Outdoor Living & Gardening
Get outside! Plant a garden! Explore nature! But before you go, prepare ahead with some reading on the great outdoors.
Gardening Naturally
- Laurie Perron 
, Sarah Quesnel-Langlois , J C Sutcliffe
Hardcover
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Ecological gardening with ease and simplicity. Gardening Naturally offers a wealth of information and practical advice for growing indoor and outdoor plants based on sustainability, a rejection of artificial chemicals, and respect for biodiversity and the natural world. From advice on planning your garden and dealing with disease, insects, and the arrival of cold weather, to tips for starting your own compost, repotting effectively, and choosing which local and native flowers to best attract pollinators, Gardening Naturally will interest anyone who wants to add flowers, edibles, and greenery to their daily life, no matter the size of their balcony or the extent of their garden.
The Prairie Gardener's Go-To for Trees and Shrubs
- Janet Melrose , Sheryl Normandeau
Trade paperback
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Book six in the Guides for the Prairie Gardeners series demystifies planting and caring for trees and shrubs on the prairies, with tips on stock size, fruit production, pests, and winter protection. Trees and shrubs together make up the bulk of Earth's biomass. They are responsible for carbon dioxide storage, oxygen production, movement of water, and a host of other functions. In our gardens, trees and shrubs provide numerous benefits, including reducing air, light, and noise pollution, protecting our homes from wind, cold, and heat, and providing habitat for birds, insects, and other animals.
In the sixth book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series, lifelong gardeners Janet and Sheryl offer advice and recommendations to help you successfully grow trees and shrubs from the ground up. They answer your questions onWhether to choose small or large trees and shrubs to match your needs The fine art of digging holes Care and feeding (and mulching and watering and fertilizing) When and how to train and prune for your plant's health and appearance How to protect young trees and shrubs through a bitter winter When to call your local arborist Janet and Sheryl help you trouble shoot on common issues like a tree's failure to produce fruit, girdling, and weather-related challenges, as well as an introduction to pests and diseases like leaf miners, leaf rollers, leafhoppers, and their friends. They also provide prairie-specific lists of recommended trees and shrubs for flower displays, autumn colour, beautiful bark, smaller yards, hedges, and shade.
The Prairie Gardener's Go-To for Soil
- Janet Melrose , Sheryl Normandeau
Trade paperback
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Honorable Mention, American Horticultural Society Book Awards
The fifth book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series is all about getting good soil--from chemical composition to compost, fertilizer to fungi, and much more.
Soil is a whole world under our feet, full of fun words you may have heard but never quite understood, like hard-pan, humus, loam, and tilth. In this fifth book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series, master gardeners Janet and Sheryl provide the basics of soil science so that you can apply it to your gardening endeavours.
They answer your questions on things likeHow do I test the chemical composition of my garden soil?What's the difference between organic, inorganic, and natural fertilizers?What do those numbers on packages of fertilizer mean?How and when should I amend my garden's soil?Hot compost? Cold compost? Worm compost?Egg shells, coffee grounds, banana peels--yes or no?What exactly do mycorrhizal fungi do?In this handy Q-and-A guide, focused specifically on the prairie region, you'll learn what particles are dominant in your soil, how to make successful compost, the value of mulch, tips on no-till practices and cover crops, and solutions to problems such as compaction, heavy clay, salinity, and soil-borne diseases. With Janet and Sheryl's insight you'll soon be well on your way to healthy, happy soil.
The Prairie Garden
- The Prairie Garden Committee
Trade paperback
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This year’s edition of The Prairie Garden, the 83rd, zeroes in on how to make the best of a small space, whether it is in your back yard, on a balcony, or even just a not-so-sunny corner of a room. We know there are many novice gardeners interested in learning more, so this edition concentrates of providing a lot of how-to information. Guest editor Mr. Tomato shares his secrets about how to make your small garden look and feel bigger. He also tells us of a natural remedy for invasive creeping bellflower and Canada thistle. He instructs us on how to build a light table. His valuable contributions are backed up by solid information and experience. Other expert gardeners in the region pass on their tips and experience in using all available space to the very best advantage, from creating a garden fence with espalier (Mark and Ben Cullen), to building a magical rooftop garden over a garage (Greg Klassen), to the best hardy shrubs and roses to grow (Rick Durand). Sandra Venton paints a picture of growing upward in a garden. When it comes to houseplants, we learn about light and how it works (Dr. Meera Sinha), all about coleus (Igor Kaftan), cyclamen (Susanne Olver), amaryllis (Eva Patrician) and miniature orchids (Chris Bryan). No garden book would be complete without a word or two on common pests and insects, beneficial and harmful. Jason Gibbs provides a look at specialist bees. Committee chair Ian Wise explains how to manage rose weevils and sucking insects. Former editor Linda Dietrick points out how to attract pollinators. There is so much more. Would you like to grow giant pumpkins? Milan Lukes, now just starting university, has been doing this since he was 11 years old, and he tells us how. We learn how one Churchill gardener managed to feed his restaurant patrons fresh local produce (Joan Airey). Balcony gardeners get advice on what to plant under what conditions and how to deal with spent soil (Dorothy Dobbie). In all there are 65 stories with photographs that will enlighten, entertain, and delight you. There is so much practical wisdom in this little booklet that you will want to get copies of some of the fabulous past editions produced by the Prairie Garden committee.
