Designing and Renovating Larger Gardens by Douglas Coltart

Designing and Renovating Larger Gardens by Douglas Coltart lands on the shelves of my shop.

Portland: Timber Press, Inc., 2007, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs; Diagrams; Tables; Plans;

From the cover: Designing a large garden may seem overwhelming at first, but with careful planning and a dash of creativity any gardener can achieve a beautiful and highly manageable space. Whether you are designing your own garden or working with a landscape designer, success lies in addressing the unique but wholly surmountable challenges that affect larger gardens.

In this unprecedented guide to designing and renovating gardens of one third of an acre or more, Douglas Coltart begins by recommending a careful review of the property to identify its unique qualities. Drawing upon his professional experience as an award-winning landscape designer, he goes on to describe fundamental ground rules for larger gardens, such as anchoring the garden into the surrounding landscape, making the most of arrival space, creating focal points, scaling up, and linking individual elements to form a unified whole. Maintenance is a key issue in larger gardens so techniques for minimizing the weekly workload are particularly valuable. Using diagrams, illustrations and case studies, the author recounts triumphs (and tribulations) from his personal projects and supplements the advice with photographs of large gardens from all over the world. The final section suggests appropriate plants for specific sites and purposes including groundcovers for sloping banks, plants for woodlands and shelterbelts, and trees for use in framing views or as focal points.

With its clear identification of the key issues affecting larger gardens, this innovative design manual provides inspiration and practical guidance for anyone seeking to design, renovate or manage more expansive properties.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Dust wrapper very slightly rubbed at the edges otherwise a very well presented copy.

Black boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 160 pages. Index. 10¾” x 7¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

The Cottage Garden Month-by-month by Jackie Bennett

The Cottage Garden Month-by-month by Jackie Bennett lands on the shelves of my shop.

David & Charles, 1996, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs; Black & White Drawings; Colour Drawings; Diagrams; Tables; Plans;

From the cover: Many of us dream of having cottage garden, with a path winding to the front door through borders of sweetly-scented, old-fashioned flowers and beside walls smothered with roses and clematis. Informality and exuberance are the hallmarks of the cottage garden and these can be achieved, no matter where you live, through a relaxed, adaptable approach to planting, which is fully described in this book.

The Cottage Garden Month-by-Month is an invaluable guide to understanding and creating a traditional cottage garden. Set out to follow the calendar year, it has twelve chapters, each featuring an introduction to the month, instructions and checklists for seasonal tasks, profiles of plants in flower and detailed practical projects, such as making paths, using boundaries, choosing plants for arches, porches and pergolas all within the capabilities of the average gardener. Whether you want to relax under a shady arbour at the end of the day or have abundant fresh flowers to pick for the house, this book will show you how.

Illustrated with beautiful colour photography and artwork and clear line drawings throughout, The Cottage Garden Month-by-Month is a handbook for all gardeners, however modest or grand their cottage garden plans.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Gently sunned at the spine otherwise a very well presented copy.

Green boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 139 pages. Index. 10¾” x 8″.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Adventurer’s Paradise by Alastair Scobie

Adventurer’s Paradise by Alastair Scobie lands on the shelves of my shop.

The Travel Book Club, 1955, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Maps [1];

From the cover: Alastair Scobie spends his time in the wilder parts of East Africa looking for trouble principally wild-animal trouble. With a film camera and gun he wanders over the long plains and steep passes of Northern Kenya, ankle deep in volcanic dust, or through gorilla and rhino tunnels, forced passages in the massed bamboo forests of the Mountains of the Moon on the edge of the Congo. Wherever he goes he seeks sensation for the entertainment of the millions who take their thrills vicariously through the medium of cinema or television.

His book is packed with stories of his adventures and of the fantastic characters, white and black, in whose company he has found a wild and esoteric pleasure. Some of them may be crazy, some utterly degenerate, some plain savage, but the hilarious tales of their primitive lives, packed helter-skelter between the thrills of his more frightening moments in putting on film the dangers of the wild, make a book which cannot fail to keep any armchair-traveller awake into the small hours.

There have been many books of big-game hunting, but your big-game hunter does not go on safari asking for trouble ; he would much rather shoot his lion or rhino from a safe distance than wait for it to come full tilt at him face to face. For the free-lance movie cameraman the goal is just that. He can only sell action close-up action and if the camera doesnt get out from under quickly enough that merely means another camera and perhaps another cameraman. Alastair Scobie has so far managed to get out from under in the nick of time.

Very Good in Good Dust Wrapper. Unlaminated dust wrapper a little edgeworn and faded with light fraying to the spine ends and corners. Tanning to the blanks. Text complete, clean and tight otherwise.

