Review by Booklist Review
Many are dismayed by chaos in their gardens, but Reif and Kress show that wildness can become an acquired taste. The advantages of self-seeding plants include quick results, vividly colored flowers, and low expense, though the more robust species of volunteers need some taming, or their encroachment makes garden maintenance too exhausting. From images of an enchanting English country garden in Sussex to hollyhocks on the walls of Denmark's roadside houses, the book's richly detailed color photographs show the exuberant varieties at their best and indicate that planning and intervention, with particular awareness of certain dangerous plants (e.g., such non-native invasives as Himalayan balsalm), are key. Sections on planting preparation, including soil improvement; site transformation, including soil pH; and design and maintenance strategies for a desired balance, including repositionings of container-grown plants for wider seed dispersal, complement the detailed discussion of specific plants' attributes, An appendix lists nurseries and further reading. An unusual, thought-provoking approach to horticulture.--Scott, Whitney Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Rational gardeners spy self-seeding flowers (spiderwort, loosestrife, Korean rock fern) and run for the hoe, but landscape designer Reif and Kress, owner of Sarastro Perennials nursery in Austria, persuade the panicky to rethink these so-called invaders. They reason that under careful policing, a garden with self-seeding plants can be made artful with rivers of repeated plantings. Becker's photos of bountiful, lush gardens with waves of colors easily substantiate this claim. The authors further convert readers to their experimental approach by discussing the advantages of gardening with self-seeders (quick results, inexpensive, suitable for beginners, etc.). They also address the life spans of a variety of annuals, biennials, and short- and long-lived perennials, and discuss preparation of lots and plots, including raising and lowering the pH of the soil as needed. Among instructions and strategies are profiles of gardeners and gardens, and an annotated list of self-seeders. This book is a great resource for gardeners willing to think outside the "plot". Photos. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
