Mowed over If you’d prefer to spend your summer Saturdays lounging in a hammock rather than trudging behind a lawn mower, pick up a copy of The Landscape Revolution. Authors Andy and Sally Wasowski instruct homeowners on converting their yards from chemical-drenched, high-maintenance wastelands to attractive natural landscapes. The Wasowskis are wise and witty never preachy as they extol the advantages of native plants. The Landscape Revolution will lead you through the process of converting your yard and your neighbors to the natural approach. So join the revolution and park that mower!

Gifts with class that last Mother’s birthday? Nephew’s graduation? Second cousin twice removed’s wedding? If you need help selecting a gift for any occasion, you’ve come to the right place. What gift is always the right color, the right size, and the right price? Why, books, of course! If you are not aware that the hottest new television series is found on PBS, you are not in the know. Don’t despair, my friend; Workman Publishing has just the book for you. Carol Prisant’s Antiques Roadshow Primer ($28.95, 076111775X, paperback, $19.95, 0761116249) will bring you up to speed on all that’s essential in the world of antiques and collectibles. Included are sections that mention many of the show’s more curious finds, quick tips for spotting a fabulous piece, common items mistakenly thought to be valuable, and a glossary. And should the Roadshow make a stop in your hometown, Antiques Roadshow Primer is the perfect gift to prepare packrats for their treasure hunts. Don’t clean out the attic until you’ve read this book.

While antiques and collectibles go in and out of style, the concept of good manners is not beholden to seasons of change. With progress on both the social and technological fronts, however, there is always room for updates and improvement. Former White House staff coordinator Nancy Tuckerman and businesswoman Nancy Dunnan have updated and revised The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette (Doubleday, $32, 0385413424) to accommodate today’s lifestyles, including correct protocol for cosmetic surgery and prenuptial agreements. Both authors have painstakingly rewritten this book considered by many to be the final answer to all etiquette questions in the spirit of its original author. While most consider etiquette books as engagement gifts, The Amy Vander- bilt Complete Book of Etiquette addresses an exhaustive number of issues and circumstances, making it an appropriate gift for any occasion or (even better) when there’s no occasion at all.

Very often, the difference between a moment lost and a moment captured hinges on whether a camera hastily catches it. When a photograph evokes more senses than merely sight and more memories than the image itself represents, indeed, the photograph has extended its intent. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs fit this definition and for the first time ever, all are bound into one volume in Moments: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographs (Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, $29.98, 1579120784). The Pulitzer Prize for photography was first awarded in 1942, so this collection is a wonderful visual record of the postwar era, with subjects ranging from Babe Ruth’s formal good-bye to famine in Rwanda. Highs, lows, sports, science Moments includes timelines and commentary to supplement larger features. Not all of the images are happy, not all of the images are sad; rather, the images are used to tell the story of the latter half of the 20th century. It’s a messy job, but then again, so is history.

However, if your giftee is more the tailored, designed type, perhaps you should consider purchasing Designing with Plants. A collaborative effort of designers Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury, the approach begins with basic elements to consider when designing your patch of earth: form, texture, and color are explained in detail, and photographic examples are included. From there, Oudolf and Kingsbury fill in the spaces, much like a child who has outlined a picture and is now ready to color it in. The authors explain how to combine the elements and customize with grasses, rhythm, and plant architecture. Don’t despair, all you who dare to color outside the lines: there’s even a section on breaking the rules. Also included are segments on mood reflection, year-round planting, and a directory. This book, while gorgeous enough to display, is very user-friendly for anyone interested in all that’s green and flowery. If, as a rule, April showers bring May flowers, why not try and orchestrate the blooms?

Perennials have taken the gardening community by storm for the past ten years, and interest in them does not appear to be declining. This is probably because unlike annuals, which must be planted yearly, perennials are planted only once and continue to get bigger and better as years pass. If you’re already interested in perennials but wonder which plants are best for your particular growing situation, 100 Favorite Perennials by Teri Dunn will help.

In addition to full-color photos, each entry contains the plant’s vital statistics: its bloom time, height, width, light requirements, hardiness range, and landscaping suggestions. There is also important information on choosing plants that will survive in your zone, a Hardiness Zone Map, basic perennial care, tips for buying healthy plants, planting potted and bareroot plants, and dividing perennials to increase your stock. If you prefer to purchase your plants through the mail, the author also provides a list of mail-order sources.

Because there are so many perennials available in garden centers and catalogues, choosing the right one for your yard can seem like an overwhelming task. 100 Favorite Perennials takes the uncertainty out of your first purchases by recommending the most dependable and easiest perennials to grow.

Reviewed by Pat Regel.

The world of herbs is both intriguing and somewhat daunting for new gardeners, but Terri Dunn’s 100 Favorite Herbs shows you how to begin with the best plants. This book offers a wide range of appealing herbs and offers information on whether or not you can grow a specific herb in your area. The author has chosen herbs that can be used as ornamental herbs, culinary herbs, herbs for crafts, and soothing herbs for teas and baths.

