15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Much more than just `building a glass box', Jan 14 2011
By Vicki Landes - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Greenhouse: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply (Paperback)
"The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Greenhouse" is a comprehensive look at the myriad of considerations that must be addressed in order to build and maintain a successful greenhouse. Items such as location, typical climate, surrounding structures, amount of time and money to be allocated, building materials, types of plants to be raised, and much more are only some of the items author Craig Baird says need to be decided on before a single tool is picked up. He provides an enormous wealth of information as well as lessons learned and advice from the experts so that even the simplest and least expensive greenhouses can be efficient and flourish. Once he details some greenhouse history and the various pre-construction considerations, he walks the reader step-by-step through plans that range from easy to expert.
One of the drawbacks of the book is that the author does not include pictures with each of his plans; many of the plans note only descriptions of the required steps which make it difficult to imagine what exactly the author's intended end result is suppose to look like. Further, there are some minor `holes' in his step descriptions - minor in that it may not make a difference in the overall construction but still mildly irritating. For example, page 263 discusses replacing a hinge and calls for `golf tees (optional)' in his supply list. However, as he goes through the steps of taking off an old hinge and putting on a new one, he never once mentions why or how the golf tees are used.
"The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Greenhouse" is a fantastic read for both beginning and expert gardeners looking to extend their plants' growing season. The book gives plenty for the would-be greenhouse gardener to think about so that they can go into a construction project or kit purchase and hopefully avoid any negative or progress-halting surprises. Written with a clear, simplistic, and enthusiastic style, even a novice can quickly learn the basic concepts and start planning a project immediately. "The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Greenhouse" is a quick and easy read and leaves you with the motivation and inspiration to get started right away!
Reviewed by Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal"
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Useful plans but content is hard to read, Nov 28 2011
By H. Roth "Long Term Cook and Reader" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Greenhouse: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply (Paperback)
Typically I'm a big fan of Atlantic Publishing books. In this case however, if you want a book that lives up to its mission to tell you everything you need to know in an understandable manner, this isn't the book for you. This is perhaps influenced by the writer whose background doesn't seem to include specific credentials or experience regarding greenhouses. The author clearly researched the needs or greenhouses and owners.
Unfortunately the information for a first-time greenhouse owner is hard to mine from this source. Lengthy sentences and a pedantic tone reduce the pleasure in reading and learning about your new hobby. Most beginners, for whom this series is designed, will be better served by finding books that area easier to read, faster to absorb and simply more entertaining. Perhaps future editions will benefit from some additional editing. In addition, it would be helpful to have illustrations from a variety of sources rather than primarily from one provider.
You may still find this book to be a great resource. For those who want to construct their own greenhouse, the plans, equipment lists and other details are perfect. Each plan is presented in perfect detail--you even get a detailed shopping list that makes getting all the supplies you need simple. The instructions are clear, step-wise and easy to follow. What the prose in this book lacks, the blue-print part of this book makes up. The middle of the book and resources at the end offer an extensive selection of plans for free-standing, attached to a structure, and even a window-box extensive plan.
Each reader needs to decide what matters to them: for those seeking plans this could be a great investment. The plans range from small greenhouses just a few feet square up to those appropriate for individuals with a bit of acreage for placement. Persons who learn by reading will be better served by other choices.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Building your own Greenhouse, Jan 10 2011
By Virginia Hawkins - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Greenhouse: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply (Paperback)
I just moved to the mountains and needed a versatile guide that was both easy to understand and gave me alot of choices. This book filled all my needs and offered lots and lots of pictures. I am not a carpenter or a designer just a determined female who now has the tools to build a greenhouse. My neighbor is a carpenter by trade and was also impressed by this book. He keeps borrowing it!!!!! Virginia Hawkins Glennville California
