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California Home Landscaping, 3rd Edition (Creative Homeowner) 400 Color Photos and Illustrations, More Than 200 Plants Best Suited to the Region, and 48 Outdoor Designs for CA

California Home Landscaping, 3rd Edition: A Review

If you are looking for a comprehensive and practical guide to transform your Californian home landscape, you might want to check out California Home Landscaping, 3rd Edition by Roger Holmes and Lance Walheim. This book, published by Creative Homeowner, is part of the Home Landscaping series that covers different regions of the United States and Canada. It offers 48 beautiful and functional designs, over 200 plant profiles, and step-by-step instructions for installing and maintaining your landscape projects.

In this review, I will highlight the main features, strengths, and weaknesses of this book, and give my personal opinion on its value and usefulness for Californian homeowners.

What’s Inside the Book?

The book is divided into three main sections: Design Portfolio, Guide to Installations, and Plant Portraits. Each section has a different purpose and format, but they are all interconnected and easy to navigate.

Design Portfolio

This is the core of the book, where you can find 48 landscape designs created by professional designers from California. Each design is presented in two pages, with a large color illustration, a site plan, a plant list, and a brief description of the features and benefits of the design. The designs are grouped into four categories: front entries, foundation plantings, patios and decks, and special situations (such as slopes, pools, or water features).

The designs are suitable for different styles, sizes, and budgets of homes, and they can be adapted or combined to fit your specific needs and preferences. You can also mix and match the plants and projects from different designs, as long as they are compatible with your site conditions and climate. The book provides some tips and suggestions on how to do that in the introduction.

Guide to Installations

This section shows you how to install the plants, paths, patios, ponds, walls, fences, arbors, and trellises that are used in the designs. It covers the basic techniques and tools that you will need, as well as the safety precautions and environmental considerations that you should follow. It also gives you some advice on how to plan, prepare, and maintain your landscape projects.

The guide is organized in a logical sequence, starting with clearing the site and ending with planting and mulching. Each installation job is explained in a clear and concise way, with color photographs and illustrations to help you visualize the process. The guide also includes some handy charts and tables that summarize the materials, measurements, and costs of the projects.

Plant Portraits

This section provides detailed information on more than 200 plants that are recommended for the Californian climate and landscape. These include trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, bulbs, and vines that are featured in the designs, as well as some additional options that you can choose from. Each plant profile includes a color photograph, a description, and the essential data on the plant’s size, shape, color, bloom time, hardiness, exposure, soil, water, and maintenance requirements. The profiles also highlight the plant’s best uses, special features, and potential problems.

The plants are arranged alphabetically by their botanical names, with common names and synonyms given in parentheses. You can easily find the plants that you are interested in by using the index or the plant list in the design portfolio. The book also offers some general tips on how to select, plant, and care for your plants, as well as how to deal with pests and diseases.

What are the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Book?

As a reviewer, I found the book to have many strengths and few weaknesses. Here are some of the pros and cons that I noticed:

Pros

  • The book is well-written, well-organized, and well-illustrated. It is easy to read, understand, and follow, even for beginners. It has a friendly and conversational tone that makes you feel like you are getting advice from a trusted friend or neighbor.
  • The book is comprehensive and practical. It covers all the aspects of home landscaping, from design to installation to maintenance. It gives you a lot of options and ideas to choose from, and it helps you make informed decisions based on your site, budget, and taste. It also teaches you the skills and knowledge that you need to create and enjoy your own landscape.
  • The book is region-specific and climate-appropriate. It focuses on the plants and projects that are best suited for the Californian environment and lifestyle. It takes into account the challenges and opportunities that the region offers, such as drought, fire, wildlife, and urbanization. It also reflects the diversity and beauty of the Californian landscape, from the coast to the mountains, from the desert to the valley.

Cons

  • The book is somewhat dated. It was published in 2010, and some of the information and recommendations may not be up to date with the current trends and standards. For example, some of the plants may not be available or desirable anymore, some of the projects may not comply with the latest codes and regulations, and some of the costs and sources may have changed.
  • The book is somewhat limited. It only covers 48 designs and 200 plants, which may not be enough for some homeowners who want more variety and inspiration. It also does not cover some topics that may be relevant for some landscapes, such as edible gardening, wildlife gardening, or sustainable gardening. It also does not address some of the common problems and questions that homeowners may have, such as how to deal with weeds, erosion, drainage, or neighbors.

What is My Personal Opinion of the Book?

As a homeowner and a gardener, I found the book to be very useful and enjoyable. I liked the fact that it was tailored for my region and climate, and that it offered realistic and attractive solutions for my home. I learned a lot from the book, and I got many ideas and tips that I could apply to my own landscape. I also appreciated the quality and quantity of the illustrations and photographs, which made the book visually appealing and easy to follow.

However, I also realized that the book was not a complete or definitive guide to home landscaping. It was more of a starting point and a reference that I could use to supplement my own research and creativity. I still had to do some homework and legwork to find out more about the plants and projects that I was interested in, and to adapt them to my specific situation and needs. I also had to consult other sources and experts to get more information and advice on some of the topics and issues that the book did not cover.

Overall, I would recommend the book to anyone who is looking for a beginner-friendly and region-specific guide to home landscaping. It is a valuable and enjoyable resource that can help you create a beautiful and functional landscape for your Californian home. However, I would also advise you to use the book as a starting point and not as an end point, and to explore other options and opportunities that may suit your landscape better.

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