Allan Becker
Reviewer Allan Becker: Allan has been designing and planting flower gardens, since he was a teenager in the 1960's. Now retired from the soft goods industry, where he held several positions in design, product development, and marketing, he has turned his passion for gardening into a second career, as a garden designer for private clients in Montreal, Canada.
In spring and summer, he provides his assistants, most college students, who transform his designs into flower gardens. In winter, he reviews books on garden-related topics for Bookpleasures.com and writes a Gardening Blog.
Allan earned a B.A. from McGill University, followed by two years of studies in design at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia). He lives in the Montreal suburb of Cote St. Luc, Quebec with his wife and travels regularly to Toronto and Boston to visit his children and grandchildren.
Articles by this Author
Gardener’s Yoga. Bend & Stretch, Dig & Grow Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 13, 2013
- Health & Fitness , Homes & Gardens
Author: Veronica D’Orazio
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
ISBN: 1-57061-466-0
Fine Foliage: Elegant Plant Combinations for Garden and Container Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 18, 2013
- Homes & Gardens
ISBN: 978-0-9855622-2-9
Terrace Gardening Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 17, 2013
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Michele Osborne
Publisher: Aquamarine
ISBN: 13: 978- 1-908991-08-9
Powerhouse Plants, 510 Top Performers for Multi-Season Beauty Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 4, 2013
- Homes & Gardens
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13:978-1-60469-210-5
Why Plant That When You Can Grow This? 255 Extraordinary Alternatives to Everyday Problem Plants Reviewed By Allan Becker for Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 6, 2013
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Andrew Keys
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13:978-1-60469-286-0
The Layered Garden Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 10, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: David L. Culp
Photographs by Rob Cardillo
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13:978-1-60469-236-5
Lifelong Landscape Design Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published November 27, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Mary Palmer Dargen
Publisher: Gibbs Smith
ISBN: 978-1-4236-2072-3
Rosemary Verey, the Life and Lessons of a Legendary Gardener Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published November 8, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Barbara Paul Robinson
Publisher: David R. Godine
ISBN: 978-1-56792-450-3
The Roots of my Obsession, Thirty Great Gardeners Reveal Why They Garden Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published October 22, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Editor: Thomas
Cooper
Publisher:Timber Press
ISBN:-13: 978-1-60469-271-6
The Maine Garden Journal – Insider secrets from Maine people who love to put their hands in the dirt Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published September 29, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Lisa Colburn,
Publisher: Fern Leaf Publishing,
ISBN: 978-0-9847103-0-0
The 50 Mile Bouquet, Seasonal, Local and Sustainable Flowers Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published July 7, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Debra Prinzing,
David E. Perry
Publishers: St. Lynn’s Press
ISBN: 978-0-9832726-4-9
The Northern Gardener, Perennials That Survive & Thrive Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published June 22, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Barbara Rayment,
Publisher: Harbour Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-55017-578-3
All the Garden’s a Stage, Choosing the Best Performing Plants for a Sustainable Garden Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published June 8, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Jane C. Gates
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-7643-3979
The Pattern Garden: The Essential Elements of Garden Making Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 27, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Valerie Easton
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN 13:978-0-88192-780-1
Big Gardens in Small Spaces:Out-of-the-Box Advice for Boxed-in Gardeners Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 10, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Martyn Cox
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 13: 978-0-88192-907-2
Beautiful No-Mow Yards: 50 Amazing Lawn Alternatives Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 30, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author:Evelyn J. Hadden
Publisher: Timber
Press
ISBN-13: 978-1-60469-238-9
Small-Space Container Gardens: Transform Your Balcony, Porch, or Patio with Fruit, Flowers, Foliage & Herbs Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 12, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Fern Richardson
Publisher; Timber Press
ISBN-13: 978-1-60469- 241-9
Perennial Companions: 100 Dazzling Plant Combinations for Every Season Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 5, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Tom Fischer, Richard Bloom & Adrian Bloom
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN -13: 978-0-88192-939-3
Decoding Gardening Advice: The Science Behind the 100 Most Common Recommendations Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 2, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Jeff Gillman and Meleah Maynard
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 978-1-60469-220-4
Envisioning the Garden, Line, Distance, Form, Color, and Meaning Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 15, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Robert Mallet
Publisher: W. W.
