Paradise by Design: Native Plants and the New American Landscape

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Like Phillips's previous book, Tracking the Vanishing Frogs, this series of essays on the moral issues relating to garden design explores the effects human interest has on the objects of its attention. Wild or native plant gardening is an increasingly popular trend, but its ramifications are not always the kind that logic might suggest. In using native plants, we hope to create ecologically sensible and appropriate gardens that are easy to care for. When the nursery industry responds with a furious backlash of recrimination, why are we surprised? Advocates for using as many regional natives as possible in public landscapes are accused of being plant nazis--and as it turns out, that appellation is occasionally correct. Nobody intended the native plant movement to trigger wholesale destruction of habitat in order to provide gardens with eco-cool plants, yet how many gardeners insist upon learning where their native plants really come from? Phillips's touch is light yet deft, and her reach is broad without losing focus. There is no strident anger here, but her interviews with botanists, horticulturists, designers, and gardeners address dozens of intriguing and complex issues. Few books this provocative are this fun to read. --Ann Lovejoy

Book Description

Every day when she arrives at work, landscape architect Joni Janecki faces a daunting task: to create a piece of paradise for her clients. For this young, up-and-coming designer, that often means bucking mainstream design and gardening culture. Janecki rejects the expansive lawns and tightly clipped shrubs that have become the standards of America's created landscape. Instead, she tries to introduce the natural world to her clients by landscaping their homes, parks, and businesses with the native plants that the larger gardening culture often ignores.

Kathryn Phillips follows Janecki as she struggles against nursery fads, anxious clients, pest plants, pesky budgets, and self-doubts to design paradise. The result, in the tradition of our best science and nature journalists, is an engrossing narrative which illuminates the complex forces that shape so much of the natural world we see each day. She introduces us to plant promoters, who want to carpet the world in roses, and nursery retailers who have to adapt to ever-changing fads.

By the book's end, readers will be rooting for Janecki and seeing the created landscape around them-and its often tenuous relationship with nature-with new eyes.

Customer Reviews:

Day-in-the-Life book scores high marks.......2004-03-28

I loved this book because it really offered insight into the life of a landscape architect. It showed well the struggles the architect must overcome but it also illustrates what we (who are entering this field) can expect to face. For me, it was a wonderful narrative in the "day-in-the-life" category and one of the best books I have ever read. I'm only sorry there aren't more like it.

The title of this book doesnýt match the contents........1999-01-29

Or is it just a book that goes halfway?

I liked Kathryn Phillips first book, Tracking the Vanishing Frogs: An Ecological Mystery. It had some great investigative storytelling and raised both interesting questions and thoughts.

Unfortunately this new title is not as compelling a read. This book meanders and winds through three different landscape projects. The untitled chapters, sidetrack and discuss many issues, though few of the issues deal directly with native plants as the title and book flaps promise. It might have been better titled: `A day in the life of a Landscape Architect.' It is more about how we ended up making everything around us look the way it does, and the way the landscape industry forces its commerce on the land. While these issues have a relationship to the use of native plants in the landscape the author makes little attempt to connect the reasons.

A large amount of the book spent on drawing plans, hardscapes, meeting logistics, and what car everyone drives. The loose structure made it difficult for me to understand why certain issues were being raised. It does address some interesting horticultural issues but really doesn't relate them to native plants. Lots of the issues it does raise for natives are the same for all plants. Most growers don't like slow growing plants, whether they are native or not. The few pages that do address native plants are interesting but don't add much depth. I feel this book doesn't really educate the value of native plants. Lack of scientific plant names adds to the feel of shallow content. The one time a plant is named by Genius species, it's incorrect (Page 210 - Stipa purpa should be Stipa pulchra.)

Many other books have truly covered the issues of native plants in a more direct fashion. I would strongly recommend Sarah Stein's work (Noah's garden, Planting Noah's garden) if you're interested in native plants in your landscape. Also, Gardening With a Wild Heart : Restoring California's Native Landscapes at Home by Judith Larner Lowry. They both communicate more clearly the real value of a native landscape.

Perfect for people who always wonder why.......1998-12-27

This book is for the intellectually curious gardener. Thought provoking. Should be on the reading list of native plant gardeners.

Paradise By Design - Native Plants And The New American Landscape

Average customer rating:

Paradise By Design - Native Plants And The New American Landscape
Kathryn Phillips
Manufacturer: North Point Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RJ06NK

Book Description

Canoe country's most up-to-date guide.

Located west of Lake Superior on the Canada-U.S. border and known to countless thousands of paddlers simply as "Canoe Country," Quetico Provincial Park is Ontario's second-largest wilderness park. It connects to the United States via the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, mainland America's largest protected tract of wilderness. The area receives over 200,000 visitors a year.

