Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #917911 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 232 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Primeau, founding editor of Canadian Gardening magazine, posits that a perfect lawn may not always be a good thing, arguing that well-manicured lawns are high-maintenance, chemical-dependent water guzzlers; she would be happy to see them all replaced by the flower gardens so often relegated to the back yards of urban and suburban houses. Starting with the luxuriant display of flowers, foliage plants, and shrubs in her own front yard in Toronto, she discusses more than 70 front yard gardens, most of them in Canada but some in Texas, Arizona, California and Wisconsin. She divides these front yard gardens into eight types-cottage, small city, opulent, minimalist, fusion (some grass allowed), natural, neighborhood and secret-and shows in text and photographs how they were designed, how they reflect the personalities of their owners, and what plants were used. There can be obstacles to such gardens in cities and suburbs-neighbors' objections, local regulations, overhead and underground wires, bad drainage, and hard surfaces-and she describes how many people have overcome these problems. Unfortunately, Primeau doesn't include among the many splendid photographs in the book any that show how one of these colorful gardens would stand out in the context of a block where all the other houses are fronted with carpets of grass. But this is a small matter. The book is handsome, informative and amusingly written, and it should serve as an inspiration to those who are tired of old-fashioned lawns. 240 color photographs. Garden Book Club and Country Home & Garden Book Club selection.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Alternatives to the traditional lawn effectively cut down on water usage and may also play host to beneficial insects and birds. Once the desire to do away with grass takes root, readers can turn to Primeau for help in rejuvenating a front yard so that flowers, foliage textures, and hardscaping come together in inviting swaths to both beautify and benefit the environment. Options presented range from cottage style to a minimalist approach stressing restrained designs. Even fusion plans are included, showing landscapes where small areas of grass combine with beds, borders, or expansive plantings. Primeau's Canadian point of view proposes plant lists spanning the mild realm of Vancouver, cold-winter regions of Winnipeg and Toronto, along with a smattering of gardens from Texas, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Useful as a source book, this volume presents photographs and text that suggest potential ideas to increase curb appeal through the transformation of front yards and parkways. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
It's a gorgeous book. (Mairi MacLean Edmonton Journal 20070621)

The author knows of what she writes, having been there, done that and showcasing the landscaping to prove it. (Ian Munt Sudbury Star 20070403)

Wonderfully literate. (Laurie Grassi Style at Home Magazine 200305)

Turn your yard into an earth-friendly showstopper. (Bonnie Schiedel Chatelaine 20030627)

I've just finished reading [this book], and I've got to say I'm feeling excited and inspired. (Susan Mulvihill Spokane Spokesman 20030619)

More than 200 photographs ... where lawns were ripped up and replaced with free-flowing, more environmentally friendly (and prettier) plants. (HGTV.com 20031220)

Flowers look good... the concepts and how-tos for eight gardening styles are helpful. (Kathy Huber Houston Chronicle 20030426)

Inspirational ... great tips on how to plant so your garden doesn't clash with the neighborhood. (Sherry A. Firing Globe and Mail 20030601)

Very good. (Jamaica Kincaid New York Times Book Review 200307)

Alternatives to lawns ... from cactus austerity to full-blooming exuberance. (Michael Lassell Metropolitan Home 20030809)

Wonderful photographs... a range of designs from minimalist to lush jungle to a swath of native grasses. (Marjorie Harris Globe and Mail 20031213)

Very well written and illustrated book... thousands of ideas. (Stuart Robertson Montreal Gazette 20030517)

Full of interesting ideas on ways to take a different approach to an often blah and boring space. (Sonia Day Toronto Star 20030701)

All the tips and photographs prove that you can keep off the grass -- step by step -- with style. (Jo Calvert Canadian Living 20031031)

I love this book... Primeau is a terrific writer and gardener... this marvelous book just might inspire and guide you. (Robert Howard Hamilton Spectator 20030501)

Help in rejuvenating a front yard so that flowers, foliage, textures, and hardscaping come together in inviting swaths. (Alice Joyce Booklist 20030515)

[Starred review] Substantial... filled with practical ideas ... Highly recommended. (Bonnie Poquette Library Journal 20030412)

More than 70 examples of the kinds of front yard plans others have come up with. (Verne Clemence Saskatoon Star-Phoenix 20030329)

Will inspire homeowners. (Patty Jessome Edmonton Sun 200305)

Excellent primer on the rewards and challenges of starting a yard garden. (James Grainger Quill and Quire 200306)

Visually compelling book, full of varied design suggestions. (Canadian House and Home 20030217)

Handsome, informative and amusingly written, and it should serve as an inspiration to those who are tired of old-fashioned lawns. (Publishers Weekly 20030712)

Results will not only look superb, but will require no chemicals and take far less time and water to maintain. (Ken Smith London Free Press 200309)

Conversational text and lovely photography by Andrew Leyerle make this edition an interesting choice for home gardeners. (Phoenix Home and Garden 20031015)

Showcases more than 70 gardens from around the country that tackle the challenge of front yard design. (Rita Pelczar American Gardener 2003)

The photographs are delightful and the text is written in informative and heartfelt prose. (Sylvia Jenkins Central Coast Adventures 20051125)

A witty and very well written volume that offers so much more than just details on basic gardening. (Niki Jabbour Halifax Daily News )

The green green grass of home doesn't interest Liz Primeau. She's a front yard rebel and proud of it. (Joanne Richard Wetaskiwin Times-Advertiser (Wetaskiwin, AB) )

This book provides a great motivation to rip out grass in your front lawn. (Janice Kreider GrowingEdibles.com )

Front Yard Gardens, Growing More Than Grass by Liz Primeau is a thorough guide to a splendid collection of gardens. (Grit Gazette )