Reviews for Wildlife-friendly plants : make your garden a haven for beneficial insects, amphibians and birds
Publishers Weekly
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Enthusiasm for attracting wildlife has influenced gardeners on both sides of the Atlantic with ecologically admirable results. Creeser, who lives in London and is active in organic efforts in Canada and the U.S., focuses on plants that attract helpful creatures in Britain and/or North America. Three succinct chapters give cursory but sound advice on "Creating a Haven for Wildlife," "How to Plant" and "Encouraging and Sustaining Wildlife." An alphabetical "Plant Directory" follows, listing desirable plants with general descriptions, recommended cultivars, preferred locations and suggestions for care. These are generally reliable, but there are problematic exceptions. The attractive color photographs, almost exclusively closeups of flowers in bloom, are seductive but uninformative. Readers learn what the flower looks like at its prime, but nothing of the habit of the plant. Cultural recommendations are inconsistent and often do not address local requirements. Esthetics are also at risk. Readers are exhorted to let spent flowers go to seed, leave the detritus from pruning on the ground for days and permit brush to pile up. This will encourage birds, amphibians and bugs, but probably won't make for an attractive landscape. For those who already embrace wildlife gardening, Creeser may have some useful tips. Newcomers, however, will find her guidance confusing at best. 180 color photos. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
No matter what size the garden or where it's located, attracting and supporting wildlife is one of the most beneficial of gardening activities. Although the common perception is that wildlife can only be found on large tracts of country land, Creeser demonstrates that, in nature, the field of dreams rule applies: if you build it, she says, they will come. By they, she means insects, birds, butterflies, and amphibians that can add life to the garden, and that need a garden habitat in order to survive. Knowing how to encourage wildlife is only part of a successful approach. The other is determining which plants are wildlife-friendly, and to that end, Creeser provides a comprehensive plant directory of perennials, trees, and shrubs. Complemented by breathtaking color photographs, each entry features informative symbols for at-a-glance reference. As beneficial wildlife populations diminish, it is more important than ever that gardeners plan and plant with these creatures in mind. Creeser's compact new guide makes that easy to do. --Carol Haggas Copyright 2004 Booklist
Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Here are two new titles that address turning your garden into an animal-friendly habitat. Maintaining a chatty style, Dolezal (The Complete Guide to Choosing Landscape Plants), writing under the aegis of Birds & Blooms magazine, adeptly explains such complex topics as ecosystems and the origins of birds as he describes how gardeners and birds can mutually benefit from well-conceived organic yards. He guides readers in evaluating their site, choosing plants, and considering bird-friendly accoutrements like nesting material, feeders, and perches. His advice takes into account maintenance, safety, scheduling, and budget issues (seldom mentioned in similar books). There are the usual projects, gift ideas, and suggestions for getting more involved, followed by directories of approximately 150 North American backyard birds and 75 bird-friendly plants. British gardening writer Creeser offers a more extensive plant directory (nearly 100 plants) after discussing the benefits of wildlife gardening, plant considerations, gardening techniques, and small spaces. Like Dolezal, she advocates organic methods but places a stronger emphasis on native plants and includes cautionary notes on invasives. By viewing the full-page entries with clear symbols and large color photos, gardeners can quickly determine whether a plant is appropriate for their geographic and climatic conditions and identify which insect or animal is likely to use it. While plant directories and books on bird gardening are plentiful, the inclusion of information on beneficial insects is not common, so Creeser's book is highly recommended for public libraries. Dolezal's work, with its connection to Birds & Blooms, is destined to be popular and is recommended for all public libraries needing an additional up-to-date book on bird gardening.-Bonnie Poquette, Milwaukee (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
