HOMESCAPING: Designing Your Landscape to Match Your Home

Halpin has created a practical, encouraging volume that should prove valuable to both new and well-practiced horticulturists. Her approach is straightforward: when designing your landscaping, consider your house's architectural style, color, size and location. Other elements of her advice are less conventional (Are your neighborhood's streets straight or curvy? Do you want an invigorating garden or a relaxing one? Do you want visitors to stroll through, or sit and contemplate?) but just as crucial to establishing an appealing, comfortable setting. "Plant Finders" appear throughout to aid readers in finding the perfect vine or white flower; "How to Do It" tidbits are similarly helpful to those who wish to contain impetuous bamboo, for example. Halpin, an accomplished gardener and experienced garden writer (Annuals, Perennials and Bulbs ; Horticulture Gardener's Desk Reference ; etc.), leaves no decorative stone unturned—she offers information and recommendations on everything from lighting and selecting statuary to laying and constructing a proper garden path. Those who haven't the real estate for a garden or patio will still benefit from her discussions of "Getting the Most from Containers," and the back-of-the-book "Plant Finders" section (meant to supplement the lists that appear earlier on) will provide inspiration for denizens of any climate. 200 color photos. (Mar.)