4 comments about LARE Review Section E Vignettes: Grading, Drainage, and Stormwater Management, 2nd ed..

1. After taking the LARE in December of 2007, I found this review book helpful for general grading concepts. However, the vignettes in the exam where much more complicated.



2. LARE section E has changed significantly since this book was released. It would be good only for general grading practice. the problems are very similar to the pre 2006 version of the test.
   Hopefully it will be updated to be as useful for the current changes in the test. None of the LARE practice guides reflect 2006 changes in the test.



3. this book is a LOT harder than the real test. so if you can take these practice tests and get them right, you should do fine on the real LARE.



4. I found vignettes #2 and #3 severely out of scale. Vignettes #1 and #9 are slightly out of scale. I am disappointed that our profession cant get it together with the study material for the LARE. With that said, I would buy this book used or split it with a study partner becuase its not worth the full price.

3 comments about Practical Golf Course Maintenance: The Magic of Greenkeeping.

1. A couple of years ago, I purchased a small golf course in California. I knew nothing about how to keep a golf course in good shape much less improve it. When my superintendent quit, I was up the proverbial creek. I turned to this book for help. It is a great book for those who have had minimal or no exposure to how to keep up the various parts (green, tee boxes, fairways, rough, bunkers, etc.) of a golf course. While I probably won't act as superintendent for very long, I feel armed now with basic greenkeeping knowledge, and it is recommended (and soon to be required) reading for all of my course and clubhouse workers.



2. While perhaps limited to the basics, Witteveen's text is well organized and comprehensive enough to assure that I'll achieve my professional goal of being promoted from Assistant Greenskeeper to Head Greenskeeper within 6 years. In fact, in my opinion, it's on par with Chuck Shick's seminal treatise on the subject. One nitpicky point is that the treatment of cinch bugs, manganese, nitrogen and gophers (and other varmint menaces to the golfing industry) is far too brief. Also, more advanced topics such as the theory and practice of inventing your own type of grass would be welcome. Overall, though, it is top notch!



3. This book is best suited for the first-time greenskeeper or a greens committee member. It contains basic processes such as top-dressing and stays away from specifics like optimal mower height settings for greens. In addition, this book stays away from prescribing remidies for such things as excessive thatch buildup or constant fungus problems. If all you want are the very basics in management practices then buy this book. If you are searching for innovative and detailed turf management applications then you will need to supplement this book with other references.

No comments about Luxury Private Gardens.

5 comments about Identification, Selection, and Use of Southern Plants: For Landscape Design.

1. Although the black/white interface may seem antiquated, the plant list is extensive enough to make this a REAL resource for even the nonprofessional gardener. Great and reliable reviews of nearly everything Southern in a garden.



2. An excellent reference for the serious Southern Gardener.



3. This is absolutely the best reference book for Southern gardeners. If "it" is not mentioned here, "it" is not meant to be planted in the South. Information is easy to understand for beginning gardeners. I am on my second edition.



4. Gardening is a lifestyle that sings to my soul. This is THE hymnal. Pick up a copy and sing with me.



5. I own and operate a nursery and use the book constantly. Not many books focus on the south but finally, one that does. It is very factual and offers a lot of supplemental information in addition to identification of plants.

1 comments about Feast Your Eyes: The Unexpected Beauty of Vegetable Gardens.

1. I was a little disappointed in this book. It is primarily a history of some famous gardens which have been covered more completely elsewhere. The photos are for the most part very old and not as clear as they should be, and there were not enough of them. There are a couple of interesting topics such as an outline of the use of victory gardens during WWI & II, and a small section on Aztec gardens created in a marsh. Otherwise not worth it. I was looking for something more like 'Creative Vegetable Gardening' by Joy Larkom - but this was not it.

2 comments about Site Work & Landscape Cost Data (Means Site Work and Landscape Cost Data).

1. This cost data is very useful for estimating the cost of demolition and remediation of plants and facilities sites. I believe it is the best information available at a reasonable price.



2. The R.S. means Landscaping and Site Work, 2002 cost data guide can help and hurt. It is full of wonderful data and prices that are a general standard in the industry. It is not a guide though, for the beginner. I made the mistake of using the guide for estimating purposes. If used in this manner, you end up with an over-inflated bid. I now understand that this is just a reference guide and not an estimating tool. Overall it is packed with a wealth of information, but on the downside it takes some time to understand, and use properly.

