The Nonstop Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Plant Choices and Four Season Designs by Stephanie Cohen and Jennifer Benner, Timber Press, 2010.
As avid gardeners we are always hoping that our gardens will show year-round colorful interest. We experiment with non-natives, hope the weather conditions in Indiana don’t drown, burn, or freeze our plant selections, and critters don’t abuse our gardens by using them as their dinner table. Last year’s drought did some serious damage to my gardens, as with many of yours, which is requiring us to start over. I began looking for a book that would assist me in “doing it differently,” and I believe I found it with The Nonstop Garden. Note: In 2008 I reviewed another book by Stephanie Cohn titled The Perennial Gardener’s Design Primer. I found that book to be especially helpful to me, so I feel confident that one would not go wrong by following any recommendations she makes in The Nonstop Garden.
The Nonstop Garden consists of four chapters. Part One: The Nuts and Bolts explains the benefits of the nonstop garden along with easy design strategies. Part Two: The Main Attractions covers trees, shrubs, and perennials. Part Three: The Supporting Cast discusses bulbs, annuals, tropicals, edibles, and vines. Part Four: Finishing Touches offers suggestions on ornamentation, containers, structures, and seasonal beauty and interest.
Chapters two and three offer hundreds of winning plant entries that readers might choose for their gardens. The selections are headed by the plant’s common name with information on hardiness zones, peak seasons, plant conditions, and any problems the plant may likely face. The plants recommended are considered by Ms. Cohn and Ms. Benner to be top -notch, offering stunning beauty and minimal maintenance. The book has ten easy-tofollow garden designs interspersed throughout the book (e.g., winter, wildlife, native, woodland, cool-colored, wet sites, gold-colored, vibrant, scented and parking strips).
Another feature that I especially liked was the additional hot topic sections. “Recipes for Success”, “Perennial TLC”, “Establishing Climbers”, Battling Bugs”, “Getting Bulbs Off to a Good Start” are a few of the themes in which the authors offer personal insights and recommendations for successful gardening choices.
The book concludes with a peak performance chart of plants, a list of invasive plants, a hardiness zone chart, glossary, references and resources, and an index. Of course, the photographs are gorgeous and creative, the designs are well-thought-out and easy to envision and understand, and the witty, no-nonsense approach navigates readers throughout the book so you know experienced gardeners have shared with you their knowledge and creativity so you are fired up to create your own gorgeous garden. You soon learn that The Nonstop Garden is a very useful guide to gardening in all four seasons.
The authors advise that we “garden smarter, not harder” and “nonstop gardens are better gardens because they require less maintenance, provide continual beauty, allow more creativity, and encourage diversity.” This book is specific—a garden that it is beautiful and interesting all year long. I’m glad I bought it and look forward to applying their expertise to my gardens.
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| The Nonstop Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Plant Choices and Four Season Designs |
The Nonstop Garden consists of four chapters. Part One: The Nuts and Bolts explains the benefits of the nonstop garden along with easy design strategies. Part Two: The Main Attractions covers trees, shrubs, and perennials. Part Three: The Supporting Cast discusses bulbs, annuals, tropicals, edibles, and vines. Part Four: Finishing Touches offers suggestions on ornamentation, containers, structures, and seasonal beauty and interest.
Chapters two and three offer hundreds of winning plant entries that readers might choose for their gardens. The selections are headed by the plant’s common name with information on hardiness zones, peak seasons, plant conditions, and any problems the plant may likely face. The plants recommended are considered by Ms. Cohn and Ms. Benner to be top -notch, offering stunning beauty and minimal maintenance. The book has ten easy-tofollow garden designs interspersed throughout the book (e.g., winter, wildlife, native, woodland, cool-colored, wet sites, gold-colored, vibrant, scented and parking strips).
Another feature that I especially liked was the additional hot topic sections. “Recipes for Success”, “Perennial TLC”, “Establishing Climbers”, Battling Bugs”, “Getting Bulbs Off to a Good Start” are a few of the themes in which the authors offer personal insights and recommendations for successful gardening choices.
The book concludes with a peak performance chart of plants, a list of invasive plants, a hardiness zone chart, glossary, references and resources, and an index. Of course, the photographs are gorgeous and creative, the designs are well-thought-out and easy to envision and understand, and the witty, no-nonsense approach navigates readers throughout the book so you know experienced gardeners have shared with you their knowledge and creativity so you are fired up to create your own gorgeous garden. You soon learn that The Nonstop Garden is a very useful guide to gardening in all four seasons.
The authors advise that we “garden smarter, not harder” and “nonstop gardens are better gardens because they require less maintenance, provide continual beauty, allow more creativity, and encourage diversity.” This book is specific—a garden that it is beautiful and interesting all year long. I’m glad I bought it and look forward to applying their expertise to my gardens.
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