardening is a game of choices, and this book should help us play "less is more" thoughtfully and intelligently, without a sense of deprivation. --Valerie Easton
From the Back Cover
Gaining Ground sparks your imagination and helps you enhance your own little piece of paradise
"From minor alterations such as building a lattice enclosure for an electric meter to installing a monumental sculpture, Gilmer covers the bases for landscaping a home."
--Booklist
"Filled with photos, line drawings, and lists of plant recommendations, these two hundred packed pages evidence Gilmer's talent for gracefully jamming a great deal into a small space."
--Publishers Weekly
In Gaining Ground, Maureen Gilmer beckons you inside the realm of things small but delightful. This unique guide, featuring the award-winning landscapes of virtuoso designer Michael Glassman, will help you create beautiful and spacious outdoor living areas even in the tiniest of gardens.
Dynamic, fresh, and instantly inviting, Gaining Ground identifies six major challenges of small gardens and explores options to overcome them through creative use of plants and materials. Here you will discover how to:
- Reclaim forgotten front yard spaces
- Maximize narrow side yards
- Turn a postage-stamp backyard into an oasis of water and color
With page after page of breathtaking color photographs and blueprint drawings of spectacular gardens, Gaining Ground will send your imagination spinning and inspire you to create the garden of your dreams.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