1 comments about The Penguin Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture: Fifth Edition (Dictionary, Penguin).

1. From Aalto to Ziggurat, the bounty of information provided in this well illustrated and value priced volume will keep you informed for a very long time. A great general reference of architecture and landscaping for both the student and the home owner alike.

5 comments about From Concept to Form in Landscape Design.

1. Architects, landscape architects, and urban planners are graphic thinkers. A simple graphic can communicate more design intent than many, many words. "From Concept to Form in Landscape Design" can help design professionals to concretize their ideas and design concepts into visible graphics and forms. Once you put your ideas on paper as specific forms, you can improve and fine-tune them.
   
   "From Concept to Form in Landscape Design" covers philosophical concepts, functional concepts, geometric form development, naturalistic form development, principles of design (basic elements of design, organizing principles, integration of forms), unconventional and provocative design, and various case studies.
   
   "From Concept to Form in Landscape Design" has 192 pages and many line drawings and interior black-and-white photos. It is a good tool to assist design professionals to concretize their ideas and design concepts.



2. The cover is very misleading. It is being returned within 20 minutes of opening the package.



3. This book is going back a lot faster than it got here! Deals almost exclusively with very modern landscapes that you would see in the southern part of the country. The designs tended to be very geometric, rigid and unnatural. If you prefer a more classic, free flowing landscape design, then this book is not for you.



4. I found this book to be great for when you have designer's block. This book is filled to the rim with illustrated examples and makes a great quick reference. The best thing about it is it doesn't cost an arm and a leg like most design books.



5. Very impressed with how the author demonstrates how you can take an element, whether it is a sea shell or fern frond, and how you can actually integrate it in a landscape design. Being a student in Landscape Architecture, I find it very useful in design projects.

5 comments about Taylor's Master Guide to Landscaping.

1. This book has helped me come up with a plan for the rough land that I have purchased with my new home.



2. This is the most often used book I continually return to for landscaping reference and guidance. It's well written and will have you on the way to improving your landscape after the first read. One reviewer mentions Rita is opinionated. This is true. So you'll have to read around some of the opinions and decide for yourself what holds true for your property.
   
   If you need just one landscaping book, I would highly recommend this book. It has a great balance of ideas, pics, & text. It is well structured and organized.



3. I admire Rita Buchanan's style.

   In a time of the pre-digested, summarized 'Idiot's Guides', she addresses landscape design in a methodical and logical progression. The text doesn't get bogged down in species' names and planting plans, but instead opens our minds to the larger questions of overall goals and needs. As such, I have found this to be the perfect companion as I plan my garden, opening my mind to the wider possibilities that I hadn't considered.

   Having said that, you might be disappointed if you are looking for a book to 'dip into' for rapid solutions. I have found this book more rewarding if you have 30 minutes to spare with a comfy chair and cup of coffee, rather than just a 3 minute break.




4. The book is what its title says and that's good - a master guide to landscaping. While I respect Ms. Buchanan's opinions on matters of landscaping since she obviously is versed enough to complete this well done and comprehensive book, it seems to me that her opinions sometimes get in the way of common, useful, tried and true landscaping practices. Example: On page 229 she adamantly states, "...Disregard anyone who tells you to set hedge plants in a zigzag pattern...", yet the picture above depicts just that and, quite frankly, it's commonly recommended to do so. As a designer, I do use that technique for hedge planting because it creates a billowy effect and it's more visually interesting, in many instances. The point is, that statement is an opinion that may not be based on anything more than personal taste.

   Having said that, it's an excellent and in-depth guide to the extensive field of landscaping and a very good book just to see what her educated opinions might be. Keep an open mind and refer also to other more task-specific books and expertise when faced with landscape challenges. This book certainly will entertain one with its views, many of them interesting and useful.




5. An incredibly complete guide to landscaping your home with many illustrative photographs and diagrams. The author covers everything from the setting up landscaping goals to the techniques of putting in edgings, paths, fences and on to choosing and caring for plants. The author does not pull her punches, coming out, for example, clearly against landscape fabric. Although information on the plants themselves is limited, it is an excellent overall gardening book that can be supplemented by more detailed plant guides.

No comments about 1000 Fences And Gates.