3 comments about Design First: Design-based Planning for Communities.

1. 
   I really hard to read this book, and also it very hard to get some technique to design a real community. even though it has a n.....ice cover.



2. Although I work regularly in the design of cities, I found this work wordy and largely unreadable. If there are kernals of wisdom about the design of cities in it, they are well-hidden. The text goes on and on for many pages of small type without giving meaningful hints about how to design a good city. Perhaps the book would have been helpful if the authors had distilled it to perhaps 20% of its present length and illustrated any kernals of wisdom they have with good images. Due to its present form, I couldn't make myself read it through.



3. Whether a practitioner, architecture or urban design student or simply interested in the field of urban planning, you will enjoy and learn from "Design First." No rambling tome to weigh down your office papers or backpack, "Design First" is a practical and usable guide to understanding and learning from current examples of Smart Growth. The book is well organized, and begins with a concise historical overview of urban planning that provides the back-story to the practice of contemporary urban design. Following a strong discussion of urban planning theory and practice, Walters and Brown move into an investigation of five case study projects conducted in North and South Carolina. The animated text accompanies a healthy portion of design drawings, diagrams and photographs. The 53 color plates provide dynamic examples of large area plans, street sections, renderings and perspectives. "Design First" is a true designer's tool, to be worn at the edges and referenced often.

No comments about Stormwater Management for Land Development: Methods and Calculations for Quantity Control.

1 comments about Best Golf Course Management Practices (2nd Edition).

1. The first thing noticable about this book is the steep price. At almost a hundred dollars, you're going to think twice before you venture into buying another book about golf. This however is not just another book about golf, if you're looking for a pictorial about nice looking golf courses this is not what you need. If you're looking for information (and pictures) on how can a designer, planner or developer go wrong while planning, building or operating a golf course then you're going to find a lot of useful information and illustrations. I think this book is more about how not to do it. This really makes it different from other books available in the market. The audience for this will be golf course designers and managers and ennvironmentalists, and the theme is managing golf course developments with minimum environmental impacts. The book is written in an easy to read language, and is not made complicated, which is good, keeping in mind that its audience will probably come from different backgrounds. If I am teaching a course on environmental issues as they relate to golf courses this would be my pick. For this price however, I would have expected the illustrations and pictures inside to be in color! This is a new book so it reads and looks fresh, I will take one star off for the 100 dollar tag and keep 4 stars for the content.

No comments about The Living Landscape, Second Edition: An Ecological Approach to Landscape Planning.

1 comments about Appalachian Folkways (Creating the North American Landscape).

1. Appalachian Folkways by John B. Rehder (Professor of Geography, University of Tennessee) is an informed and informative account of the regional culture Southern Appalachia. Drawing upon more than 30 years of study, Professor Rehder provides the reader with a definitive depiction of a people and their history which began with the settlement by Europeans that was to include successive waves of Melungeon, Scotch-Irish, English, and Germans. Influenced by culture shaping environment, Appalachian Folkways showcases architecture and landscape designs, as well as the culinary traditions, folk remedies, and belief systems of the area. Of special merit is the presentation of Appalachian dialect, music, art, and the folk festivals that are being eroded as a way of life quickly disappears under the pressures of the broader American mass culture. Appalachian Folkways is a welcome and seminal contribution to American regional history collections.

1 comments about Reinventing the Garden: Chaumont--Global Inspirations from the Loire.

1. Reinventing The Garden: Chaumont - Global Inspirations From The Loire by gardening expert Louisa Jones magnificently showcases cutting-edge garden designs in the Loire valley in France. Outstanding designs drawn from a ten-year span are grouped together in six themes that reveal the thought and inspiration behind them. Additionally, concepts, techniques and materials of more than 36 main examples are discussed and illustrated. A superb addition to any dedicated gardener or landscape designer's reference shelf, Reinventing The Garden is enhanced with 229 beautiful color illustrations and a comprehensive reference section.

1 comments about The Agnelli Gardens at Villar Perosa: Two Centuries of a Family Retreat.

1. The stunning photos of the Agnelli Gardens span the four seasons and include shots that have been displayed on folded pages to open up over two or four pages, which give the photos extra depth. It was impossible for me to choose a favorite among them, but they sure made me wish I could go and visit the gardens first hand. The narrative was written in a personal and romantic style which made it easy to read, and was punctuated with monochrome and color photos of the house and its occupants - with beautiful children of course! The history of the property and its development spans two centuries and is told in the context of the family and the world around them, which makes it far more interesting than if it had been written only to address garden plans and project progress. To my suprise, even though the gardens are on a grand scale, I found some ideas which could be put to good use in my own garden environment. In short this lovely book did not disappoint, is well worth purchasing and keeping close at hand to look at often.

No comments about Wilderness by Design: Landscape Architecture and the National Park Service.

No comments about Gardening with Water: How James van Sweden and Wolfgang Oehme Plant Fountains, Lily Pools, Swimming Pools, Ponds....

No comments about Mulch It!: A Practical Guide to Using Mulch in the Garden and Landscape.