The ultimate gardening reference work compiled by two dozen of the world's leading plant experts under the auspices of one of the world's greatest botanical gardens. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Gardener's Desk Reference is a milestone in garden publishing, the kind of groundbreaking work that appears once in a lifetime. No gardening reference--ever--has combined this scope of information in a single volume. The coverage in most gardening reference books falls into a few standard horticultural categories. The Gardener's Desk Reference unlocks the door to a vast assortment of plant knowledge from around the world. There is enough information in this single volume to serve any plant enthusiast--beginning and professional alike--over a lifetime. For easy use, the wide-ranging material is divided into twenty different sections-- such as: Botany for Gardeners Kitchen Gardening The Horticultural Traveler Weights, Measures, and Conversions The hundreds of indispensable sidebars, graphs, tables, plant lists, maps, and illustrations found throughout the reference make it even more accessible and attractive. To do justice to the continent's breathtaking diversity of climates and plant communities, all plant lists are organized by region, and every recommended species or cultivar has been chosen by an experienced landscaper tested by years of gardening in the area. Never before have gardeners had access to the breadth and quality of information in this authoritative reference.

Conveniently sized to fit in a pocket or bag, this reference includes more than 100 places to visit in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and nearby Botanic Garden. Eleven walking tours cover numerous sites in the Park, including the Zoo and the famed Cherry Walk. Beautiful full-color illustrations and photographs identify various birds and flowers; 20 pages of maps help you navigate and find restrooms and public services.

From the Publisher: Covering the basic principles, aesthetics, and design practices of Japanese gardens, this book provides the practical information gardeners need to adapt these ideals to North American landscapes and sensibilities. Not a step-by-step construction manual, it teaches the fundamental principles of integrating house, garden, and landscape by making art from simple groupings of rocks, plants, and water and opening Japanese symbolism to elements with universal significance, such as water and paths. Included is an extensive encyclopedia of appropriate plants to use based on creating and defining particular eco-regions.

Once-forgotten flowers and the stories behind scores of captivating plants from the past are rediscovered in this fully illustrated volume. Alternately admired and considered out of fashion, these enchanting blossoms have been the bedrock of spectacular bouquets and have provided medicine and food throughout the centuries. This book delves into the history of classic bulbs, ravishing old-garden roses, antique annuals and perennials, heirloom houseplants, and vintage vines. Tips on how to create period floral arrangements and an extensive list of hard-to-find heirloom suppliers make it easy to reintroduce these beloved garden species into a contemporary setting. Keeping vintage flowers available and teaching gardeners how to grow these heirlooms -- this book ensures that neither they and nor their fabulous history will disappear.

Includes information on composting's history; tips on equipment; tips for difficult climes; composting indoors; making humus in small spaces; and using compost in the garden.

New York City's largest and oldest industrial facility, thehistoric Brooklyn Navy Yard occupies 250-acres on the EastRiver between the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges, andis presently one of New York City's major industrial sites. Oneof the last remnants of Brooklyn's industrial supremacy, theYard has experienced tremendous change: functioning from theage of wind to that of diesel. As a cradle of naval evolution,the Yard has had to reinvent itself constantly, and this is madeevident by the presence of buildings and structures spanningfrom the 1830s to the 1950s. The Navy Yard was shut downin 1966 and reopened again in 1971 when the City of NewYork bought it with the intention of redevelopment. Great shipsare still repaired there, and the Yard, now an industrial parkwith a variety of manufacturers and light industries, functionsas a refuge from a city that has mostly forgotten that a mixedeconomy is a key to its survival. The Brooklyn Navy Yard, the first monograph by JohnBartelstone, offers a quiet and striking look at the Yard asa time capsule of industrial New York. The Yard today is afusion of the sublime and the practical, with eerie abandonedelements existing side by side with vibrant businesses.Bartelstone's camera is partial to the former. The imagesshow a place out of time, where World War II New York is stillpalpable. Bartelstone has been photographing the buildingsand structures of the Yard since 1994. His photographs areneither a history of the Navy Yard nor a depiction of its role asa modern industrial park; the book instead offers a structuredimpression of a dreamscape.