Recent reviews

For Pots in the Garden: Expert Design & Planting Techniques:

"Blossoms with inspiring container creations for beginners and longtime gardeners alike."

—Sarnia (Ontario) Observer, June 25, 2009

For Oregon 1859: A Snapshot in Time:

"Readers will be impressed by the book's numerous photographs and short, suggestive biographies of Oregon's first American settlers."

—Katrine Barber, Pacific Northwest Quarterly, Winter 2009

For Plant-Driven Design: Creating Gardens That Honor Plants, Place, and Spirit:

"A treasure trove of photographs and ideas for ecological and glorious home landscaping."

—Pam Locker, Evansville Courier and Press, June 14, 2009

For The Explorer's Garden: Shrubs and Vines from the Four Corners of the World:

"Hinkley ... addresses his plant-collection procedures and standards to assure readers he's taken pains to avoid introducing pests, diseases or invasive species."

—Mary Beth Breckenridge, Akron Beacon Journal, June 13, 2009

For Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded:

"You can look at this book as a manifesto explaining why we should favor native plants, but it's much more than that. It's a plan to sustain the endangered biodiversity and even more, it's a plan to transform suburbia from an environmental liability to an environmental asset."

—Raz Godelnik, Eco-Libris Blog, June 8, 2009

For The Essential Garden Design Workbook, Second Edition:

"Alexander writes with a rare understanding for all of the living organisms — humans, plants and wild creatures — who will occupy and benefit from the garden that is under design."

—Mary-Liz Shaw, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 7, 2009

For Tropical Slipper Orchids: Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium Species and Hybrids:

"Written for beginners and specialists by a former professional orchid grower and lifelong enthusiast, and it is copiously illustrated with high quality photographs throughout. What more could one want?"

—Joyce Stewart, Orchid Review, June 2009

For Tropicalismo!: Spice Up Your Garden with Cannas, Bananas, and 93 Other Eye-Catching Tropical Plants:

"Makes all of the plants sound exotic and alluring, which is the whole point of adding a tropical or two to your garden setting."

—Roxanne Washington, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 28, 2009

For A Short History of the Honey Bee: Humans, Flowers, and Bees in the Eternal Chase for Honey:

"This book by the poetic E. Readicker-Henderson and the talented photographer Ilona far exceeded my wildest expectations. I am, in short, in love with this book! ... Readers, I implore you. Buy this book. Then buy it for others. And teach your children every word. Every one."

—Kathryn Hall, Plant Whatever Brings You Joy, May 31, 2009

For The Family Kitchen Garden: How to Plant, Grow, and Cook Together:

"The last half of the book is an A-to-Z vegetable, fruit, herb, and edible flower guide that would be helpful to any gardener who isn't satisfied with the amount of information crammed on the back of a seed packet."

—Tara Duggan, Austin American-Statesman, June 3, 2009

For Green Flowers: Unexpected Beauty for the Garden, Container or Vase:

"The premise of this book is an imaginative one and shows a great love of nature. Little wonder that author Hoblyn is a painter as well as a gardener."

—Nancy Schoeffler, Hartford Courant, May 29, 2009

For The Oregon Companion: An Historical Gazetteer of the Useful, the Curious, and the Arcane:

"The rare photographs alone make this book worth the purchase price and I found myself learning more about Oregon in one sitting than I can ever remember."

—Matt Love, PowellsBooks.Blog, May 27, 2009

For A Short History of the Honey Bee: Humans, Flowers, and Bees in the Eternal Chase for Honey:

"Whether describing the life of an individual bee from her start as an egg to her death from hard work roughly six weeks later, or how honey is made from flower nectar by the alchemy of the bees, the author's passion for the subject shines through."

—Nancy Bent, Booklist, May 15, 2009

For Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded:

"Opens our eyes to an environmental problem of staggering proportions. Fortunately, it also shows us how we can help."

—Judy Brinkerhoff, Petaluma Argus-Courier, May 7, 2009

For The Family Kitchen Garden: How to Plant, Grow, and Cook Together:

"There are no frivolous 'kiddy projects,' though there are many creative activities and healthy recipes in the month-by-month section."

—Bonnie Poquette, Library Journal, May 15, 2009

For When Perennials Bloom: An Almanac for Planning and Planting:

"Gardeners will appreciate the sections that detail blooming patterns, especially in Longwood Gardens and gardens in Chicago and St. Louis, and several foreign gardens as well. This is a wonderful book for winter planning."

—D.H. Pfister, Choice, May 2009

For The Family Kitchen Garden: How to Plant, Grow, and Cook Together:

"The new garden guide takes you and your kids — or grandkids — through the garden, month by month, with help figuring out what to plant when and how to eat it up."

—Denver Post, May 15, 2009

For Hydrangeas for American Gardens:

"Brings the hydrangea story right up to the minute."

—Muscegon (MI) Chronicle, May 3, 2009