09 Christmas Garden Books - I (GardenDesignOnline)

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The following are some great new titles in paperback that any gardener would love to have:

From celebrated landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy, a lovely little volume, The Toronto Music Garden: Inspired By Bach (Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio, Inc 2009), which she designed in collaboration with cellist Yo-Yo Ma. It includes landscape plans, plant lists, and beautiful photos of the garden's main music landscapes: Allemande, Prelude, Sarabande, Courante, Gigue, and Menuett. Intro by Yo-Yo Ma, who calls the garden "a piece of music joyously and meticulously brought to life in glorious plants and pathways to be savored and enjoyed by all."

If you've ever wondered what powdery mildew looks like, or what kind of damage is done by earwigs or whiteflies, then this is the book for you. In What's Wrong With My Plant? (And How Do I Fix It?): A Visual Guide to Easy Diagnosis and Organic Remedies (Timber Press, 2009) Botanist David Deardorff and naturalist Kathryn Wadsworth offer a comprehensive survey of diseases and pests that cause plant problems, along with detailed drawings and photos that will actually let you distinguish exactly what is ailing your plants. Whether it's deer damage, too much or too little water, the authors offer natural remedies to correct almost any problem. An essential book for anyone who gardens.

Know a high school or college student who loves the outdoors and is not sure what they want to do with their life? Then this new book from landscape architect Kelleann Foster, Becoming a Landscape Architect: A Guide to Careers in Design (John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2010) might be just the solution. Foster profiles dozens of people and projects across the country to provide a wide ranging view of the possiblities: design of residential properties and everything from parklands to resorts to playgrounds and more. Many others in the profession are now involved in the sustainability movement and are engaged in projects using environmentally sound techniques. You can't find a more comprehensive view of the profession and its grand opportunities.