Norton & Co.
ISBN: 978-0-393-73342-6
Better Homes & Gardens Gardening Made Simple: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Gardening Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 6, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 978-0-470-63854-5
Monet’s Passion: Ideas Inspiration and Insight from the Painter’s Gardens Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 26, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Elizabeth
Murray
Publisher: Pomegranate Artbooks
ISBN: 0-87654-443-X
A Recipe for Continuous Blooms Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 13, 2012
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Lorraine Roberts
Publisher: Plant Paradise Country Gardens
ISBN: 978-0-9868361-0-7.PY
Landscaping Solutions for Small Spaces, 10 Smart Plans for Designing & Planting Small Gardens Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 17, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Ann-Marie Powell
Publisher: Creative Homeowner
ISBN-13: 978-1-58011-523-0
Timeless Landscape Design Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 10, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Mary Palmer Dargan, ASLA and Hugh Graham Dargan, ASLA, Gibb Smith,
ISBN: 978-1-4236-2340-3
Planting the Dry Shade Garden Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published November 23, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Graham Rice
ISBN: 978-1-60469-187-0
Publisher: Timber Press
Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory, Blooming Month by Month Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published November 3, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Sara L. Chapman
Publisher: Book
Publishers Network
ISBN: 13: 978-1-935359-80-7
Shady Retreats; 20 plans for colorful, private spaces in your backyard Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published October 27, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Barbara W. Ellis
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN: 1- 58017-472-8
50 Beautiful Deer- Resistant Plants Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published October 17, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Ruth Rogers Clausen
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13:978-1-60469-195-5
Plant Combinations for Your Landscape Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published October 4, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Tony Lord, with photographs by Andrew Lawson
Publisher: Creative Homeowners
How Carrots Won the Trojan War, Curious [but True] Stories of Common Vegetables Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published September 23, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Rebecca Rupp
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-60342-968-9
Armitage’s Garden Perennials (Second Edition) Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published July 21, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Allan M. Armitage
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN:0-88192-435-0
Andrew Wilson's Contemporary Color in the Landscape Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published May 17, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Andrew Wilson
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 978-0-88192-996-6
James Van Sweden and Tom Christopher's The Artful Garden Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published May 2, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: James Van Sweden and Tom Christopher
Publisher: Random HouseISBN: 978-1-4000-6389-5
Sara Begg & Roanne Robbins's Continuous Container Gardening Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 27, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Sara Begg & Roanne Robbins
Publisher: Storey
Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-60342-702-9
Bill Laws's Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 16, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Bill Laws
Publisher: Firefly Books
ISBN:- 13: 978-1-55407-798-4
Susan Berry & Steve Bradley's The Practical Guide to Container Gardening Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 1, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Susan Berry & Steve Bradley
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN:-13: 978-1-58071-329-2
Dan O’Brien's Gardening - Philosophy for Everyone: Cultivating Wisdom Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 26, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Editor: Dan O’Brien
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
ISBN: 978-1-4443-3021-2
Neil Lucas's Designing with Grasses Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 22, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Neil Lucas
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-88192-983-6
Peter Thompson's The Self Sustaining Garden, A Guide to Matrix Planting Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 9, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Peter Thompson
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 978-088192-837-2
Lewis Hill and Penelope O’Sullivan's The Pruning Answer Book, Solutions to Every Problem You’ll Ever Face, Answers to Every Question You’ll Ever Ask Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 28, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Authors Lewis Hill and Penelope
O’Sullivan
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-60342-710-4
Jodi DeLong's Plants for Atlantic Gardens Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 16, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
ISBN: 978-1-55109-798-5
This valuable and enjoyable reference book ought to be on the shelves of every public library in the north east where growing conditions are challenging. It is also an impressive gift to receive.
Chris Young's Best Garden Design: Practical Inspiration from the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 7, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Chris Young
Publisher: Firefly Books
ISBN: -13: 978-1-55407-727-4
W. Gary Smith's From Art to Landscape, Unleashing Creativity in Garden Design Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 23, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author:W. Gary Smith
Publisher: Timber
Press
ISBN: 978-0-88192-973-7
Mr. Smith is an award winning landscape designer specializing in botanical gardens. He is also a talented artist. His book takes the topic of garden design to a new level by raising the bar on the discussion about the role of art in landscaping.
