The Water Garden Encyclopedia

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not an encyclopedia
Review: This is a book that will guide you in planning, building and maintaining any type of water garden you could imagine. It covers a lot of territory, from container water gardens to formal pools, bog gardens, rills, canals and even dew ponds. It will help you plan lighting, bridges, stepping stones and wet islands. It is especially useful in letting you know what you should be planning ahead for, what aspect you might not have considered that should be factored in. The writer includes a goodly section on plants too, including bog and marginal plants.

Some of the pond construction details are complex and might make you consider getting expert help. Sound foundations for even the most simple rustic bridge require concrete footings, perhaps with reinforcing rods. The book has much to offer in the area of pond maintenance, and in how to propagate and plant water plants - I loved the idea of planting them in old panty hose, rather than planting baskets or burlap - but I thought the section on fish and pond ecology was weak.

While comprehensive and having plenty of useful ideas and caveats, this is not an encyclopedia. Written by a water garden specialist from Britain, the book will make an interesting and attractive addition to your water garden library. It is useful and well illustrated with step-by-step how-to-do-it photographs, but it is nowhere near being an encyclopedia.