Landscape Makeover Book

Advocating the sensible and imaginative use of existing landscape elements to ""reshape the character"" of the yard, gardener von Trapp assesses plants to determine which are ""keepers,"" ""movers"" or ""composters."" Priority lists and leading questions help the reader to see his or her yard with a fresh perspective and move easily into the planning phase. Von Trapp then introduces the aerobic exercise--cleaning up a wildwood (cutting trees, removing stumps, dealing with invasive poison ivy), reshaping the land (swales for water drainage) or reshaping beds (widening and curving the foundation beds to accommodate layers of plantings)--necessary for the makeover. The book centers on pruning as the most basic renovation that can yield dramatic change, but there's plenty of specific counsel on ""hardscape"" treatments such as bleaching a moldy deck, renovating a thinning lawn, refacing a concrete stoop with bluestone, refashioning narrow walkways, adding a pool and finishing the new look with lighting. This inviting, comprehensive guide will embolden new owners of old homes. 185 color photos. (Mar.)