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Rating: 
Summary: Check the Perspective
Review: I share the views of previous reviewers that there is much of value in this handy little book. I particularly liked the section on design in which the author stressed movement and flow in creating the garden. I'm sure that townhouse gardeners will be able to create far better spaces as a result. Her well explained cautions and the accompanying drawings in this area were wonderful. Unfortunately, the drawings of gardens that one might develop leave much to be desired. The scale of these drawings is such that the gardens are almost all of much greater size than the back yards of the vast majority of these dwellings. Thus we see beautiful drawings of gorgeous gardens that can't possibly be squeeezed into the space available to the target audience. Only modest growth over a year or two would lead to overcrowding of plants and the need to pull them out or face death or disease among plants less able to compete. One of the major problems associated with these gardens is how to address the ubiquitous six foot privacy fences found on three sides of most of these backyards. Most of the drawings showed walls and other structures that are not permitted by covenant in many such communities, and there was precious little to guide the reader in this area. Five stars for text and three for drawings equals four overall.
Rating: 
Summary: The best book on landscaping
Review: This book is the single most inspirational garden book I have ever read. I have a single family house with much more ground than a townhouse and the ideas in this book are easily to translated to to larger sites. The author covers design, implementation and maintence basics quite well. The best part of the book are garden plans and container garden combinations, an excellent source of plant combinations for the mid-atlantic region. If you only own one garden book this is the one.
Rating:
Summary: Check the Perspective
Review: This is unequivocally the best garden book I own. After extensive research into "colonial" plants, Pennsylvania native plants, cold zones, planting zones, what does well in sun, shade, coordinating colors within a plantscape, what plants are the right size for my needs, etc. all I did was come up with confirmation that the best plan was already whole, complete, and in this book. I could have saved myself much time and trouble if I had just followed Miss Mitchell's plans. I am on my second copy, and would give this as a gift to any of my friends interested in gardening in the city. Hint: you can find almost everything you need on "Monrovia.com".
Rating:
Summary: Only book a Philly gardener needs
Review: This is unequivocally the best garden book I own. After extensive research into "colonial" plants, Pennsylvania native plants, cold zones, planting zones, what does well in sun, shade, coordinating colors within a plantscape, what plants are the right size for my needs, etc. all I did was come up with confirmation that the best plan was already whole, complete, and in this book. I could have saved myself much time and trouble if I had just followed Miss Mitchell's plans. I am on my second copy, and would give this as a gift to any of my friends interested in gardening in the city. Hint: you can find almost everything you need on "Monrovia.com".
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