gardening and horticulture

This a basic slim book that does just what the writers promise. They show the novice gardener how to make 16 water features. There are assorted fountains, including a romantic fountain, bell fountain, perpetual water tap, a cascade and a glass waterfall. There is a still pond, a wall waterspout a cascade and a natural pond. It's fairly standard stuff but there are, after all, only so many ways to present simple how-to-do-it water feature information.

There are useful sections on tools, materials and pumps, and you'll find plenty of illustrations, including cross-sections of the construction project.

There is no bibliography, just a reading list that is really tacky because it only lists other books published by the same publisher. Unless you're new to gardening I'd stay away from books published by Storey. There is nothing basically wrong with them, but they lack the depth, originality and insight that the more experienced gardener generally seeks.

Do you like the refreshing sound of lemonade trickling into a glass, only you wish it would last longer? The relaxing sound of running water is refreshing and also attracts wildlife. This book has 16 projects you can build, most quite easily, with simple, readily available materials that will add sound and visual interest to your yard.

The book has information about tools, materials and plants, well illustrated with photographs and watercolor drawings. There are even maintenance tips. Some of the projects are as small as container fountains and some as large as ponds. They even discuss "bog gardening." Most of the designs fall in the small to medium size range.

Among the more interesting projects is a "Japanese Deer Scarer" which is an animated bamboo fixture that beats on a rock while dumping water. Also unique is a "Wine Bottle Spray Fountain." (We are avidly gathering the materials for this one as I write.) There are several that utilize sheet copper parts and one made from glass bricks.

There are lots of good tips on design that you can use for your own variations. If you are only going to buy one book on outdoor water features, get this one. It is sure to be an inspiration for your next weekend "water" project.