Vanessa Gardner Nagel's Understanding Garden Design: The Complete Handbook for Aspiring Designers Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 9, 2011
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Vanessa Gardner Nagel, APLD
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 978 0 88192 943 0
In spite of the rise in the number of independent-minded gardeners, who cares little what others think, most people expect that their garden will not only make themselves happy but will also please their visitors.
Steve Bates' The Seeds of Spring; Lessons from the Garden Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 26, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Steve Bates
Published by CreateSpace
ISBN 13: 978 1453869352
In this collection of inner dialogues, Steve Bates shares the thoughts that ruminate through his mind as he gardens and toils.
Great Gardens in Small Spaces: California Havens Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 8, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Melba Levick and Karen Dardick,
Publisher: Rizzoli International
Publications
ISBN: 0-8478-2538-8
It Was Fear That Made Me Do It: Comments from Allan Becker Reviewer for Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 1, 2010
- ESSAYS CONTRIBUTED BY VARIOUS AUTHORS
The Ultimate Flower Gardener’s Top Ten Lists Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published November 15, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Kerry Ann Mendez
Publisher: Lone Oak Press
ISBN: 978-1-935534-334
Energy-Wise Landscape Design Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published October 31, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Sue Reed
Publishers: New Society Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-86571-653-7
Designing With Plants Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published July 13, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury
Publisher:
Timber
Press
ISBN: 978-0-88192-953-9
We live in historic times, horticultural, that is. The most forward-looking and inspiring garden designer of the 21st century is Piet Oudolf. Based in the Netherlands but working world wide, he is responsible for a historic shift in the appearance of contemporary landscapes. His work is both riveting and controversial and pushes the boundaries of modernity in the garden.
The Nonstop Garden Reviewed by Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published July 3, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Stephanie Cohen and Jennifer Benner
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13:978-0-88192-951-5
Botany for Gardeners Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published June 4, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Brian Capon
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 978-1-60469-095-8
This book was born in the classroom. It began as a general botany course for non-science majors who were compelled to take a science course. Its success in reaching out to students inspired the transformation of the author’s lecture notes into a book
Gardening for a Lifetime Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published May 18, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Sydney Eddison
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 978-1-60469-065-1
It creeps up slowly to surprise when it is least expected. It is a gardener’s worst nightmare. No, it is not an invasive weed. It is old age
New Annuals for Canada Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 26, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author:Rob Sproule
Publisher: Lone Pine Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-55105-841-2
Americans need this book, too!
Bloom’s Best Perennials and Grasses Reviewed By Allan Beck of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 17, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Adrian Bloom
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 978-0-88192-931-7
At last, a book for gardeners who are overwhelmed by the huge size of iconic estates, when they study them for design inspiration
Paradise Under Glass: An American Amateur Creates a Conservatory Garden Reviewed By Allan Becker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 15, 2010
- Biographies & Memoirs
Author: Ruth Kassinger
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-0-06-154774-4
Designer Plant Combinations: 105 Stunning Gardens Using Six Plants or Fewer Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published April 2, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Scott Calhoun
Storey
Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-60342-077-8
For those that still believe that landscapes need to be designed in the antique manner of the English, this publication will be a revelation when they see how the Revolution of 1776 has finally trickled down tothe gardens of North America
The Gardens of Japan by Helena Attlee with photographs by Alex Ramsay Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published March 14, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author:
Helena Attlee
Photographer: Alex Ramsay
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
ISBN 978-0-7112-2971-6
Japanese gardens belong to a tradition of artistic landscaping that began over a thousand years ago. Readers with only a vague idea about this subject will be surprised by the mesmerizing images that await them; the serene gardens visited in this publication are both spiritual and beautiful beyond words
The Gardeners Color Palette, Paint Your Garden with 100 Extraordinary Flower Choices Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 25, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Authors:Tom Fischer and Clive Nichols
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13:978-1-60469-084-2
If I were hosting dinner, I prefer that a guest bring this book rather than a box of chocolates. If I were a bedridden gardener, I hope someone would send me this attractive publication to cheer me up. When Tom Fischer first sat down to write this book, I’ll bet he never imagined he would be creating the ultimate hospitality gift
How To Talk To Children About World Art Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 25, 2010
- Art
Author: Isabelle Glorieux-Desouche
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
ISBN: 978-0-7112-3091-0
The photographs in this publication, mostly culled from museum collections, are superb visual renderings of the artwork they represent. It is hard to imagine that any visitor could get any closer to see them better. The author’s discussion of each piece is all encompassing, scholarly, and easy to understand
Fabulous Flowerbeds: Inspirtion/Planting/Care Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 13, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Gisela Keil
Photography: Jurgen Becker
Publisher: F&W Publications
ISBN: 1-55870-733-6
The Informed Gardener Blooms Again Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 31, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Linda Chalker-Scott
Publisher: University of Washington Press
ISBN: 978-0-295-99001-9
I urge the serious gardener to read The Informed Gardener Blooms Again, and its companion The Informed Gardener. At best, we will become better-informed gardeners. At least, we will save a few hundred dollars a season, otherwise spent on nutrients that our gardens do not need.
