In my opinion, this book needs to be actively published again! I used this book as a guide to grow my first vegetable garden in Richmond, VT. It thoroughly explained EACH step in the process with text and illustrations/photos. My neighbor, whom I hadn't met yet, left a letter in my mailbox around August of that year. It contained a photo of my garden and a note saying that mine was the most beautiful vegetable garden she'd ever seen and thought I would appreciate the picture of it! I have checked this book out of the library each spring since and this year it was listed as "lost!" That's why I'm here on-line: buying an "acceptable" condition copy used rather than do without! BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU CAN!

I just want to emphasize the earlier reviews: This is a great, enormously helpful guide to gardening just about anywhere (I live in southern CA and I enjoyed the section on cold weather gardening even if I never use it). The author isn't clearly part of a gardening school of thought (square foot, raised beds, biodynamic), he is just vastly knowledgable about gardening and will meet you wherever you are - a sign of a great teacher. He wrote the best section on homemade garden structures - A frames, cold frames and the like - I have seen. Not a useless or wasted page. Please bring it back!

I have borrowed this gem from the library every spring for 3 seasons, and now I am desperate to get my own. There is no better gardening book dedicated to vegetables, and the month by month schedule saves me hours of planning. No other gardening book I've found has this month by month format, and it is unbeatable! I love this book - a reprint would sell a lot of copies in Indiana, because every gardening friend and relative I have would receive a copy as a gift from me.

I live in a desert climate, so farming is something that interests me in this desolate place I live in. I really enjoyed this book because of the success story and the farming aspect of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes farms.

This book was an inspiration to read. It gives me hope that urban sprawl might be contained in some small parts of the world. It's also a good guide to organic farming and living, and getting past the "hippie" stereotype that organics still have. I'd highly recommend this book.

Reading Michael Ableman's book was like stumbling upon his personal journal. I could imagine it's dirt-stained, hand-written pages - the miscellaneous seed or wind-blown earthen particles stuck deep in the creases of the binding. This book is filled with earnest, intimate tales - the everyday woes and triumphs of a gentle farmer, side-by-side with the battle stories of a true community activist. It is his journey that I found so fascinating, so inspiring. Ableman's story is compelling because he has been on the good path and done the good work for a long time - more than 17 years. From the early days of setting up the produce stand on weekends at a local farmer's market, to lamenting a killing winter frost, he draws the reader into the drama. Ableman's intensely close relationship with the land is his reward for paying close attention to its needs. His goals were clear - to grow healthy food for local people in a way that respected the land's ability to sustain itself. He learned by doing, followed his intuition, and made tough decisions based on what was right, or what he believed to be right at the moment. This book offers its readers as much "food for thought" about life, as it does about farming!

I bought this book fully aware that Jane's graphic style is completely different from my tendency to favor realistic applique or gentle color washes. I wanted to expand my vision, and this incredible book is everything I hoped for. Unlike some quilt books that focus on a technique and others that focus on the development of a quilt artist over time, this book tackles both.
Jane shares her background, introduction to quilting as an artistic medium, her struggles along the way, and the progression of her style, presented both in words and in pictures of her quilts over the years.
The last 40% of the book shows you how find your inpirational material, say a dandelion leaf or iris flower, and work with it to identify its signature characteristics.
Using two quilts, Jane shows her two approaches, providing plenty of detail. I'm working with the image of a Christmas cactus (I bought this book during the holiday season). I can tell that it's going to take a while before I get the design to the point where it pleases me enough to start buying fabric and sewing, but it's an enjoyable challenge. I look forward to producing something completely different from anything I've ever done or thought of doing.
Even if someone never intended to make a quilt like Jane's, reading this book and studying the pictures is an incredible education. The intense power that leaps from her designs is a challenge to every artist to put more life into every work of art. This is a book I will read many times, marveling at what this woman has created.

Wow! Jane Sassaman is a fiber artist in the zone. The color plates of her quilts are both awesome and inspiring. Her designs are inspired from nature and from historical designs. I particularly like the way she has taken the tree of life design and gone wild with it in "Willow" and several smaller studies.
There are some practical chapters in this book which should inspire and help quilters that are intrigued by the art quilt, but are not sure how to get started. (How to gather ideas and keep a sketch book, how to simplify designs for fibre construction, stylizing, adding depth and interest.) There is also a section where she explores machine embroidery with the quilting process. I love machine embroidery and I'm always looking for artistic ways to blend it with my quilting.
If you are a serious artist, collect this book so you can see what Jane is doing. If you're currently working in the zone--you are going to see some of these visions there.
If you are a beginning or intermediate quilter and are willing to
read and look at this book from cover to cover--it may influence your work when you get to the point you need to use design and color in innovative ways. Definitely a quilter's quilter book, but worth every minute you spend between its covers.