Kevin Callan is a renowned paddling personality, and his new book describes 10 of Quetico's best trips, plus five adventurous excursions to destinations just beyond the park's boundaries. Trips range from weekend recreational paddles to 10-day multi-lake loops, and there is something for every skill level. All route maps are original and up to date, correcting many of the common errors found in other publications.

One could spend a lifetime paddling the waters of Quetico Provincial Park, with its more than 600 lakes and five major rivers. And with an average portage length of only 435 yards, it's all about the paddling.

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario (Paddler's Guide)

Average customer rating:

Useful for planning

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario (Paddler's Guide)
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

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A Paddler's Guide to Ontario's Lost Canoe Routes (Paddler's Guide)
A Paddler's Guide to the Rivers of Ontario and Quebec (Paddler's Guide)
Missinaibi: Journey to the Northern Sky: From Lake Superior to James Bay by Canoe
A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin Park (Paddler's Guide)
Canoeing, Kayaking and Hiking Temagami

ASIN: 1550463853

Book Description

One of Ontario's most popular canoeing guides takes readers on some of the province's best canoe routes. Each route -- ranging from a two-day paddle in Frontenac Provincial Park to a week-long expedition down Pukaskwa's White River -- includes detailed descriptions, maps of all access points, accurate portage lengths, and advice on everything from running rapids to shuttle arrangements.

Some of the routes included are:

Frontenac
Mazinaw-Mississippi
Madawaska
Barron River Canyon
Algonquin
Magnetawan
French River
Killarney
Spanish River
Temagami
White River
Upper Missinaibi
Quetico

Customer Reviews:

Useful for planning.......2007-08-22

I had occasion to use this book this past summer (2007) and I found it moderately helpful in the broadest stage of planning a canoe camping expedition. It wasn't so much use "in the water", where durable splashproof maps are what matter, but that's the norm for guidebooks. If you're thinking of venturing to Ontario for the first time, the choice is actually easy. Go to Georgian Bay; it's accessible and it's spectacular.

A Paddler's Guide to Killarney and the French River (Paddler's Guide)

Average customer rating:

Excellent overview - but bring detailed maps!

A Paddler's Guide to Killarney and the French River (Paddler's Guide)
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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National Parks | Canada | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario (Paddler's Guide)
A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin Park (Paddler's Guide)

ASIN: 1550464604

Book Description

The latest addition to Kevin Callan's guidebook series provides the 20 best canoeing, kayaking, and hiking trips in Ontario's picturesque Killarney/French River region, a favorite wilderness getaway spot in central Ontario. At least three of the routes in this book are documented here for the first time.

Situated at the north end of Georgian Bay, Killarney Provincial Park is a paddler's paradise of rugged, windswept islands and turquoise lakes beneath breathtaking white quartzite mountains. The nearby French River is a historic waterway once used by explorers Samuel de Champlain, Alexander Mackenzie, and David Thompson.

Paddlers of all experience will find weeklong trips on Killarney's tranquil interior lakes and along the Georgian Bay shoreline, and weekend jaunts down remote stretches of the French River. The book includes detailed maps, suggestions for side trips, and color photographs, making this the ideal reference for planning a dream trip by canoe or kayak. Callan's fascinating notes and his trademark tales of adventure and misadventure add to the reading pleasure.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent overview - but bring detailed maps!.......2007-06-20

This is an excellent book, which can guide you through the beginning stages of choosing a route and planning your trip, but you had better bring a more detailed map - especially for the French river trips. The maps in the book along with the trip details probably are not enough.

A Paddler's Guide to the Rivers of Ontario and Quebec (Paddler's Guide)

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A Paddler's Guide to the Rivers of Ontario and Quebec (Paddler's Guide)
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Rivers of the Upper Ottawa Valley: Myth, Magic and Adventure
A Paddler's Guide to Ontario (Paddler's Guide)
Canada's Best Canoe Routes
Missinaibi: Journey to the Northern Sky: From Lake Superior to James Bay by Canoe
A Paddler's Guide to Ontario's Lost Canoe Routes (Paddler's Guide)

ASIN: 155046387X

Book Description

Twenty top river trips through the wilds of Ontario and Quebec. Kevin Callan is one of the foremost authorities on canoeing Central Canada's lakes and rivers. But he's that rare ah-shucks expert who gives you the best information, spins a wild-but-true story, yet doesn't have to be the hero of his own tale. Includes detailed route descriptions and maps showing all access points, important river features and accurate portage lengths.

