Gardening with Grasses [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Michael King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 1998

Ornamental grasses are among the most versatile and sophisticated of garden plants. Planted as single specimens in beds or on the terrace in a container, grasses are striking focal points. Smaller forms bring rhythm and diversity to mixed borders, and clumping forms richly carpet the ground. This beautifully illustrated book by two imaginative garden designers will provide equal measures of information and inspiration.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is truly finesse gardening made attainable by anyone who chooses to try."—Bloomsbury Review, February 1998 (Bloomsbury Review )

"Shows us how to use these graceful plants with flair and intelligence ...

... It will be the rare gardener who comes away from Gardening with Grasses without a determination to make his or her garden a grassier place."—Thomas Fischer, Horticulture, February 1998 (Thomas Fischer Horticulture )

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Dutch

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press; 2nd edition (February 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881924113
• ISBN-13: 978-0881924114
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #696,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #26 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > Dutch

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

102 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a great reference book, December 25, 1999

By 

Tom Krischan (Big Bend, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gardening with Grasses (Hardcover)

I'm writing this review to balance out all of the 'great' reviews this book has received. The book is okay, but it is not a great reference book. It has several faults:

First, the book is suppose to be about grasses, yet 25% of the text discusses garden flowers.

Second, many of the photos are cluttered or blurred. There were few species specific photos that displayed a single clear crisp grass variety.

Third, the book rambles and takes the long way to discribe a simple observation. Some readers will enjoy this style, but it's not for me. I want something that gets to the point.

Fourth, the species reference (called 'Selected Plant Catalogue'), is sparse and dated. For example, Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam' is covered in just three words, 'outstanding variegated form'. Gee ... somehow I was expecting more information. There is not one photo of Overdam in the entire book. Likewise, there is no photo of Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'. These are two very popular grasses to have been leftout.

On the positive side, there are some neat winter photographs of grasses, and the book contains some useful information (but it is difficult to find it when you need it).

This is the kind of book that you're suppose to sit and read from cover to cover. A pleasure reading book. Not what I do with garden books, I read them rather like an encyclopedia - and this is not a good choice for a reference book.

66 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very disappointing..., August 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gardening with Grasses (Hardcover)

I must say, I am astonished that this book has recieved the positive reviews that it has. I bought this book with the intent of gaining knowledge in the area of designing with grasses. I read it from start to finish and found that the entire text consisted of rambling, repetative, generalizations that were devoid of any substantial content. I was completely shocked that the authors would dare publish such wishy-washy material.

In addition, many of the photos are out of focus and the corresponding descriptions are often incomplete. The descriptions of specific grasses are very brief and many very popular grasses are not included at all.

I have never been more disappointed with a book purchase of any kind on any topic.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete book you could buy for ornamental grasses., June 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Gardening with Grasses (Hardcover)

An excellent text on the subject of ornamental grasses. The authors acknowledge that ornamental grasses are only a part of the landscape, and they address the other types of plants that work well with them.

They approach the subject from a landscape design frame of reference, how to work grasses into your garden. This information is usually only available through your own trial and error. King and Oudolf take out the guesswork. What puts this book a step above all others about the same subject is that it informs its readers how to plant in combination with other perennial flowers. The 161 color photos and very thorough coverage of ornamental grasses and their companions make this the most complete package you could buy for incorporating these graceful, ornamental features into your design.