Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Reader's Digest Beginner's Guide to Gardening
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"If the idea of a beautiful garden fills you with happiness
but your lack of gardening knowledge fills you with dread, Beginner's Guide to Gardening is the one book you need.  Packed with easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement information, this comprehensive handbook guides you through the basics of gardening.  Determine the style and features you want for your garden-as well as how much time you can devote to it-and then use the detailed information in these pages to create your outdoor dream space."


This 250+ page book has brilliant photographs and tons of information for the beginning gardener, or one who just needs a bit of a fresh perspective.  There are chapters on everything from soil basics to selecting plants to pest control.  Step-by-step instructions are given for basic tasks such as taking a root cutting or laying sod, and expanding to something as esoteric as forming an espalier. 


Because I am working hard to make our gardens native, I more enjoy books which have a local point of view.  The ideas in general gardening books such as this are out-of-sync with our climate and planting time table, so it takes a bit of rethinking to make some of the things work here in Florida.  Unless a book is written specifically for Southern or Florida gardeners, one can be sure that some adjustments will have to be made.  Still, this book does have some great general information to get a gardener started.  So many ideas in one book, it would take hours to digest them all.  Not a bad way to spend a stormy weekend!




6 comments:

  1. My favorite book on Florida gardening is Tough Plants for Florida Gardens by Felder Rushing.....absolutely the best!!!!!

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  2. Thanks! I'll have to look for that one!

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  3. Hey Daisy...I love a good book (and gardening books are definitely one of my favorites)...on a rainy day. :-)

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  4. Another book for the libaray list. We have to do adjusting also being along the Tx Gulf Coast. I just recently realized that when a plant says full sun - they don't mean our full sun in the summer.

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