Each entry lists the ultimate size of the plant, description, bloom time, hardiness requirements, recommended uses, and culture tips. Full-color photos accompany each entry, as well as the basic techniques and terminology used in growing herbs. The author takes you from selecting your first plants, all the way through the harvesting process at the end of the growing season, but she doesn’t stop there. Many herb gardeners will be interested in Dunn’s tips on drying and storing herbs for winter use.

Whether you want to add a few culinary herbs to the vegetable garden or plant them as ornamentals along with your perennials, you’ll find the perfect herb for your needs in this book. Reviewed by Pat Regel.

Charles W. G. Smith’s The Big Book of Garden Secrets (Storey, $22.95, 1580170005) addresses all of the facets of gardening with which beginners and intermediate gardeners should be familiar. It includes advice on amending soil, making and using compost, plant propagation, cool and warm-season vegetables, landscaping, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden, and more.

As a new gardener, you’ll also be interested in the low-maintenance solutions and money-saving shortcuts that Smith offers for dozens of common gardening problems. In addition, there are helpful line-drawings, easy-to-follow instructions, a USDA Zone Map, and selected plant lists. Smith has served as horticulturist for the well-known White Flower Farm, is an instructor of vocational agriculture, and has written about gardening and environmental issues.

Reviewed by Pat Regel.

Perhaps you have a green thumb and could grow watermelons in the desert. Or maybe you couldn’t grow weeds alongside a country road. It doesn’t really matter. If you have kids, Beth Richardson’s Gardening with Children is a practical and fun book that will guide the novice and the experienced gardener in making gardening an enjoyable family experience.

Richardson, the mother of two boys, takes a realistic approach. She neither attempts to make children into miniature adult gardeners nor abdicates the garden to the kids. Rather, Richardson has adapted gardening practices for children for the purpose of creating an “adult-centered garden that included and celebrated children.” She writes, “I wanted to create a fabulous family garden, hoping my children would view gardening as a wondrous adventure and the garden as a playground and laboratory.” Think about what most kids love to do outside. Given the opportunity, they will usually get dirty and, if possible, wet. Gardening involves doing both of these things. It also encourages children to dream and use their imaginations, and provides a sense of responsibility and accomplishment.

The first section of Gardening with Children walks gardeners through the practical steps of planning, preparing, and planting a garden. The book contains easy-to-understand instructions and warnings, along with clear charts, diagrams, and pictures to illustrate the author’s points. At the end of the book, Richardson includes a USDA Hardiness Zone Map to help gardeners select what to plant, as well as a resource list for further assistance.

The second section suggests ways to make gardening fun for children. For example, there’s the pizza garden, which is not only used to grow many of the ingredients needed to make pizza, but which is also planted in the shape of a pizza. Several recipes using items from the garden are provided, as are ideas for family projects such as making a scarecrow.

As a parent and a corporate attorney, Richardson has a realistic understanding of what families can manage and what they will enjoy. In this book for parents and other caregivers, she also seems to know that getting dirty together in the garden grows lots more than summer vegetables.

Review by Jeff Stephens.

This book, part of an excellent series, is for those who have adapted to the Western principles of gardening. The Home Landscaping Series promises to make your particular gardening situation easier because it’s created to suit your regional needs, and it is one of the best this reviewer has ever seen. In Home Landscaping Series: Mid-Atlantic Region by Roger Holmes and Rita Buchanan, many of the questions you have about gardening in your region are answered by offering: beautiful garden designs, illustrations, and photos as well as expert plant selections created by a team of landscape professionals in the region; detailed descriptions of plants used in the designs, as well as advice on their selection and care; step-by-step instructions for garden projects such as paths, walls, patios, fences, trellises, arbors, and small ponds.

All of the books in this series are perfect for first-time home owners and novice gardeners, but more experienced gardeners will find them useful as well. These books consider far more than just winter hardiness zones when making plant recommendations. They address the full range of growing conditions in each region of the United States. In addition to the Mid-Atlantic Region, other books in the series address the Northeast Region (including Southeast Canada); the Southeast Region; and the Great Lakes Region (including Southern Canada). Keep the entire series on your bookshelves . . . you never know when you’ll be moving.

Reviewed by Pat Regel.

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese approach to creating an environment that promotes prosperity, health, and happiness. The idea isn’t exclusively related to gardening, but to all aspects of life. In The Feng Shui Garden, Gill Hale and Sue Minter explain how you can apply the principles of Feng Shui to a garden, patio, balcony, or backyard in order to revitalize their space in a natural way.

The book offers color photos of actual Feng Shui gardens and clear instructions for the novice on the beginning basics principles of Chi, Yin and Yang, Lo Shu, and Bagua. You’ll learn how to choose an optimal garden site and shape; create balanced window boxes, roof gardens, and terraces; and place garden paths and statuary.