Some of the routes included are:

Rideau Canal
Saugeen River
Oxtongue
Little Bonnechere
Mattawa
Sturgeon
West Montreal River
Mississagi
Dumoine
Coulonge
Chochocouane
Upper Gatineau

A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin Park (Paddler's Guide)

Average customer rating:

Don't go to Algonquin without it!

A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin Park (Paddler's Guide)
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

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National Parks | Canada | Travel | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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Look Inside Travel Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Frommer's Algonquin Provincial Park
Canoeing Algonquin Park
A Paddler's Guide to the Rivers of Ontario and Quebec (Paddler's Guide)
A Paddler's Guide to Ontario (Paddler's Guide)
Missinaibi: Journey to the Northern Sky: From Lake Superior to James Bay by Canoe

ASIN: 1550464175

Book Description

Only 200 miles from Toronto, Algonquin Park is one of Canada's foremost canoeing destinations, a paddler's paradise of spectacular lakes and rivers. This book features a variety of routes, from true wilderness adventures to less rustic excursions.

Trips include:

Canoe Lake Circuit
Big Trout Lake
The Brent Run
Ragged Lake Loop
Lake Louisa Loop
Dividing Lake
Rock Lake
Big Crow Lake
Lake Lavielle/Dickson Circuit
Happy Isle Lake
Booth Lake
Upper Petawawa Loop
Tim River Loop
Rosebary Lake Loop
Nipissing Loop
Three Mile Lake Loop
Erables Lake
Hogan Lake Loop
Barron Canyon
Lower Petawawa River

Customer Reviews:

Don't go to Algonquin without it!.......2005-08-24

We bought this book last year at the Algonquin Visiters Centre. After reading it from cover to cover we agreed on a four day canoe route for our family. We just got back from that canoe trip. Wow did we have a great time! Without Kevin's book we were clueless about planning our first family canoe trip. After all, Algonquin is 3,000 square miles of wilderness.

Because the book is so well written and interesting it was easy to read cover to cover. It's more that a list of canoe routes. Each section is full of interesting park history and stories. The information was very accurate and useful.

Brook Trout and Blackflies: A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin Park

Average customer rating:

Great guide/storybook combo
Excellent cover design and overall rectangular-solid form.

Brook Trout and Blackflies: A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin Park
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Canada | Travel | Subjects | Books

National Parks | Canada | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1550462113

Book Description

Our favorite canoeing guide takes us on 20 trips in Algonquin Park. Algonquin is Ontario's foremost canoeing destination, a paddler's paradise of spectacular lakes and rivers, and few know the park better than Kevin Callan. Includes routes for all skill levels.

Customer Reviews:

Great guide/storybook combo.......2001-06-06

Callan's a great storyteller, but this is not just a storybook. He's a great guide, but this is not just a guidebook. Callan beautifully combines the two worlds in BT&BF to lend the reader a guidebook with stories that whet the appetite for an Algonquin trip. Callan gives the reader several options for weekend or week-long trips in the park and spices the descriptions up with his great storytelling ability. The only drawback is the lack of an index where one could compare trip length, difficulty, etc. in a table format instead of having to leaf back and forth through the book, but don't let that dissuade you. This is an excellent resource for the Algonquin canoeist.

Excellent cover design and overall rectangular-solid form........1999-04-08

The last word was every bit as incredible as the first...WOW! That Brookie on the cover would hit the spot right now... I'm pretty hungry... unfortunately it's only an image printed on paper... not very satisfying or tasty for that matter. The main thing you need to know about this book is that it's ultimately just a bunch of words on paper; like most other books. And hidden beneath this thin veil of "outdoor writing" is really just a silly lesson in Yin and Yang philosophy, as the words of the book depend upon and are largely defined by the Old Growth Forest paper that they are printed upon. And vice versa. Whatever. Spend some money. Check it out. You might be disappointed... then again,you just might not. Besides, everyone needs an extra book or two to fill those annoying gaps that appear in your bookcases when somebody pulls out another book to read, or to slap a fly with, or to use as a temporary, mobile writing platform. Happy reading!

Northwoods Whitewater: A Paddlers Guide to Whitewater of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario and Michigan

Average customer rating:

I never met Jim Rada, but I wish I had.
Wilderness & Whitewater

Northwoods Whitewater: A Paddlers Guide to Whitewater of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ontario and Michigan
Jim Rada
Manufacturer: SangFroid Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Whitewater Rescue Manual: New Techniques for Canoeists, Kayakers, and Rafters

ASIN: 0917939034

Book Description

The result of decades of detailed and painstaking research, this bible for those hoping to find, run, and survive the best whitewater in the Northwoods has evolved over the years from a clandestinely photocopied underground classic into this colorful, detailed edition. A comprehensive guide as well as a tribute to the man who created it, the book features technical yet spirited descriptions of the nooks and crannies of numerous rivers, falls, and rapids throughout the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin accompanied by images and colorful tales of the author's journeys. A detailed rating system assists canoers and kayakers in choosing the best river for their level of experience, while topographic maps and a user-friendly layout lead paddlers straight to their chosen whitewater rivers and creeks.

