| Hi All,
As a newbie gardener, I've spent a considerrable amount of money on books and magazines in an attempt to fill in gaps in my knowledge. One of the frustrations is that many books, even those produced in Oz, are more suited to gardeners in Melbourne and Canberra (Toowoomba could even be part of this group) than those of us in tropical and sub-tropical locales. Harry Oakman's 'What Flowers When' is a Queensland gem, and I've just stumbled across another.
A colleague loaned me Julie Lake's 'Gardening in a Hot Climate', and I quickly came to realise that this may well be the best gardening book I've ever read, and possibly one of the most well written books on *any* topic. The author's knowledgeable yet easygoing style (as she is quick to point out, its not a botanical treatise), the excellent layout and photography all combine to create a quality work that is extremely easy to read.
If this sounds like a sales pitch, its far from it. Published in 1996, I'm not even sure if its still in print, although I did find a reference on a Kiwi (!) website - definitely a case of wishful thinking for a few folk on the tip of the North Island, I expect. It remains an expensive coffee-table addition, even given the lower Kiwi dollar, so I doubt that the publisher will reprint it anytime soon - if anyone has an Aussie source, please let me know.
If I do have a niggling criticism, its that I believe that Ms Lake may have attempted to cover too many bases - almost every major species imaginable, from roses to eucalypts, seems to get a mention somewhere in the book, and that may not be in the best interests of gardeners looking to narrow their focus in search of a central theme for their gardens. Given that the Oz climate from Sydney/Geraldton north has the potential to accommodate so many species, I can see why she has been forced to adopt this approach.
If you do come a cross a copy, I strongly recommend it.
Cheers,
Artie |