The American Meadow Garden Reviewed by Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 24, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: John Greenlee
Photographs by Saxon Holt.
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN-13::978-0-88192-871-6
The American Meadow Garden is a bold step in re-defining our outdoor environment.
Best Borders Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 11, 2010
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Tony Lord
Publishers: Frances Lincoln
ISBN-10: 0711214328: ISBN-13: 978-0711214323
A review of this book, so many years after I first studied it, was prompted when I read about the frustrations of a fellow gardener who was having difficultly finding proper guidance in creating a flowerbed
The Ultimate Garden Designer Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 16, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
ISBN: -13: 978 1841881133 ISBN -10: 1 84188 113 9
This is an impressive publication- a beautifully illustrated manual for the garden designer
50 High-Impact, Low-Care Garden Plants Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published November 23, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Tracy Disabato-Aust
Publisher:Timber Press
ISBN 13:978-0-88192-950-8
The Perennial Gardener’s Design Primer Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published September 9, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Stephanie Cohen and Nancy J. Ondra
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN: 13978-1-58017-532-2
There is an interesting rhythm to this book. Each author gardens according to her particular tastes and needs and writes about them with conviction
Great Gardens of America Reviewed by Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published September 2, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Tim Richardson, photographs by Andrea Jones
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Ltd
ISBN: 9780-7112-2886-3
Thank you Frances Lincoln Ltd for giving us a publication that allows us to visit some of the great gardens of North America, without having to leave home
Agatha Christie at Home Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published August 28, 2009
- General Non-Fiction
Author: Hilary Macaskell
Publisher: Francis Lincoln
ISBN: 978-0-7112-3029-3
The publication focuses on the importance of dwellings to the private Agatha Christie who owned eight houses, all of which were used as settings for her work
Natures Second Chance, Restoring the Ecology of Stone Prairie Farm Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published August 2, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Steven Apfelbaum
Beacon Press
ISBN:13 978-0-8070-8582
Chakra Gardens Reviewed By Allan Becker Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Allan Becker
- Published June 29, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Carol Cumes
Publisher: Mitra Publishing Group
ISBN: 978 0 9654003 9 8
One of the best kept secrets of gardening is the spiritual transformation that one experiences each time one enters a garden to tend, to admire or to escape. For that reason, a chakra garden is not an altogether new concept to the passionate gardener. It may also help others understand the spirituality that some gardeners have reported experiencing.
Review: The Contemporary Garden
- By Allan Becker
- Published May 6, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: The Editors of Phaidon
Press
ISBN: 9780714849584
The editors of Phaidon Press
continue to impress me. They make rigorous work seem easy. In their
latest publication The Contemporary Garden, they tackle an
encyclopedic amount of material [as they did with The English
Garden] and distill it into an easy-to-read picture essay. In this
instance the essay is about the evolution of the contemporary garden
from the early 1920’s up until today.