Customer Reviews:

I never met Jim Rada, but I wish I had........2006-08-23

Several of the stories in this book had a heart touching feel to them. The tale of his death was expecially moving. A must for any whitewater enthusiast. Great pictures and stories of this wild land.

James

Wilderness & Whitewater.......2006-06-23

The author's love of wildwater boating and his love for the scenic rivers described in this book gushes out of each page. The reader can vicariously descend these rivers and enjoy the rapids and falls seen through the eyes and spirit of Minnesota's premier kayaker --- The Commodore. For those lucky to have the time and talent to paddle wild rivers this book will excite and inspire a Spring paddle down the Brule, the Baptism and the Presque Isle.

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario's Lost Canoe Routes (Paddler's Guide)

Average customer rating:

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario's Lost Canoe Routes (Paddler's Guide)
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Canada | Travel | Subjects | Books

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario (Paddler's Guide)
A Paddler's Guide to the Rivers of Ontario and Quebec (Paddler's Guide)
Missinaibi: Journey to the Northern Sky: From Lake Superior to James Bay by Canoe
Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Trips: A Guide to 15 Wilderness Rivers
Canoeing, Kayaking and Hiking Temagami

ASIN: 1550464582

Book Description

Take the path less traveled along lesser-known waterways. Some of the routes featured in this book are little known; some haven't been documented for as long as 50 years. The 15 trips range from two to eight days, involve all types of water, and are suitable for canoeists of all skill levels.

Trips include:

Wabakimi Provincial Park
Steel River Loop
Chapleau and Nemegosenda Rivers
Wakami Lake Loop
Ranger Lake Loop
Dunlop Lake Loop
Lac aux Sables/Bark Lake Loop
Nabakwasi River Loop
Four M Circle Loop
Tatachikapika River
Chiniguchi River
Temagami's Canton Lakes
Marten River Provincial Park
South River
York River

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario's Cottage Country (Paddler's Guide)

Average customer rating:

Experience the trip before you leave the couch!

A Paddler's Guide to Ontario's Cottage Country (Paddler's Guide)
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

Updated, and with additional routes, new maps and a new format, this book features 20 of the best canoe routes in Ontario's Kawarthas, Haliburton, Muskoka, and Georgian Bay regions. Full of photos and original maps showing all access points, important river features, and accurate portage lengths.

Some of the routes included are:

Georgian Bay
McCrae Lake
Moon River
Massasauga Wildlands
Black River
Muskoka River
Poker Lake
Big East Lake
Burnt River System
Kawartha Highlands
Long Lake
Eels Creek
Mississauga River

Customer Reviews:

Experience the trip before you leave the couch!.......1999-02-05

Kallan gives you detailed info on a number of great trips through the Kawarthas, Muskokas and Georgian Bay regions of Ontario. Decent maps coincide with route descriptions and Kallan pinpoints his favourite campsites along the way. He touches on fishing here and there and adds humour in his text, making it a pleasant read. One of my favourite features of the book is the crisp and colourful pictures that accompany each of the route descriptions. Recent editions of Kallan's work went to black and white photos, which was a negative in my books.

A Paddler's Guide to Weekend Wilderness Adventures in Southern Ontario (Paddler's Guide)

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A Paddler's Guide to Weekend Wilderness Adventures in Southern Ontario (Paddler's Guide)
Kevin Callan
Manufacturer: Boston Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Canada | Travel | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This book covers the Ontario region closest to the American border and just a couple hours drive from Toronto. Here are 20 perfect quick-getaway canoe routes for one-, two- and three-day paddles. All are easy on the portages, big on the rewards of nature and not too far from your own backyard.

These routes offer a variety of experiences, from cushy trips for novice paddlers to more challenging excursions for experienced canoeists.

Trips include:

Big Creek
Thames River
Grand River
Rockwood Lake Conservation Area
Credit River
Nonquon River
Minesing Swamp
Beaver River
Rankin and Sauble Rivers
Noganosh Lake
Big East Lake
Silent Lake Provincial Park
Crab Lake
Wolf Island Provincial Park
Bon Echo Provincial Park
Crotch Lake
Depot Lakes Conservation Area
Murphys Point Provincial Park
Charleston Lake Provincial Park
Grants Creek/Pooh Lake

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