Books for gardening abound

GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

"The Landscape Makeover Book" by Sara Jane von Trapp. (The Taunton Press, $21.95)

If your landscaping is more than 20 years old and hasn't been altered since it was planted, chances are it needs a makeover. The author offers ideas for revamping the landscape for many different styles of house architecture.

Color photographs are lavishly used as well as sketches to illustrate ideas.

Renewal pruning is a valuable chapter. Advice is given on correcting grade, renovating the lawn, transplanting, renovating the front entry (very often needed), walkways and paths, decks, ponds, lighting, etc.

Recommended for the do-it-yourselfer.

"The Plantfinders Guide To Early Bulbs" by Rod Leeds. (Timber Press. $34.95).

This is particularly timely at this season of ordering and planting. Perhaps early is not quite accurate since Zone 7 and warmer gardeners can have something blooming all winter and well into spring before the mid- and late-season bulbs bloom.

The book is well illustrated, but not completely, leaving one in the dark as to how such things, for example, as Amana might look.

For one not familiar with the early, often referred to as minor, bulbs, this is well worth reading.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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