Blue boards with Black titling to the Spine. 249 pages. Index. 8½” x 5½”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

The Watercolourist’s Nature Journal: How to Create a Personal Record of the Natural World Around You by Jill Bays

The Watercolourist’s Nature Journal: How to Create a Personal Record of the Natural World Around You by Jill Bays lands on the shelves of my shop.

David & Charles, 2001, Hardback in dust wrapper.

From the cover: The versatile medium of watercolour is ideal for sketching in a journal, allowing the freshness and spontaneity that so perfectly suits natures own stunning palettes. Looking at each season in turn, Jill Bays provides guidance and useful pointers to help you select not merely broad approaches, such as atmospheric colours, but also revealing details.

Each seasonal section contains a topical landscape with special captions and advice on key colour palettes for the time of year, while extra feature spreads explore specific subjects such as hothouse flowers and harvest fruits.

From the first springtime blossoms and elusive butterflies of summer, to the brightest autumn leaf and the snow-laden branches of winter, Jill Bayss invaluable advice on capturing the years constantly changing shapes and colours will help you create a valuable resource and a very personal record of the natural world around you.

Very Good in Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper which is pulled at the head of the upper panel. Small address sticker to the first blank. Text complete, clean and tight otherwise.

Matching Pictorial boards. 128 pages. Index. 9″ x 11½”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Lifesense: Our Lives Through Animal Eyes by John Downer

Lifesense: Our Lives Through Animal Eyes by John Downer lands on the shelves of my shop.

British Broadcasting Corporation [B.B.C. BBC], 1991, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs;

From the cover: How do other animals view human lives? Lifesense, which accompanies the major BBC TV series, answers this intriguing question. Drawing on the latest information about animal perception, it examines the very heart of human existence from this unique perspective.

The book explores the worlds cultures to highlight our diverse relationships with animals. Eye-opening examples illuminate the story of human development as seen by the other creatures involved. Lifesense reveals that, at every stage, other life forms have not only been affected but they have actively promoted the changes.

Even today, our existence is still inextricably linked to other animals. They not only enter our homes, supply us with food and act as companions, but also live on our bodies and influence the climate and the air we breathe.

In both words and images, this fascinating book provides a startling insight into our relationship with the life around us. It will revolutionise our understanding of our place in the natural world.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper.

Burgundy boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 224 pages. Index. 10″ x 7¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Growing, Freezing & Cooking by Keith Mossman & Mary Norwak

Growing, Freezing & Cooking by Keith Mossman & Mary Norwak lands on the shelves of my shop.

Book Club Associates, 1978, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Drawings;

From the cover: Nothing tastes more tender and fresh than food which has been produced and prepared at home, and the finest way of preserving what cannot be used at once is, as countless housewives have discovered in recent years, to freeze it directly after harvesting. Freezing garden-fresh food until required solves the two major problems affecting shop produce: deteriorating quality and the seasonal and general price increases which the prevailing rate of world inflation suggests is here to stay. There is an added advantage, too, in the constant availability of top-quality produce items which, for the shops, are out of season.

Growing, Freezing and Cooking is a complete reference book for all those who want the best results from their garden produce. Divided into four sections, it includes information on basic gardening, basic freezing and, in alphabetical order, vegetables, herbs and fruits; under each heading will be found advice on cultivation and choice of varieties, followed by freezing recommendations and finally, a few recipes for that particular produce item.

For all those households where gardening and cooking are regular activities, and for the ever-burgeoning ranks of freezer-owners, this book by two experts in their respective subjects should prove both useful and inspiring.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper. Edges of the text block lightly tanned. Text complete, clean and tight but a little age-tanned.

Red boards with Silver titling to the Spine. 190 pages. 8¾” x 5¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Vivarium Life: A Manual On Amphibians, Reptiles and Cold-Water Fish by Alfred Leutscher

Vivarium Life: A Manual On Amphibians, Reptiles and Cold-Water Fish by Alfred Leutscher lands on the shelves of my shop.

London: Cleaver-Hume Press Ltd., 1961, Hardback in dust wrapper.

2nd, enlarged, edition, 1st printing, [First Published: 1952] Illustrated by way of: Black & White Drawings [126];

From the cover: There are notable improvements in this enlarged Second Edition of Mr Leutschers handbook, which describes all the animals amphibians, reptiles and some cold-water fishes likely to be kept in a vivarium, and also certain appropriate aquatic plants.

He has redrawn a large proportion of the illustrations, and in response to requests has included a section on setting up a vivarium, with drawings.

In addition to names, distribution, characteristics, food, breeding habits, etc. he includes suggestions on the type of living quarters, thus greatly increasing the practical value of this standard guide.

The author is extremely well-known as a guide-lecturer, and is a former Secretary of the British Herpetological Society.

Good+ in Good+ Dust Wrapper. Unlaminated dust wrapper a little edgeworn and faded. Price Clipped. Edges of the text block lightly spotted. Pages very gently age-tanned.

