American Horticultural Society Practical Guides: Ponds And Water Features

Full of solid, practical advice and plenty of how-to pictures, Ponds and Water Features is an ideal title for those looking to create unusual ponds, wetlands, or fountains in their gardens. Focusing on appropriate plants for damp areas, and exploring all kinds of methods for adding natural looking and healthy water features, you'll find direction for growing gorgeous plants and creating your own unique haven.

Designed to be a complete do-it-yourself guide, don't let the small format of this book fool you--it's absolutely jam-packed with ideas for all styles of gardens, and as always, publisher Dorling Kindersley manages to take fairly complicated projects and reduce them to a manageable size that even the home improvement novice can handle. Practical considerations are dealt with firmly--no skipping such detail work like drawing up thorough plans or planning around underground utilities. The aim of this book is to get you professional-quality results, and if you follow directions carefully, you'll get the job done beautifully. The plant listings supply plenty of ideas for many climates and special needs.

Inspirational ideas are plentiful--the garden photographs are lush and detailed, and provide all kinds of unusual notions for creating a truly unique gardening space. Whether you're looking to add a formal reflecting pond, or incorporate a simple fountain into your courtyard, you'll find options for all your projects that will set your new plants off beautifully with striking combinations of textures and materials. --Jill Lightner