I guess this is an old-ish thread, but with the holidays approaching its still relevant. As a beginner myself, I've checked out a decent number of bonsai books in the past year. Despite many recommendations here and elsewhere, I found "The Complete book of Bonsai by Harry Tomlunson" to be so basic as to be almost useless. You can find similar info all over the internet by reading any introductory material on bonsai. At least for me, it was way too basic and high level to be of much use. I did however have the fortune to be gifted a copy of Deborah Koreshoff's out of print Bonsai book, which I find invaluable and amazing. Quite accessible to a beginner, and I think it will be many years before I am at the point where I need more depth than is in this book. It's probably expensive to buy, but well worth it. I can't figure out why its no longer in print, given the high quality of the content. I also had a chance to browse a friends copy of John Naka's Bonsai Techniques I, which I found very technical and difficult to relate to at my current skill level. I'm sure its a great book, but I decided its not for me, at least not now or anytime soon. Daniel

The Book of Garden Design by John Brookes has a lot of information you won't find in most design books intended for the homeowner. It may be out of print, but you can buy used copies online. Some of the plants he describes are only hardy to zone 7, as he is gardening in the UK, but there are also many that will do well in colder zones. His explanations of using a pattern or grid for layout, mass and scale, layering, and relating a design to the house are very useful. It doesn't tell you how to make compost or build anything, but there are a million books that cover those topics. There are many others that you can use for inspiration rather than an explanation of how to put a design together. Buying used books is a good way to put together a library without spending so much that you feel bad about the occasional dud.

This question comes up a lot! The two most commonly suggested books are Ortho's All about Orchids and the Sunset publisher's book on Orchids. Several forum members, including me, are also quite fond of Orchids Simplified by Henry Jaworski. FLAME 747 suggested "An Introduction to Orchids" published by the South Florida Orchid Society. Other excellent sources include: Taylor's "All About Orchids" (great pictures); Rebecca Northen's "Home Orchid Growing" Orchid Growing Basics (Schoser) Gardener's Guide to Growing Orchids (Ritterhausen) Orchid Growing for Wimps (Zachos) Jack Kramer's "Orchid Growing Indoors" In addition, Mary Noble has several good books for beginners: You can Grow Orchids, You Can Grow Cattleya Orchids, and You Can Grow Phalaenopsis Orchids." All are excellent for the beginner. If you want to know more about species, then The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids, edited by Alec Pridgeon is also a good source. For a more detailed listing, and a suggested reading list for more experienced growers (intermediate level and advanced), check out Linda's Orchid Page at She has many good suggestions.

I've been doing calligraphy for over 30 years, both as a practitioner and a teacher. My suggestion is to go to a local crafts store and pick up a beginning book, the ones by Ken Brown are adequate for a beginner. His books teach a simple italic hand which is an excellent start. After all you must learn to walk before you run! I tried to teach myself calligraphy from a book all those years ago, but to be honest I found it impossible. The craft store or local community college should offer a calligraphy class, invest in that experience. Calligraphy is a visual art but many of the concepts become crystal clear with an instructor. The class was invaluable to me. I went on to do some study under Tim Botts, who is a well-known calligrapher who has made a career with a religious publishing company. His work is spectacular. It's alot of fun and has provided me with many hours of enjoyment and at points in my life it also provided an income. The secret is practice, practice, practice. All the shapes and strokes will become second nature after awhile. The felt tip calligraphy pens are good for practice but nothing can beat the old pen and ink for drama and crispness. Good luck. Let us know how you do.