A Year in the Woods
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Hardcover
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From the acclaimed author of In Praise of Paths comes a humorous and modest Walden for modern times. As nature becomes ever more precious, we all want to spend more time appreciating it. But time is often hard to come by. And how do we appreciate nature without disruption? In this sensitively-written book, Torbjørn Ekelund, an acclaimed Norwegian nature writer, shares a creative and non-intrusive method for immersing oneself in nature. And the result is nothing short of transformative. Evoking Henry David Thoreau and the four-season structure of Walden, Ekelund writes about communing with nature by repeating a small, simple ritual and engaging in quiet reflection. At the start of the book, he hatches a plan: to leave the city after work one day per month, camp near the same tiny pond in the forest, and return to work the next day. He keeps this up for a year. His ritual is far from rigorous and it is never perfect. One evening, he grows so cold in his tent that he hikes out before daybreak. But as Ekelund inevitably greets the same trees and boulders each month, he appreciates the banality of their sameness alongside their quiet beauty. He wonders how long they have stood silently in this place--and reflects on his own short existence among them. A Year in the Woods asks us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world. Are we anxious wanderers or mindful observers? Do we honor the seasons or let them pass us by? At once beautifully written, accessible, and engaging, A Year in the Woods is the perfect book for anyone who longs for a deeper connection with their environment, but is realistic about time and ambition.
Draw Your World
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Paperback (PST applies)
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See the world around you in a whole new way with this inspiring guide to nature drawing, urban sketching, travel drawing, drawing from memory or photos, and sketch journaling.
In Draw Your World, Samantha Dion Baker gives you everything you need to begin a new art practice or enliven an existing one. She shares her favorite tools and materials, simple technical lessons such as composition, shadows and light, symmetry, and perspective, plus fun motivational exercises like drawing from memory, urban sketching, travel journaling, and experimental art. With helpful step-by-steps and stunning visual examples from Baker's own work, Draw Your World will help you hone your skills and capture the details of your unique and remarkable life in a sketch journal or as finished artwork.
Fox and I
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Hardcover
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Reader Reward Price: $31.46
WINNER of the 2022 E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing PEN America Award
A solitary woman's inspiring, moving, surprising, and often funny memoir about the transformative power of her unusual friendship with a wild fox, a new window into the natural world, and the introduction of a remarkable literary talent.
Catherine Raven left home at fifteen, fleeing an abusive, disdainful father and an indifferent mother. More comfortable in nature than among people, she worked as a National Park ranger, eventually earning a PhD in biology. She built a house on an isolated plot of land in Montana, teaching remotely and leading field classes. One day, she realized that the mangy-looking fox who had been appearing on her property was now showing up every day at 4:15 p.m. She had never had a regular visitor before. How do you even talk to a fox? So, she brought out her camping chair, sat as close to him as she dared, and began reading to him from The Little Prince. Her scientific training had taught her not to anthropomorphize animals, but as she grew to know him, his personality revealed itself--and he became her friend.
But friends cannot always save each other from the uncontained forces of nature. Fox and I is a poignant and dramatic tale of friendship, transformation, and coping with inevitable loss--and of how that loss can become meaningful. It is also the introduction of an original, imaginative, stunning literary voice.
Birdpedia
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Hardcover
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Birdpedia is an engaging illustrated compendium of bird facts and birding lore. Featuring nearly 200 entries—on topics ranging from plumage and migration to birds in art, literature, and folklore—this enticing collection is brimming with wisdom and wit about all things avian. Christopher Leahy sheds light on “hawk-watching,” “twitching,” and other rituals from the sometimes mystifying world of birding that entail a good deal more than their names imply. He explains what kind of bird’s nests you can eat, why mocking birds mock, and many other curiosities that have induced otherwise sane people to peer into treetops using outrageously expensive optical equipment. Leahy shares illuminating insights about pioneering ornithologists such as John James Audubon and Florence Bailey, and describes unique bird behaviors such as anting, caching, duetting, and mobbing. He discusses avian fossils, the colloquial naming of birds, the science and history of ornithology, and more. The book’s convenient size makes it the perfect traveling companion to take along on your own avian adventures. With charming illustrations by Abby McBride, Birdpedia is a marvelous mix of fact and fancy that is certain to delight seasoned birders and armchair naturalists alike.
