Landscaping for Your Home

Homeowners looking for an encyclopedic beginner's guide to landscape design, installation, and maintenance will find it in this new how-to book by garden writer and photographer Erler (Design Ideas for Home Landscaping). Erler describes how even the most inexperienced homeowner can design and create a garden that complements a house's style. She offers practical tips on laying out and installing the bones of the space (walkways, decks, fences, and beds) and the finishing touches that turn a yard into a satisfying garden (fountains, lighting, furniture, and art). She takes no horticultural experience for granted and even offers a visual guide to distinguishing a shovel from a spade. The lists of horticultural tips, recommended plants, maintenance checklists, step by-step guidance, and more than 400 color photographs and drawings make this a comprehensive guide filled with valuable inspiration and instruction. (Feb.)