English language but NOT English gardeningThis book is advertised in English and sold in sterling but it is an American gardening book by an American author. Even though it is a good book the pests and even some of the plants do NOT translate into 'English'. It would be VERY helpful if American books were flagged as such and English books were flagged as such. In topics like gardening where your geographic location is of PRIME importance it would help.
Useful but overall disappointingPerhaps I expect too much, but there are certain things I look for in gardening books. Overall I want sound, practical advice that I can apply in my own garden. But I also want to be inspired, to be stimulated to try new things, to be guided on what's possible and what's practical, to gain a greater understanding of why some things work and some don't and to enjoy browsing and reading the book as much my garden will benefit from the wisdom it contains.
Unfortunately, this book falls short of the mark on all counts. To start with, even opening the package when the book arrived was a disappointment. It's a flimsy volume, cheaply produced on thin paper. It will neither grace my bookshelves nor survive being used as a ready-to-hand reference in the garden. And while there are plenty of sketches throughout, the colour pictures are limited to two small sections. Another disappointment as the fine colour pictures so readily available in many gardening books, provide not only inspiration but also a clear idea of how the results of your efforts in the garden will turn out eventually.
There is a lot of sound advice on companion planting, but much of it is about achieving colour and texture effects. I was looking for something that focussed a little more on guidance on companion planting to increase fertility and reduce the need for chemical intervention to combat pests and diseases. The information on this aspect of companion planting is limited and often offered without any explanation of why particular planting combinations work which makes it very difficult to adapt ideas to work in particular environments and gardens.
The author is an American gardener, and no doubt an expert, but the use of American names for plants and references to plants not available in the UK, is irritating and adds to the impression that this is not the right book for the average UK gardener seeking sound and practical advice.
I was also disappointed that so much of the book concentrated on the very basics of gardening - how to water, how to care for one's tools, garden layout and bed-making etc. While the quality of the advice is no doubt sound, it is derivative : advice that is readily available in any basic book on gardening. Anyone wishing to develop companion planting is likely to have already a firm grip on these areas - and probably half a dozen other gardening books which say much the same thing.
The actual, useful information on companion gardening that is relevant to UK gardens, could probably have been published in a twenty-page leaflet.
A great read!An excellent guide to companion planting. Some great ideas and useful tips. However this is an American book and can be hard to relate some things to British gardening such as some of the plants and animals mentioned.
Beneficial plants for the gardenA friend of mine borriwed this book often, so I bought them a copy for their birthday. It showed me many ways to reduce pests in my garden, using companion planting, and without using pesticides. I love the mix of pretty flowers and herbs among my vegetable plants. It also offered great ideas for plant spacing within the garden.
a new approach to organic gardeningThis book was great. It's an easy to understand book with good pictures and a really useful chart of beneficial plants. It gave me a new perspective on the often complicated world of companion planting. This book isn't about folklore, it's about what's worked for one master gardener over many years. It's broken down into manageable chunks. I love the idea of plant families living in plant neighborhoods, surrounded by plants that help growth and beneficial insects and confuse or lure away the bad ones.
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