Deckscaping: Gardening and Landscaping on and around Your Deck »

Barbara W. Ellis, a freelance writer and editor and lifelong gardener, is the author of Covering Ground, Deckscaping, and Taylor's Guide to Growing North America's Favorite Plants, as well as several other volumes in the popular Taylor's Guide gardening series. Ellis lives in Maryland on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay with her husband and an assortment of dogs, cats, and parrots. Her garden is a perpetual work in progress.

Transform your deck into the ideal outdoor living space

When surrounded by shrubs and small trees, perennials and annuals, ornamental grasses and vines, your deck becomes an appealing link between your home and yard. In this book, you'll find everything you need to know to create your dream deck environment. Barbara Ellis offers dozens of creative ideas and fail-proof techniques.

Long-blooming flowers, fruit-bearing shrubs, and gracefully drifting grasses offer fragrance and color while attracting visits from butterflies and hummingbirds.

Plant-packed containers grouped on a deck convey a special feeling of abundance, and they instantly create a gardenlike feel.

Flowering vines trained over a sturdy arbor create an island of welcome shade. Flowers and foliage spilling over railings and covering a trellised wall or arbor provide a sense of privacy.

Count on Barbara Ellis to pick up on just what the American deck needs. Deckscaping shows us how to turn our own bland (or cluttered!) space into a delightful, usable room that seamlessly joins our indoor décor with our garden landscape. With so many good ideas, I can't wait to get started! (Frances Tenenbaum, Editor, Taylor's Guide to Gardening)

Publishers Weekly

In Deckscaping: Gardening and Landscaping on and Around Your Deck, Barbara W. Ellis observes that in many cases, the deck was nothing more than a platform that was stuck onto a dwelling. She goes into great detail, with color photos and drawings, to show how this space can be used and enjoyed year round, even in cold climates. From simple to elaborate, she suggests surfaces, materials, plantings, furniture and gives tips on maintenance as well. ( Feb.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.