Review: Flowers and Herbs of Early America
- By Allan Becker
- Published May 3, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Lawrence D. Griffith
Photographs
by Barbara Temple Lombardi
ISBN:
978 0 300 14536-6
Publisher:
Yale University Press with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Review: The Private World of Tasha Tudor
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 14, 2009
- General Non-Fiction , Homes & Gardens , Biographies & Memoirs
Authors: Tasha Tudor and Richard Brown
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 978 -0 -316 -11292-5
The late Tasha Tudor, was a writer and illustrator of children’s’ books. Her farm in southern Vermont is a physical manifestation of all that was dear to her.This book explores her home, gardens, hobbies, writings and illustrations; all of which reflect the romantic nature of this multifaceted individual.
Review: Digging Deep: Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening
- By Allan Becker
- Published February 3, 2009
- Homes & Gardens , Psychology , Self Help
Author: Fran Sorin
Publisher:Warner Books
ISBN 13: 978-0-446-69402-5, ISBN: 10: 0-446-69402-9
With a background in landscape design, psychology and
communications, the author has built a successful career assisting
clients to visualize their garden needs. On occasion, this has turned
out to be a challenge because several of her clients saw themselves
as uncreative. Consequently, they would express helplessness in
articulating a personal vision for their garden. The author
disagrees.
Review: Passionate Gardening: Good Advice for Challenging Climates
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 18, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
ISBN 1-55591-348-2
Publisher: Fulcrum Publishing
The concept of the Westerner in American culture, conjures up the image of a friendly and unpretentious person. That explains the feeling one gets when reading this book. Not only is the style of writing informal but also, the gardens illustrated are bereft of the formality we often see and read about in British garden books. More than just a book about gardening, this publication is a window into the unabashed joy of getting down and dirty in the garden and the sheer pleasure of the physical energy expended in doing related chores.
Review: The English Garden
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 11, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Publisher: Phaidon Press
ISBN: 978 0 7148 4892 1
One should not call a garden "English" without specifying the century or the designer's name attached to it. Each age brought its own interpretation to the landscape surrounding the proverbial English manor. This publication, which is encyclopedic in its coverage of English gardens, teaches us that every landowner asked something different from his landscape designer. Furthermore, what comes to mind as a traditional English garden may be English in origin but is certainly not what some of us might call a "garden".
`Review: The Complete Compost Gardening Guide
- By Allan Becker
- Published January 1, 2009
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-58017-702-3: ISBN: 978-1-58017-703-0
The hedgehog that lives in my back yard has let me know, in his own way, that purchasing a compost bin with a ground level opening is not a good idea. He already eats everything tasty in my garden, so access to compostable kitchen scraps will only create a feast for him and a mess for me.
Review: The Bold and Brilliant Garden
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 25, 2008
- Homes & Gardens
Author: Sarah Raven
Photographs by Jonathan Buckley
Publisher: Francis Lincoln
ISBN 13: 978071121752 2
A book arrived by post this morning, on the shortest day of the year, when the sky was dreary, the temperature had dipped below minus twelve degrees centigrade and fifteen centimeters of snow were predicted to fall. The unwrapping of the book was the equivalent of lighting a bonfire in my living room. It arrived at the best moment to warm and illuminate the day.
Review: Miracle Gro Complete Guide to Perennials
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 19, 2008
- Homes & Gardens
Editor: Marilyn Rogers
Authors: Scott Aker and Laura Deeter
ISBN-10: 0696236648
ISBN-13: 978-0696236648
Publishers: Meredith Books
Amongst some gardeners, the Miracle-Gro company is reputed to have created some of the most eye catching TV commercials and print ads that have ever targeted plant lovers. They are very good at visualizing the successful results of proper feeding and care. However, the detail lavished in the preparation of this basic primer on growing perennials surpasses anything that they’ve done in their marketing department.
Review: Garden Design Detail
- By Allan Becker
- Published December 5, 2008
- Homes & Gardens
Authors: Arne Maynard with Anne De Verteuil
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN-10: 0-06-059631-7: ISBN-13: 978-0-06-059631-6
Gardeners are happy to read books on their favorite topic because there is always something new to discover. So it was with much anticipation that I sat down to read Garden Design Details. What an eye opening experience! In the hands of this author and his collaborator, a garden can be transformed into a modern sculpture. Organic and full of texture that it may be, it is, in the end, a work of art.