Bookworm - books on gardening

Country Living Gardener, Dec, 2001 by Rebecca Sawyer-Fay

Our regular roundup of noteworthy garden guides

Not that long ago, "birding" was called "bird-watching" and "birders" as a group weren't heard from too often. Now, of course, the avid pursuit of lazuli buntings and Blackburnian warblers is no longer merely a hobby. It is an obsession, and the number of new field guides reflects the trend. Especially handsome are Smithsonian Handbooks Birds of North America: Eastern Region and Birds of North America: Western Region (DK Publishing; $24.95 each, paperback), both by Fred J. Alsop III. Each volume identifies more than 700 species, with a single species described per page. Color photographs, flight patterns, nesting behavior, and conservation status are all included. The lavish format does come at a cost: Two inches thick and weighing 2 1/2 pounds, this "handbook" won't fit in your pocket for walks on the wild side. However, it will perch attractively on the arm of a favorite chair near a picture window, within reach for easy reference. A companion volume, Where the Birds Are (DK Publishing; $24.95), published i n association with the National Wildlife Federation, directs birders to 100 top North American sires for birding.

Name a plant that's tolerant of both extreme cold and high humidity, takes care of itself, looks great, and is almost never munched by deer. The correct answer is ferns, say Barbara Joe Hoshizaki and Robbin C. Moran in the Fern Grower's Manual (Timber Press; $59.95). Ferns can hide distracting views, add height and texture to walls, soften hard surfaces, and provide camouflage for naked foundations. As ground covers where a natural look is desired, they are unsurpassed. This comprehensive guide features 700 species from 124 genera. Wet- and dry-soil ferns, ferns with colored fronds, evergreen and deciduous ferns are all discussed, as are basic cultural needs and techniques for successful propagation.

Would-be parents obliged to spend thousands at fertility clinics might be interested in the advice of Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179): "Put houseleek in goat's milk for a long time until it is steeped completely with that milk. Then cook it in the same milk, with some eggs also added so that it is able to be nourishing. Then let [the husband] eat it for either three or five days and [his strength] will flourish for offspring." (Note: This does not work for women.) Hildegard's Healing Plants (Beacon Press; $20), translated by Bruce W. Hozeski, recalls a time when people desperate for answers were ready to believe just about anything. A mystic and physician who counseled popes and emperors, Hildegard filled her medieval classic with cures for gout, sore throat, and madness. What becomes clear in this fascinating work is that medieval society took for granted what our own era tends to forget: that plants are critical to who we are, as well as to our very survival.

Modern-day herbalists will welcome Antony Atha's The Ultimate Herb Book (Collins & Brown; $24.95, paperback), a comprehensive reference exploring more than 200 familiar as well as unusual herbs. How and where to grow them and what to use them for are all addressed. Especially strong is a chapter on designing with herbs and integrating them into the overall garden scheme. Appealing photographs highlight contrasting textures and habits that make these ancient plants so right for today's mixed borders. Also in this series: The Ultimate Flower Arranging Book (Collins & Brown; $24.95, paperback), by Judy Spours, featuring ideas for decorating with fresh as well as dried flowers.

"Trimming stone is like giving a haircut to a youngster," writes Dan Snow in In the Company of Stone: The Art of the Stone Wall (Artisan; $35). "If you catch him in the right mood, the job is easy and quick." It is also hard work. To ensure his stones are in the mood for molding, this renowned "waller" lays one stone atop another and directs "a hail of hammer blows" at the edge cantilevered out. While not instructional in nature, the book does impart a good deal of practical advice. However, stunning black-and-white (quadratone) photographs by Peter Mauss show that while just about anyone might learn to stack stone effectively, few will reach the artistic heights achieved by Mr. Snow. Gardeners in search of ideas for inventive hardscapes will savor one-of-a-kind terraces, staircases, and retaining walls.

Why do we garden? For Joan Marble, American writer and creator of a garden in Lazio, Italy, the answer is simple: to achieve a hopeful state of mind. "We live in an age of anxious haste and mindless grabiness," Ms. Marble observes in Notes from an Italian Garden (William Morrow; $25). "But the world is not like this for the experienced gardener. Time is our friend. . . . We look forward to the next year and the next five years in our gardens with happy anticipation, not dread." The author's account of her own evolution from writer-on-the-move to tranquil plantswoman is filled with grassroots advice (contrary to prevailing wisdom, pelargoniums need manure to keep them lush; and gardeners who do not weed their iris beds will soon lose plants). Moreover, this chronicle of life in the Italian countryside is certain to stoke the fires of latent wanderlust, as well as the desire for a greenhouse resplendent as Ms. Marble's is, with fragrant datum and pink bauhinia trees.