Manitoba Walks & Scenic Drives
- Wendy Wilson , Leone Banks
Trade paperback
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This may well be the definitive guide to exploring Manitoba on foot or by car.
More than 20 years in the making, authors Wendy Wilson and Leone Banks have selected the very best of their favourite places to explore in the province.
As with previous Prairie Pathfinder publications, they have helpfully divided the province into quadrants, interspersing each section with a tantalizing mix of enticing hikes and opportunities for a scenic drive. Purposely included are a myriad of options to match a wide range of interests and fitness levels. from Hunt Lake’s offering of “a real workout over some particularly rugged terrain” to the Brokenhead Interpretive Trail’s “easy, level trail (with) several rest stops for contemplation along the way”.
There are several hikes that could easily be described as hidden treasures, in part due to the authors’ focus on highlighting lesser-known spots found outside of provincial or national parks. Exhaustively researched with a keen attention to detail, each walk is described in an easy, conversational style, beautifully complemented with requisite maps and some gorgeous photographs.
What makes this book particularly noteworthy are the ‘some history’ additions paired with many of the walks. Their welcome addition provides valuable insight into the history of the hike’s setting, whether explaining how a receding glacial lake created a unique landscape or how schoolchildren used to cross an eastern Manitoba river using a cable basket pulled by hand. St Lazare - as legendary for its beauty as its fascinating history - is a description that could as easily be applied to many of the hikes in this book.
From the Rae Trail’s “secluded rolling woodland interspersed with lush wildflower meadows,” to Lester Beach’s “majestic stretch of shoreline with beautiful cliffs beckoning in the distance” there is much to offer those looking for interesting places to explore.
Our final words come from the book’s introduction: “This book has been a labour of love and we hope you enjoy these hikes and drives as much as we loved scouting and mapping them.”
Well said, now get out and take a hike!
Lake of the Woods
- Mike Grandmaison , Elizabeth Campbell
Hardcover
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A millennia-old gathering place. A wild country freckled with lush forests and shimmering waters. A glimpse of the pristine Great White North. Located at the tripoint of Ontario, Manitoba, and Minnesota, Lake of the Woods is all of these things and much more. Here, as in the days of yore, discovery lies in wait at every turn—be it amid its centenary trees, in its secluded coves, on its golden beaches, or on the lively waterfronts of its charming communities. Now, you too can discover the spellbinding sights and scenes of Lake of the Woods, in this labour of love by photographer Mike Grandmaison and author Elizabeth Campbell. Lake of the Woods— Gem of the Canadian Shield is their ode to a place that has captured the hearts of many, as it will, through these pages, no doubt capture yours.
The Secret World of Weather
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Hardcover
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In The Secret World of Weather, bestselling author Tristan Gooley turns his gaze up to the sky, bringing his signature brand of close observation and eye-opening deduction to the fascinating world of weather. Every cloud, every change in temperature, every raindrop, every sunbeam, every breeze reveals something about our weather--if you know what to look for. Before you know it, you'll be able to forecast impending storms, sunny days, and everything in between, all without needing to consult your smartphone.
But The Secret World of Weather goes far beyond mere weather prediction, changing the very way we think about weather itself. Weather is not something that blankets an area; rather, it changes constantly as you walk through woods or turn down a street. The weather is never identical on two sides of a tree--or even beneath it. Take, for example, Gooley's remarkable discovery that breezes accelerate beneath a tree. To Gooley, this is "weather," a tiny microclimate that explains why people sit beneath a tree to cool down--not only for the shade but, subconsciously, for cooler breeze. And so Gooley shows us not only what the weather will be like five days from now, but also what to expect about the weather around every corner.
By carefully observing the subtle interplay of wind, cloud, fog, temperature, rain and many other phenomena, we not only form a deeper understanding of weather patterns, but also unlock secrets about our environment. Weather forms our landscape, and landscape forms our weather. Everything we see in the sky reflects where we are. When we learn to read weather's signs, Gooley shows us, the weather becomes our map, revealing to us how it has made our towns, cities, woods, and hills what they are. You'll never see your surroundings the same way again.
