Outdoor Spaces: Landscape Design for Today's Living

Generously illustrated with color photos, this guide to developing outdoor property is a sourcebook of general ideas rather than an in-depth manual. The first section stresses the importance of preliminary planning and includes a range of suggestions for dealing with professionals, from landscape architects to gardeners. The central portion covers four areas of outdoor design: entertaining (furniture, cooking facilities); children's space (play equipment, tree houses); recreation (swimming pools, tennis courts); and gardens (flower, vegetable and herb, rock, cottage, Oriental, wild and ornamental water gardens, and greenhouses). A final section briefly outlines project scheduling. The book is a mixed bag: neither so lavishly beautiful that it is a pleasure to gaze at nor truly practical because it deals with few specifics, and freelance writer Maguire provides misinformation regarding tax deductions for solar equipment, a credit no longer available from the federal government. Literary Guild alternate. (April 20)