The Feng Shui Garden is an excellent alternative for beginner and advanced gardeners who are seeking methods and philosophies of gardening other than those traditionally Western.

Reviewed by Pat Regel.

Give ’til it hurts You’ve made big travel plans for the summer, and then you receive the call: Aunt Agnes, Cousin Curtis, and the rest of the family have rented a big house near the beach, and everyone is expected to be there for the month of July. Sigh . . . Guess where you’ll be spending your summer vacation? You need a little pick-me-up gift for yourself, under the circumstances. What gift doesn’t require a security deposit, seven-day advance purchase, or a Saturday night stay? Why, books, of course! Photographer Jeffrey Kraft’s exquisite photographs of Parisian cubbyholes and artifacts are not intended to entice one to visit the city; rather, his Literary Paris (Watson-Guptill, $18.95, 0823028305) is meant for those who have already been. The images are meant to inspire a memory from a time that has passed; this is not a fancy collection of tourists’ snapshots. Kraft has arranged his remembrances alongside excerpts from literary works by authors who stayed in Paris for extended periods of time. Kraft has captured the glimpse, the detail, the moment, rather than structures and sites. He offers an idea of what remains in the mind and heart, even years after the visit itself has ended. A wonderful gift for the Francophile in your life.

Ben Jonson said, He was not of an age, but for all time. He was, of course, speaking of his friend William Shakespeare. Children’s book author Aliki has written and illustrated William Shakespeare and the Globe (HarperCollins, $15.95, 006027820X), which describes not only Shakespeare’s life, work, and times, but even acknowledges visionary Sam Wannamaker, who spent years resurrecting the Globe. The book is designed much like a script, with acts and scenes and characters. An interesting add-on is the list of words and expressions, complete with illustrations, credited to Shakespeare; for example, sweets to the sweet and hush were apparently invented by the Bard himself. Seems we’ve been quoting Shakespeare without realizing it! Cities like Paris and London must make use of every tidbit of soil that can be found; as acreage diminishes in our growing world, green thumbs everywhere are striving to be more and more creative with their craft. Artisan has published Window Boxes: Indoors and Out with this in mind. Authors James Cramer and Dean Johnson offer fragrant, beautiful, and useful options for the, uh, land-challenged. Cramer and Johnson offer optional locations (who says a window-box is limited to being wooden, square, and outside?) and year-round planting options (a thriving garden in January?) With this book, the decision is no longer how to create a miniature garden, but rather how many miniature gardens you can create. Soil sold separately! Of course, if we’re talking land for land’s sake, Antarctica has land to spare. It’s been 85 years since Ernest Shackleton and the 27-member crew of the Endurance set out to cross the Antarctic on foot. Less than 100 miles from its destination, the Endurance was caught in an ice pack and was badly damaged. For over 20 months, the crew (along with 69 sled dogs) was marooned, but no lives were lost. Two books commemorate this remarkable true story of adventure and perseverance. First, there’s Knopf’s The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition ($29.95, 0375404031), a sophisticated account of the expedition. There’s also Ice Story: Shackleton’s Lost Expedition (Clarion, $18, 0395915244), which may be better-suited to younger explorers. Both books feature expedition photographer Frank Hurley’s photographs and offer a chronological summary of this death-defying journey. Hurley started the expedition with professional equipment, but his final shots were taken with a pocket camera. Endurance author Caroline Alexander, in association with the American Museum of Natural History, carefully researched this volume, complete with some of Hurley’s photographs that had not been published previously. Ice Story author Elizabeth Cody Kimmel presents the journey in storybook format, but the information is accurate and anecdotal. Both books would make great gifts for anyone who has a taste for adventure and hopeful endings.

Agnes and Curtis decide that the grown-ups need to take the children to the waterpark which happens to be 50 miles away for the day. Fifty miles can seem like 500 without Fun on the Run: Travel Games and Songs (Morrow Junior Books, $17, 0688146600). Brimming with silly stories, limericks, brain teasers, and songs, this book helps to fill travel time without batteries or messy cleanup. Familiar songs and games such as The Ants Go Marching and Hangman are included, but Fun on the Run contains nearly 125 pages of other games and songs that can be a part of any trip. If you still confuse Darth Vader with Darth Maul, fear not; Dorling Kindersley has published two books that will help you keep the prequel and the original trilogy straight: Star Wars Episode I: the Visual Dictionary ($19.95, 0789447010) and Star Wars Episode I: Incredible Cross Sections ($19.95, 078943962X). Like their predecessors (or would it be their descendants?), these books are designed to keep facts, characters, and plots straight. Archaeologist David West Reynolds, an obvious choice for the author, approaches this much like he did his previous Star Wars works. One feels as if he is on an archaeological dig or scientific study of another world. May the source be with you!