Gardening Reference

Rapitest, Moisture Meter, With Probe On Flexible Cord, Instantly Tells You When To Water Plants, & Prevents Over Underwatering Of Your Plants.

One of the most popular indoor bonsai, the dwarf jade is also one of the easiest to grow. It adapts well to low light, is easy to maintain, responds to any training style, and develops quickly. The jade?s fleshy leaves blend cool shades of pale grey, blue- and dark-green. This bonsai is three years old, 6 to 8 inches tall, and comes in a 9-inch glazed water pot. Every tree order includes specific growing instructions.

What is a Bonsai?
Literally, the Japanese word “bonsai” means “tray tree” or “plant grown in a pot.” The term refers to the artistic techniques used to capture the natural beauty of trees, rather than a specific variety of tree. A full-grown tree and a bonsai can be grown from the same seed –the bonsai has simply been dwarfed and shaped through years of training. To develop authentic bonsai, Brussels grows specimens under carefully controlled conditions, meticulously training each tree with wire and pruning over a period of years. The value of a particular bonsai typically depends on size, age, and training. Generally, more expensive trees are larger, older, and have had more detailed, elaborate training. These qualities combined create the illusion of a large tree in a natural setting.

Comprehensive and easy to follow, Buchanan’s companion volume to Taylor’s Master Guide to Gardening covers just about all the features that can be included in home landscapes–from lawns and foundation plantings to fences, driveways, bridges, steps, outdoor rooms, pools and outdoor lighting. Buchanan encourages homeowners to think carefully about the specific requirements of the site (topography, shape of the lot, size of the budget, etc.) before beginning a landscaping project. Then home landscapers can follow her step-by-step instructions and carry out the project on their own or use her tips on hiring professionals to do the work.

Buchanan offers a wealth of practical information, from advice on seeing the overall character of a home and its setting to opinions about details, such as which materials are best for paths and walkways. There are also suggestions for choosing and caring for trees, shrubs, vines, ground cover and perennials, with lists of plants appropriate for individual situations.

An interesting aspect of the book is the author’s emphasis on seeing the home landscape in relationship to the surrounding neighborhood and the community as a whole; there are hints, for example, on how to counteract the antisocial impression made by a wall or a fence erected in front of a house. Buchanan’s clearly written, abundantly illustrated guide should go a long way toward helping amateurs have the courage to tackle what often seems a daunting task. 425 color photos not seen by PW. (Apr.)
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