Gardens for Birds, Hummingbirds, & Butterflies (Black & Decker Outdoor Home Series) - Softcover

Harris, Linda D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1589230019 ISBN 13: 9781589230019

Publisher: Creative Pub Intl, 2001

Synopsis

Explains how to design and maintain a landscape that attracts and sustains hummingbirds and butterflies, focusing on designing, planting, and caring for the garden.

About this title

About the Author

The editors of Creative Publishing international have created dozens of best-selling titles in the fields of home repair, home improvement, home decor, and landscaping.

From Library Journal

Gardeners often want to enhance their gardens by attracting wildlife. Using Briggs's book, even those with little space can encourage a wide variety of visitors. Briggs's science background and writing skills make this a worthwhile guide that subtly calls attention to habitat loss while providing meaningful ways gardeners can help. Chapters are organized by habitats: woodlands, wetlands, grasslands, and rocklands. Briggs is thorough, giving brief historical and ecological background on each habitat along with suggestions on how to re-create it at home. Unfortunately, since her book was originally published in Britain, her plant lists may be of limited use to American gardeners. Unlike Briggs, natural history writer Zickefoose, whose work often appears in Bird Watcher's Digest, includes plant lists for various U.S. regions, though her emphasis is on habitats for birds. There are the usual recommendations on plants and water features, but also included are detailed chapters on housing, feeding, and creating hospitable habitats with living fences, brush piles, and snags. Zickefoose openly discusses the ugly side of attracting birds (disease problems, window-kills, predators, and pests). Points are punctuated by sidebars in which birders relate their experiences. The final chapter comprises observations by naturalists and authors across the United States. Recommended for all public libraries and essential for those lacking Sally Roth's Attracting Birds to Your Backyard (Rodale, 1998). Harris's less-detailed book is designed for those who wish to attract birds and butterflies but who have little knowledge of gardening or wildlife. Harris offers beginners a nice section on planning gardens and a short, attractive directory of plants. One strength of this book is its large color illustrations depicting wildlife and illustrating the steps taken in creating such projects as trellises, backyard blinds, and homemade bird feeders. An attractive book recommended for libraries needing to update. Bonnie Poquette, Shorewood P.L., WI
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Creative Pub Intl
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1589230019
• ISBN 13: 9781589230019
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128
• Editor: Creative Publishing International