Seed to Dust
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Hardcover
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Reader Reward Price: $31.46
For the gardener in your life, or for anyone who loved Late Migrations and H is for Hawk
A stunning meditation on gardening and the wisdom of plants, "that rare book that will appeal to nonfiction readers everywhere ... Candid, tender, thoughtful and absorbing." --Shelf Awareness (STARRED Review)
With "chapters... [that] shimmer like lantern slides, lit with luminous imagery ... Seed to Dust is an invitation to read this world as Mr. Hamer does--with a close eye to what changes, and what does not."--The Wall Street Journal
Marc Hamer has nurtured the same 12-acre garden in the Welsh countryside for over two decades. The garden is vast and intricate. It's rarely visited, and only Hamer knows of its secrets. But it's not his garden. It belongs to his wealthy and elegant employer, Miss Cashmere. But the garden does not really belong to her, either. As Hamer writes, "Like a book, a garden belongs to everyone who sees it."
In Seed to Dust, Marc Hamer paints a beautiful portrait of the garden that "belongs to everyone." He describes a year in his life as a country gardener, with each chapter named for the month he's in. As he works, he muses on the unusual folklores of his beloved plants. He observes the creatures who scurry and hide from his blade or rake. And he reflects on his own life: living homeless as a young man, his loving relationship with his wife and children, and--now--feeling the effects of old age on body and mind.
As the seasons change, Hamer also reflects on the changes he has observed in Miss Cashmere's life from afar: the death of her husband and the departure of her children from the stately home where she now lives alone. At the book's end, Hamer's connection to Miss Cashmere changes shape, and new insights into relationships and the beauty and brutality of nature emerge.
Just like all good books and gardens, Seed to Dust is filled with equal parts life and death, beauty and decay, and every reader will find something different to admire.
The Philosophy of Gardening
- ,
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For philosophizing gardeners and anyone who likes to pick up a spade and get their hands dirty
Gardeners discover a new world every year--whether they're cultivating heirloom vegetables, foraging for wild herbs, creating a small permaculture garden on a city balcony, or maintaining a plot for self-sufficiency.
But why garden at all? These personal essays by writers, designers, and master gardeners dig into gardening's philosophical dimensions and tend to the aesthetic, cultural, political, and sociological implications of gardens and the people who keep them.
Originally published in German, this delightful volume addresses gardening's most deep-rooted questions and highlights the magic that, year after year, makes us pick up a shovel and get back into the garden.
Awarded the German Garden Book Prize in the Best Garden Prose Category
"What is remarkable is that the publication project is something very individual... the spectrum ranges from the 'plea for weeds' to the 'metaphysics' of the garden to urban gardening and garden shows, and the realization that gardens are 'hopelessly ambivalent'--all in all a very interesting volume." - Jury Citation
Manitoba Birds
- Andy Bezener , ,
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Manitoba's 145 most commonly seen birds are profiled in this beautifully illustrated book. Each account includes a description of the bird's key features for quick identification in the field, as well as the bird's song, habitat, nesting and feeding habits and best locations for viewing. Ken De Smet, of the Manitoba Wildlife branch, is a biologist specializing in endangered species.
The Complete Fishing Manual
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Hardcover
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Reader Reward Price: $28.80
Fishermen, from novice to pro will find this fishing manual an indispensable must-have reference guide.
The Complete Fishing Manual is your definitive guide to all things fishing, covering everything from strategies and techniques to bait, tackle, and kit. This manual will assist you every step of the way.
Within the pages of this fishing manual you will find:
o Fully illustrated pages with high-quality photography and illustrations
o Covers fishing in all types of conditions and waters, from freshwater to saltwater
o Text that assists the reader from the very beginning to the final catch, from getting your license to reeling in the catch
o Step by step diagrams on how to prepare your rod for different types of fish
o Includes how to fit and use different types of accessories to enhance your chances of catching fish
o Diagnostic spreads that go from symptom to solution - the manual will answer all of your fishing questions
o Top recommendations for where to fish around the world depending on what you want to catch
Starting casting your line in no time at all
Whether you're a pro, fly fishing in the rivers of the USA, or a novice figuring out the reel, this manual has all the information you need to plan your next fishing adventure. Vivid illustrations and detailed photographs draw you in, offering essential advice on anatomy, habitat, and behavior. No fish is safe with this book in your arsenal! Details of every fishing strategy and technique can be found within these pages, ensuring you are ever-ready.
Casting your net further to the north of Italy and beautiful Spain, this book also takes you on a journey through the world's best fishing destinations, acquainting you with once-in-a-lifetime species found in this region.
More in the series
The Complete Manual series is an exciting, informative, and vividly illustrated series of books. With titles such as The Complete Bike Owners Manual, The Complete Sailors Manual, and The Complete Gardener's Manual, this series offers a beautiful cross-section of titles for keen hobbyists.
This is a selection of our current Outdoor Living & Gardening titles. To find other titles or authors, or just to browse, please use the search box.
