The Landscape Makeover Book: How to Bring New Life to An Old Yard

Is your garden reminiscent of a classic grande dame in need of some extra TLC? For the yard version of cosmetic surgery, turn to The Landscape Makeover Book, a helpful manual full of step-by-step photos, planning guides, and practical suggestions. Covering projects both big and small, this guide shows you how to add a pool or patio, prune generations-old shrubs for increased health and vigor, and top off that pesky tree that makes your gutters overflow every October. Have an unknown vine taking over the backyard? Useful charts will help you to identify those pesky plants and learn to use their low-maintenance talents to your advantage--or get rid of them entirely. Plenty of glossy photographs add a designer's touch to the down-and-dirty detail in these pages, but in general, those looking specifically for design inspiration will need to look elsewhere. There are only two types of classic garden design mentioned, Colonial and Victorian, but the authors do provide extensive help in priority setting and planning. While it may seem obvious to not reseed the lawn before adding a walkway, haven't we all found ourselves in similar situations with home-improvement projects? The section on reshaping beds is particularly useful, with plenty of attention given to individual plant rejuvenation and precise edge trimming. For those with an empty lot of dirt and grass, you'll need information other than what this book dishes out. But if you're facing an overgrown garden that looks like it really may have been a showstopper at one point, this is the guide that will help you in staging a glorious comeback. --Jill Lightner