The Collector's Garden : Designing with Extraordinary Plants

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Summary: Tasmanian fanatic garden book reader succumbs to K. Druse
Review: From my earliest years, I have devoured gardening books. Now in my wrinkly years and the owner of two gardens, one in the city and the other in Tasmania's beautiful countryside,I appreciate all the knowledge I have consumed over the years and I thank those garden writers that have helped to stir my creative juices and given aid when the inevitable mistakes have taken place.Through Internet, I have made the aquaintance of American gardeners and my interest in the revolution that is taking place in their gardens, has been aroused. The same movement is noticeably happening in the Australian gardening scene. Do you plant with only Australian native flora? Are you still homesick for the "old country" and religiously imitate the English country garden design? Perhaps the best is a blending of both styles? These are the questions that Australians are asking and American landscapers too. With interest aroused, I purchased American gardening books. I read serious tomes, the "this is what is happening in my garden" books and humerous offerings. This Christmas, as is my usual custom, I splashed out and bought myself two Kenneth Druse books: "The Collector's Garden: Designing with Extraordinary Plants" and "The Natural Garden". They were the best Christmas present ever, to be trite "A picture tells a Thousand Tales". The photographs are stunning, cream chocolates to be devoured over and over again with no weight gain! The script is concise and informative as it relates with gentle humour the drive that was used by these American gardeners to create their superb gardens. I would recommend both books to everyone, the beginner, the professional and the young at heart. There is nothing as exciting as beauty in pure form and in Kenneth Druse we find a genius who shares his love of beauty with us all, a luxury to be enjoyed and used time and time again.

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Summary: Garden Book Awards
Review: I just read that Ken Druse swept the Garden Book awards this year with The Collector's Garden. Best photography from The Garden Writers of America; Best book of the year from The American Horticultural Society. I have all his books -- this is the best one yet!

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Summary: Ken Druse books all rate a 10!
Review: I not only collect plants, I also collect books by Ken Druse. There are so many garden books out there today, and many are disappointing. Druse's books are the best. I read them over and over -- and the pictures are incredible. There could not be more inspirational and informational books onmy favorite hobby.