Home Landscapes: Planting Design and Management

This comprehensive book takes a unique approach to the problems of landscape design: from the outset, the eventual maintenance requirements of landscape features are considered, and therefore practical as well as aesthetic factors are taken into account in the planning process.
Drawing on their experience as practicing landscape architects and professional educators in the field, the authors set out the principles of good design, including historical background. Designs are evaluated in terms of a management plan that summarizes maintenance requirements; a "balanced" landscape can reduce the number of maintenance hours by 33% or more.
The heart of the book is a photographic gallery of landscape styles and features, unique in that the captions detail not only the design elements involved but also the very specific pruning, fertilizing, and other maintenance requirements of the plantings pictured.

Edward C. Martin, Jr. has taught planting design and landscape architecture at Mississippi State University.