I loved Jane's work the first time I saw it. Her quilts are filled with an exuberance and energy that fairly leaps out at you. How terrific that she is willing to share, not just her technical know-how, but the secrets of the design process, her ways of finding inspiration and the way she works toward a finished piece. The book is a visual feast, filled with pictures of Jane's work and pictures from nature that inspired her. She explains the details and shows us how. For me, this book was a treasure.

WOWS on every page. I gave this book to my Mother and Aunt for X-Mass. I wanted one for myself but ran out of cash (dag nab it) This is one of the most AMAZING nature books ever. If you need some brownie points give this as a gift, it will keep you out of the Dog House for YEARS.

This book contains some of the most spectacular photographs you've seen. Close-ups even a pro would seldom come close to. It's unlikely you'll see many of these in your travels, but it feels like your walking through a Hawaiian tropical jungle as you page through the book. Many of the pages would look great framed for your walls. This is the perfect coffee table book, all of my friends have picked it up and marveled over the interesting plants and flowers, even the non-gardeners.

This may be the only opportunity for most of us to see most of these species, and what a way to see them! To say it's the most beautiful book I have ever seen would be the understatement of the year.

I simply fell in love with this book. The designs in this elegant book are stylish,very beautiful and grand. The life-like designs are categorized into 6 chapters:Bulb flowers,spring flowers,roses,herbal gardens,wild flowers and orchard harvest. Each includes projects(21 in all) that are described in full detail:easy enough for a beginner to follow,sophisticated enough to appeal to an advanced cross-stitcher. My fingers are itching to start on all the projects at once. The layout of this book is SUPERB to say the least,I highly recommend it to those who love floral cross-stitching.

This book is nothing short of stunning. It elevates cross stitch to a true art form, showing what a needle, a simple stitch and colored threads can do in the hands of an artist.

There are so many beautiful color photos in this book, of cross stitch designs and gardens full of flowers. Each project has a sharp color photo (many have close-up detail photos), a chart in color, a list of materials and instructions. The floral variety and colors are stunning with subtle shading. Most of the designs are suited for more advanced stitchers. Projects in this book were stitched on linen.

Stitching and finishing is described, and a list of suppliers is included (US, UK and Australia). Thea Gouverneur's floral designs are stunning and very lifelike.

I garden year round, am a photographer of sorts, and I collect garden and art books. THE SENSUOUS GARDEN by Monty Don is a new kind of book with a fresh approach to garden photography, one that takes the viewer up-close-and-personal and arouses the five senses as well as what Don calls the sixth sense or intuition. I don't know if my intuition is involved, but Don's photographs affect my various senses and the whole effect is greater than the sum of the parts. This is a beautiful book filled with beautiful pictures.

In a few instances, Don has photographed places I know (gardens in Spain) but all of his photos have been taken from a unique angle which pinpoints the essence of the thing photographed. Too often, photos are taken with the frame of reference in mind..i.e. the frame. Don's photos are so physical I can hear the tinkling bells and falling water. I can taste the juicy fruit. I can touch the soft rust and white bib of the bluebird. I've seen bluebirds before, as many as five at one time. They are clever and quick and flit away before I can retrieve my camera. But Mr. Don got the photo I wanted. I can only marvel, and sit and enjoy the bluebird a while longer.

This is an incredible book, and it isn't just for gardeners or those who like flowers. This book can be read by all to their benefit. The pictures alone are worth the price, but what the author has to say along with his pictures has radically changed my view of the world and the beauty of nature.

For instance, recently when I was in Ft. Lauderdale on vacation I was sitting on the patio of our hotel looking at the ocean and the lovely palm trees. Suddenly I noticed patterns and shapes I had never seen before. I noticed that on the different palm trees the configuration of the palm fronds make up intricate, harmonious patterns that were fascinating. With one eye on a palm frond, I traced the source at the tree trunk up to the tip of the frond. On the inside at the branch of the frond there were openings, kind of in a triangular pattern, but each slightly unique. I must have stared at that frond for 15 minutes. My husband must have thought I was crazy.

This book opened my eyes to beauty that does not hit you between the eyes sometimes. Sometimes it does. But I am learning that there is a world within a world of the tiniest bit of nature just waiting for my senses to soak in and ENJOY.

Buy the book...and read it. You don't have to read it like you would a novel. It is one that you can put down after a time, think about what you have seen and read, then pick it up later on to learn more about how nature and beauty are more present than we can possibly conceive of.

The words are as beautiful as the photos of the gardens. It makes you want to go out and plant a garden this moment. This is one of my favorite gift books. I have copied some of the words and keep them on my computer for quiet moments or to send to someone in an email. A perfect book. I never tire of reading through it.

This is an exquisite, sophisticated and very accessible book. Some of the plant pairings are very subtle, yet these are the combinations which are shockingly beautiful. This book successfully illustrates the relationships and/or contrasts between relatively available plants that create a beautiful tension.
Of course, it doesn't hurt to have an artistic eye.
I have had this book for a few years and I pull it out every few weeks, always seeing something new or in a new way. A superb book for new gardeners.

