Subscriber Comments for
Make Room On Your Garden Bookshelf

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

MTNDRIVER	2011-01-29 11:27 AM
Thanks, Billy, great advice, I'll have to pop for the Brookes book for sure. Love your columns!
SEEDLADY	2011-01-30 08:04 AM
"backed up like sink full of chili" --that's going into my 'classic goodnickisms' list. how do you do it?? May I chime in to add 'Trees and Shrubs for a Dry California Climate' by Bob Perry, from the 80's--one of the best early published guides to dry-region sustainable gardening, with discussions of and plant lists for 'fire-'scaping' . I believe there is an updated edition as well. If you know it Billy, does it stand the test of time and experience with fire? I found it indispensible in my retail nursery days. I was just at the Botanic Garden for a class, and didn't have time to stop at the bookstore, but they usually stock many good titles in their inventory, but you have to pay admission, be ther efor a class, or be a member to get in.
COMMENT 141474	2011-01-30 10:39 AM
Hey Billy, I'd have been shocked if the Sunset had been anything but #1 on your list. I've been using it ever since my Gram taught me about gardening as a little kid growing up in Sacramento (and that was a looong time ago). My question for you is that I am currently using the 2001 edition. Is it worth upgrading to the 2007? I also love California Native Plants for the Garden. It was a much-needed book and I ran out and bought it almost as soon as it was published. Based on your recommendation, I'm going to go get Nan Sternman's book too. Thanks for a great article.
BECKY	2011-01-30 12:43 PM
It is impossible to garden in California without Sunset. I second the question about versions; how often does one need the new one? (Also, I thought they were going to do a CD version with much more info? Did they? Your thoughts?) Bonus points for, "The Natives Are Pestless." That is a great quip.
BILLY GOODNICK	2011-01-30 09:21 PM
MTNDRIVER: If you're looking to up your design game (or just drool on the pages) it's a great book. SEEDLADY: I hope that Billyism doesn't put you off your dinner. The Perry book you mentioned is also truly great for our region. I looked through his new book (Landscape Plants for California Gardens) but haven't yet made heads or tails of it. It's an amazing piece of work, filled with lots of information, but I'm not sure how I'd use it. But I'll spend some time with it and see if perhaps it's worth forming a new cult or religion around it. Probably a lot more technical than the average gardener needs. BECKY and 141474: I guess it depends on your disposable income - I always have the newest edition. But I can tell you that the next one promises to be completely different. When I spoke with the editor, Kathleen Brenzel, last year, they were in the midst of think-tanking and brainstorming a new approach. I haven't seen a CD, but I did find a "plant finder" feature at their website that's pretty trick [http://plantfinder.sunset.com/sunset/plant-home.jsp]. And thanks for the nod about "the natives are pestless." I giggled as I wrote it. Later, skaters.
COMMENT 145301	2011-02-12 12:50 PM
All these books are available from your local public library, too. (You might have to request a copy from another branch.) If you go to the shelves in the Dewey number 635 area for Plants, and around 712.6 for Garden Design, you'll find lots of inspiration. And you can make a "suggestion for purchase" for a book you think the library should have but doesn't already own. www sbplibrary org
COMMENT 164569	2011-04-17 08:11 AM
The latest book from the icons of native plants, Reimagining the California Lawn is excellent. Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien have written a timely and informative guide to ridding Southern California of thirsty turf grasses while creating something beautiful and appropriate in their place. Highly recommended!

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