By Joel M. Lerner
Saturday, April 12, 2008

Here are my picks for landscape-related reading this spring, as well as a couple of DVDs.

"Flower," a 168-page hardcover coffee-table book photographed by Christopher Beane and written by the art historian, author and curator Anthony F. Jansen, is a must-read for photographers, plant enthusiasts and those interested in how photography became accepted as legitimate art. Beane's work has been likened to the bright colors and sensual contemporary art seen in Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings. His work is a marvel of innovation. (Artisan, $35)

"Trees: A Visual Guide," a 304-page hardcover by Tony Rodd and Jennifer Stackhouse, provides a phenomenal view of trees around the world. The color photos and high-quality graphics show a great deal of respect for trees, their tenacity and their longevity. The effects of climate and elevation and distinctions among microclimates are well explained. This book offers a complete picture of the world of trees, as we now understand them. (University of California Press, $29.95)

"The Private Life of Spiders," a 160-page hardcover by Paul Hillyard, takes readers on a journey through the life of these often misunderstood and sometimes dangerous creatures. Many of the more than 100 color photographs are macro-lens shots that fill entire pages. Some spiders grow to less than half a millimeter; others span 11 inches and eat birds. All are predators. They hunt; spin silken traps; swing sticky webs; spit; mimic the pheromones of their prey; and camouflage themselves, becoming virtually impossible to find. Of the 38,000 species known to science, only about 20 live in communities, cooperating in web building and caring for their young. The rest are cannibals. This is a fascinating book. (Princeton University Press, $29.95)

"Landscape Planning," a 247-page paperback by Judith Adam, pulls together the elements needed to generate a comprehensive landscape design. Recognizing that designs occur onsite and not simply on a piece of paper, she outlines the stages of landscape design in 10 elements. Personal style, planning, recognizing the bones of a garden and planting for year-round interest are among the design principles covered. Adam takes readers through the planning, site survey, drafting, permitting, surveys, utility location and other steps before work can begin. Driveways, parking areas, planting, lighting and water are discussed, along with perennials, specialty plants for paving joints, shrubs and trees. Nearly 500 color photographs and illustrations will give you the confidence to improve your property. (Firefly, $29.95)

"The Garden Primer," an 820-page paperback by Barbara Damrosch, a Washington Post gardening columnist, offers time-tested guidelines for growing vegetables, annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. Her focus is promoted as "100% organic." The book covers the latest practices for pest control, site preparation, tools, work gear and landscape design and incorporates a generous number of black-and-white illustrations. The greatest strength of this tome is having the information you need to garden, design and manage your landscape in a single handbook. (Workman, $18.95)

"Coleus: Rainbow Foliage for Containers and Gardens," a 227-page hardcover written by Ray Rogers and photographed by Richard Hartlage, traces the history of a single plant since its formal discovery in Java and introduction to Britain in 1853 by botanist and plant explorer Karl Blume. Coleus were popular houseplants from the Victorian era into the 1950s, then started to be used as a shade-tolerant bedding plant outdoors. The botanical name of coleus was changed taxonomically about two years ago to Solenostemon scutellarioides, but the common name of this member of the mint family remains coleus. Coleus are available in trailing varieties, standards, and many leaf textures and colors. The book includes 385 brilliant color photographs. (Timber Press, $29.95)

" The Big Book of Garden Designs," a 192-page softcover by Marianne Lipanovich and Tom Wilhite, includes more than 100 well-drawn landscape plans. The basic design concepts in this book are excellent stimuli for landscape design ideas, including water features, paths, perennial and shrub borders, garden rooms, grasses, and sitting areas. However, before installing any of the recommended plants, investigate their performance in this region. (Sunset Books, $19.95)

"Audubon Video Guide to 258 Birds of North America DVD II: Song and Garden Birds" will bring songbirds and their habits, appearance, color and sounds into your living room. The DVD includes a database you can search and use as a video encyclopedia. (Mastervision, $39.95)

"Audubon Butterfly DVD: Essentials for Beginners and Gardeners" is an engrossing story about the life cycles of butterflies. It's an action movie of what makes butterflies so magical, and it offers ways you can make them a part of your garden. The narrator describes plants that are attractive to butterflies and discusses host plants and nectar plants necessary for their survival. The butterflies' variety of colors and patterns is breathtaking. This two-hour, 30-minute DVD is an excellent learning tool for children and adults. (Mastervision, $39.95)

Joel M. Lerner is president of Environmental Design in Capitol View Park, Md. E-mail or contact him through his Web site,http://www.gardenlerner.com.