I just absolutely love this book! The photos are stunning, and one of my favorite occupations last winter was to get this book out and page through it to help me cure spring fever. In other words, it makes a terrific coffee-table book, but it is much more than that.

If you are looking for inspiration as to how to come up with some dramatic combinations for your garden, I GUARANTEE you will come up with some good ideas from this book. You will also find some to-die-for plants that you will absolutely have to search out and buy as soon as the season is right to try them out.

. . . You will even seriously consider whether there is some legal way to track down and befriend some of the people whose gardens are featured in this book, just so that you could have a peek at stuff like this in real life!

Here's the book that encourages each of us to "flaunt it" in the garden, to allow our sensuous, perhaps slightly mischievous selves to really let go and have fun with unexpected plant combinations. I've read and re-read it several times, keep it by my bedside and refer to it often for inspiration. Having visited a number of the gardens photographed I can appreciate the effectiveness of this passionate approach to gardening.

A truely awesome book. I came upon it when I looked through Angel Lee's review list and ordered it. I am indebted to her! I have been making my own fountains since I bought my 1st home 6 years ago, and wanted new ideas. These are wonderful. Some of the simpler dish-type gardens will make lovely Christmas gifts, and I look forward to starting them. For the more adventurous, there are more complex and larger fountains/ponds, all truely picturesque, which would be great fun for anyone with a reasonable sized yard. A friend has created one on his terraced front lawn, and it captures the attention of by passers, making his neighborhood The Place to visit of late. For the truely enthused, there are directions for casting subjects in ceramics, for designing cement fountains or basins, and even for making masks of living persons. Although many items can be collected from the "saved" materials everyone seems to store away in garages or from yard and garage sales, those like pumps, tubing, and other hardware items can be found at nurseries and hardward stores. There is also a very useful list of addresses where other types of supplies may be found. I can hardly wait to get started! Thanks again Angel.

This is a wonderful book for constructing beautiful & impressive looking fountains. The fountains here are unexpectedly easy to construct & cost far less than commercial ones. It is filled with ideas that allow the maker to add his own unique touch.

The materials selection is varied. Almost any watertight vessel can be the basis of a small fountain. Other materials include bamboo, wood, ceramic, concrete, stone & metal. Pump selection & mechanical requirements are also covered.

Projects range from small table-top fountains to elaborate outdoor units. There are even instructions for a 3' high tiered waterfall. All have clear construction diagrams & color photos of the finished work.

Helpful extras include lists of suitable plants to use with the fountains, suggestions for finding materials, & a list of mail order suppliers. This is the book to get if you want to know the joy of building a fountain of your own creation.

I knew the minute I saw the cover of Simple Fountains for Indoors and Outdoors that it was exactly what I was looking for. The cover photograph is an appealing table fountain. Inside the book is a well thought out plan designed to help the novice achieve success making tabletop or other indoor/outdoor fountains.

Every conceivable problem is addressed with buying information,pictures,diagrams and trouble shooting.

I know I can create a beautiful water fountain from the information presented in Ms.Adkins' book. I recommend it highly.

This is a fine starter book for the first time home owner. In the first few pages, I had the answers to the three major problems I had been dealing with! Nice and straightforward catch-all book on working over existing stuff or putting in new.

I picked up this book in Home Depot back in 1997. At a glance I found out how to take out a load bearing wall, something I needed to do. I bought the book, and with it I had the confidence to take on a major remodel of my house. The book has everything, from framing an addition to fixing a leaky faucet. I consult it often. Right now (03/2002) I'm using it to build a shed. The language is clear and concise and the book doesn't waste words. I recommend it highly.

I, recently, purchased this boook (my brother said he had one, and it was great). I flipped through most of the book -- it isn't the kind of book you sit down and read straight through. I've done a fair amount of handyman stuff around the house (I just replaced the motor in my dryer - which wasn't too difficult once I had the right parts). Well, as I flipped through the book, I would stop and read sections which interested me. There are well-written sections on, basically, everything about a house and what is in it. After spending about an hour scanning the book, I said to my wife: "You could build a house with the information that is in here!" It is one of those "I'm glad I bought this book" books. A great book to have if you're looking for stuff to do around the house; it is a real "Home Improvement Encyclopedia."

Being a fan of this musical, I decided to purchase the sheet music as well. I have not regretted this decision. The songs included were some of the best ones (though it is so hard to choose the best ones from this musical!). I only wish there could have been room for the whole score!

I am 12 yrs old and take singing lessons, I thought at first my singing teacher was a total bore- until she got out this wonderful song book. I now have my own copy and and have sung Wick, Winters on the Wing and A Bit of Earth in concerts. I am happy to say all have one first prizes.

I love love love this musical, and this songbook is just a must have when you feel like belting all by yourself! I played Mary in this play five years ago, and to Dean from Houston, I know what you mean about those Shelleys! Why are they hanging out with dead people if they are alive? I'm glad someone else out there shares in my frustration! The Secret Garden is a very emotional musical. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful, and the music is just wonderful. i love it!