Green boards with Yellow titling to the Spine. 252 pages. 8¾” x 5½”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

The First Time Garden by Geoff Hamilton

The First Time Garden by Geoff Hamilton lands on the shelves of my shop.

BBC Books, 1988, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Black & White Plates; Colour Drawings; Diagrams;

From the cover: Geoff Hamilton, BBC televisions popular gardening expert, provides a basic guide to designing and making a small garden from scratch which is essential reading for all first-time gardeners, or for the owners of a first-time garden plot.

If the patch outside your window is a heap of builders rubble or an overgrown jungle of weeds, then Geoff Hamiltons straightforward, easy to follow advice will tell you how to set about turning it into an attractive, flourishing and purpose-built garden, complete with patio and pool, paths, hedges and rock garden and of course a perfect lawn, as well as planting it with trees, shrubs, climbers and flowering plants to suit every soil and condition.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper.

Green boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 192 pages. Index. 9¼” x 6¼”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

From the Ends of the Earth: Passionate Plant Collectors Remembered in a Cornish Garden by Christian Lamb

From the Ends of the Earth: Passionate Plant Collectors Remembered in a Cornish Garden by Christian Lamb lands on the shelves of my shop.

Bene Factum Publishing, 2004, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Signed by the author on the half-title page unverified and reflected as such in the lack of premium. Illustrated by way of: Colour Photographs; Colour Drawings;

From the cover: What risks did the early plant collectors take to bring us the plants we know and love? Who found what and where? And how similar are their finds to the plants we grow today? Christian Lamb has been to extraordinary lengths to find out, as we soon discover in From the Ends of the Earth.

This lively and richly-illustrated book is all about the special plants that Christian grows in her small garden in Cornwall, which she calls her Living Plant Museum. The plants are mostly chosen because she likes them, but also for their fascinating and colourful history. Christian tells us which collectors found her treasures and the amazing challenges they faced bringing them back to our shores with many quotes from diaries and personal writings which bring her hero plantaholics to life. She has dug deep into the Linnean, Kew, British, Royal Horticultural and Natural History Libraries to unearth all kinds of new or little-known facts.

Christian also gaily recounts her own intrepid adventures following in the footsteps of the early collectors; around New Zealand in the wake of Joseph Banks, up the Yangtze after Robert Fortune, to North, South and Central America in the paths of Lewis and Clark, the Lobb brothers and others all the more inspiring since Christian is a spry octogenarian, who might by now have been expected to have hung up her spade.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper.

Green boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 225 pages. Index. 10″ x 7½”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

Pure Curiosity: Botanical Letters and Notes Towards a Dictionary of Botanical Terms by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Pure Curiosity: Botanical Letters and Notes Towards a Dictionary of Botanical Terms by Jean-Jacques Rousseau lands on the shelves of my shop.

Paddington Press, 1979, Hardback in dust wrapper.

First in this edition. Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Plates;

From the cover: An elegant and enchanting excursion into the world of botanical observation, Pure Curiosity combines the acute perception and sensitivity of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau with the skill and artistry of one of the greatest names in the history of botanical illustration, Pierre-Joseph Redoute, the celebrated Salon painter once hailed as the Raphael of flowers.

Throughout his lifetime Rousseau displayed a passionate interest in the study of plants and flowers, but never more so than in his last fifteen years, beginning in 1762 when the French government condemned Émille and he was forced to flee France to seek asylum in his native Switzerland. It was here, particularly on the island of Saint-Pierre in Lake Biel, and later in England, at Woolen Hall near the Staffordshire-Derbyshire border, that he began his botanical studies in earnest as much as a means of solace as out of a profound desire to classify and categorize the natural world about him.

Between 1771 and 1773 Rousseau encapsulated his experiences and observations in a series of eight letters written to guide a friend to instruct her daughter in the principles of botany. It is these so-called elementary letters that form the basis of Pure Curiosity. Notable for their charm, delicacy and lightness of touch, the letters were circulated widely in the intellectual salons fashionable at the time. First published in 1782, five years after his death, in a collected edition of his work, the letters were subsequently issued on their own in 1800 and 1802. It was not until 1805, however with the stunning addition of sixty-five color plates created from Redoutes minutely observed and magnificently executed watercolour illustrations that La Botanique, as it had come to be called, was hailed as a classic amongst connoisseurs of both flowers and books.

Superbly designed and produced, with a perceptive critical introduction by Roy McMullen, Pure Curiosity is a facsimile edition based on a new translation of Rousseaus letters and tin-colour plates of the third (1821) edition of La Botanique. Much more than just another flower album from a bygone era, it will delight and fascinate gardeners, plant lovers and any other thinking, sensitive human being who enjoys observing nature and the marvels of the universe.

Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. Edges of the text block lightly spotted. Text complete, clean and tight.

Green Marbled Effect boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 154 pages. Index. 10″ X 7¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!