Xeriscape Handbook: A How-to Guide to Natural Resource-Wise Gardening [Paperback]

Gayle Weinstein (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gayle Weinstein is an avid gardener, writer and photographer. She has worked with Denver Botanic Gardens in their Xeriscape Experimental Garden, as well as other areas of the public garden. She is a graduate of the Denver University Publishing Institute. She makes her home in Denver, Colorado.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555913466
• ISBN-13: 978-1555913465
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #586,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

134 of 135 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Design from the Plant's Perspective!, December 11, 2000

By 

Sean Wheeler (Loveland, Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Xeriscape Handbook: A How-to Guide to Natural Resource-Wise Gardening (Paperback)

The Xeriscape Handbook goes into an area of landscape design not often touched on - landscape design from the plant's point of view. Gayle Weinstein has written a book that will help gardeners and landscape designers at all levels figure out why their planting designs aren't working out as planned and how to start moving in the right direction to achieve desired results. It's in big part due to Weinstein's writing style, which succeeds in making complicated subjects interesting without being overly simple or to scientific.

The "root" of the problem is often found in the choices they make in plants for their site. To help people make the best choices, Weinstein's book provides plenty of good information about the environment and on why plants grow where they do. The book tells you how to organize plant groups according to their needs for water, sunlight, etc. to achieve what Weinsten calls "a compatible alliance among the garden, landscape, and natural world."

One of the best things about the Xeriscape Handbook is that anyon in any part of the country can use it. Using the steps outlined in the book, you gain a better understanding of your site and the unique challenges you face in landscape projects. Yes, the book pays particular attention to more arid regions of the country, but it teaches all readers how to "read" their own site. Landscape Architects call this "site analysis" and use the techniques as one of the first steps in professional design. You can use the techniques too, no matter where you live and this book provides a clear outline on the steps involved in fun and interesting ways.

Another Plus to this book is that it provides lots of good information on maintaining plants once you have selected them and have your design in the ground. Utilizing the "Principals of Xericsape" found in the book, you will end up with a landscape design that uses less water and is easier to care for, while still providing beauty and functionality. That saves not only money, but minimizes many of the frustrations faced in gardening.

The bottom line is that everyone can use the information in this book to create better designs, in ways that connect and relate their design to the beauty of the natural world...no matter where you are in it.

As a Landscape Architect, I highly recommend this book along as a good addition to any gardening library.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars xeriscape handdbook, April 19, 2009

By 

Gualberto J. Rabell - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Xeriscape Handbook: A How-to Guide to Natural Resource-Wise Gardening (Paperback)

This book is a excelent source of information for begginers. The information is easy to undertand and go throuhgt important topic on general gardening. I gave a 10.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not as expected, July 10, 2011

By 

moderatelymoderate - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Xeriscape Handbook: A How-to Guide to Natural Resource-Wise Gardening (Paperback)

The book has little to do with xeriscaping; the subtitle would have made a better title. Only chapter vi is about watering & irrigation. The book isn't for those receiving little rainfall, but for those who usually have enough rain with occasional rainless periods who want to avoid watering at all. The section on soil composition was good.