The beautiful warm days of spring are here and about to lead us to
the hot and lazy days of summer when we loll about in our fragrant
and colorful gardens. Oh, dear ... haven't you done your spring
planting yet? Or, are you busy these days staring at your yard and
wondering just how to improve it and make it not so blah?
It's hard to resist the appeal of a lovely garden or the pleasures
of being close to nature by tilling the soil and planting and
nurturing an array of flowers and plants. Often, though, we are
afraid to dig right in, as it were. Many people turn to the library
for help in designing, choosing, planting, and caring for their
gardens.
The Newport Beach Public Library has a wonderful collection in
gardening and landscaping. Besides the basic books on how to plan and
how to plant a garden and yard, there are some new specialized books
you might want to read. "The Weather-Resilient Garden: A Defensive
Approach to Planning and Landscaping" by Charles W.G. Smith is the
perfect book for California gardeners. Smith gives advice on which
plants to choose that will withstand the vagaries of nature. "Native
Plants for High-Elevation Western Gardens" by Janice Busco and Nancy
R. Morin compliments the first book with its detailed photographs and
information on the kinds of plants that can withstand our climate
because they are found here naturally.
A book that is even more specific is the North American Rock
Garden Society's "Rock Garden: Design and Construction." This
incredibly fact-filled little book will teach you how to build a
"natural" habitat in your own back yard. The book covers everything
from "hardscaping" and pathways to specific techniques and plants, as
well as different regional styles. "Designing Borders" by Noel
Kingsbury also focuses on one part of a garden and is a stunning
inspiration to the gardener in all of us. Kingsbury asked six of his
fellow, well- known landscape designers (e.g. Penelope Hobhouse and
Sandra and Nori Pope) to come up with original garden designs and the
results are not only breathtaking, but cover all different styles of
gardens. The designs themselves include detailed layouts, plants,
materials, maintenance guidelines and 3-D illustrations.
Gardening books can also focus on other aspects of the subject. A
sublime example is Peter Harkness' "The Rose: an Illustrated
History." The cultivation of roses dates back 5,000 years in China
and runs throughout world history. This fascinating and beautiful
