Book description
"God almighty first planted a garden: and, indeed, it is the
purest of human pleasures."
--Sir Francis Bacon
National surveys show that gardening has become the most popular,
least exclusive hobby nationwide. From the balconies of Manhattan to
the patios of Malibu to the backyards of Chicago, anybody with a few
square feet of earth is doing their best to make their little corner
of the world more gracious and beautiful. And the best thing is, you
really don't have to be born with a green thumb to give life to a
glorious garden. Anybody can do it with a little coaching. Which is
where Gardening For Dummies comes in.
Puzzled by pruning? Baffled by bulbs? Can't tell a hosta from a
hyacinth? Don't worry! This all-in-one reference delivers the know-how
you need to transform your little patch of the outdoors into a
blooming paradise. Drawing upon the expertise of the National
Gardening Association, it gets you up to speed on:
- Basic gardening skills-from understanding your microclimate to
using gardening tools to managing pests and common plant diseases
- How to design, plan and build a garden landscape that reflects
your unique sense of style
- Selecting, planting and maintaining stunning roses
- Building a raised bed for your perennials and making them bloom
in any climate
- Choose, grow and maintain annuals
- From amaryllis to spider dahlias to wood tulips-coaxing beauty
from homely bulbs
- Enjoying nature's bounty by growing you own vegetables and herbs
A veritable encyclopedia of gardening, this Gardening For
Dummies is an indispensable resource for novices and experienced
gardeners alike. It brings together between the covers of a single
volume seven great books covering:
- Gardening Basics
- Garden Design
- Roses
- Perennials
- Annuals
- Bulbs
- Vegetables and Herbs
Your one-step guide to a beautiful garden, Gardening For
Dummies shows you how to experience the “purest of human
pleasures” in your own backyard.
National Gardening Association: The National
Gardening Association is the largest member-based, nonprofit
organization of home gardeners in the United States. For more
information about the National Gardening Association, write to 180
Flynn Ave., Burlington, VT 05401 USA; or visit its Web site at www.
garden. org.
Bob Beckstrom, coauthor of Landscaping For Dummies, is a
licensed general contractor. He lives in northern California and
enjoys building things, spending time outdoors, and sharing what he's
learned with other people. Bob has taught adult courses in house
building and remodeling at The Owner Builder Center in Berkeley,
California; and has written and edited extensively on home-improvement
topics, including Decks & Patios For Dummies.
Karan Davis Cutler, coauthor of Herb Gardening For
Dummies, is a former magazine editor and newspaper columnist and
the author of seven other garden books. She publishes regularly in
horticultural magazines and is an eight-time winner of the Quill &
Trowel Award from the Garden Writers Association of America.
Kathleen Fisher, coauthor of Herb Gardening For Dummies,
is former editor of The American Gardener, published by the
American Horticultural Society. A longtime newspaper reporter, she now
works as a freelance writer and editor.
Phillip Giroux, coauthor of Landscaping For Dummies,
graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in landscape
architecture and ornamental horticulture. He established his landscape
designing and building firm in 1978, and Philip is responsible for
numerous large-scale projects, such as the Los Angles County Museum of
Arts Sculpture and Japanese Pavilion Garden. Phillip has served as L.
A. Chapter President for the California Landscape Contractors
Association and is a member of the Royal Horticulture Society.
Judy Glattstein, author of Flowering Bulbs For Dummies
as well several other gardening books, is a garden consultant. She
lectures extensively across the United States and abroad, and has
twice spoken for the Royal Horticultural Society at their Great Autumn
Show in London.
Mike MacCaskey, coauthor of Gardening For Dummies,
received a bachelor of science degree in ornamental horticulture from
California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 1976. He
served as Editor-in-Chief of Vermontbased National Gardening
Magazine, and his magazine writing has been honored by both the
Western Magazine Publishers Association and the Garden Writers of America.
Bill Marken, author of Annuals For Dummies, Container
Gardening For Dummies, and coauthor of Gardening For
Dummies, is the editor of Rebecca's Garden Magazine, a
publication from Hearst Magazines Enterprises based on a popular
television show. Bill served as Editor-in-Chief of Sunset, the
Magazine of Western Living, from 1981 to 1996. Earlier in his
career, he wrote for the magazine's garden section, pitched in on
several editions of the bestselling Western Garden Book, and
generally nurtured his interests in subjects related to gardening,
landscaping, travel, and other aspects of the good life in the West.
Charlie Nardozzi, author of Vegetable Gardening For
Dummies, graduated from the University of Vermont in 1981 with a
degree in plant and soil science. Charlie then spent three years in
the Peace Corps in Thailand, helping farmers grow everything from rice
to garlic, chili peppers, and mangoes. He returned to the United
States and received a master's degree in education, again from the
University of Vermont. After working as a landscaper, he served as a
horticulturist at the National Gardening Association for more than 10 years.
Sally Roth, contributor to Landscaping For Dummies, is a
lifelong naturalist, gardener, and writer. Her writing credits include
books and magazine articles for several publishers. When she isn't
digging in her garden or out walking in the woods looking at birds,
Sally listens to blues and folk music, reads, and plays a mean game of Scrabble.
Marcia Tatroe, author of Perennials For Dummies, is a
garden designer, lecturer, and writer who's been fortunate to have the
opportunity to live and garden in areas as diverse as Highland,
California; Tacoma, Washington; Lompoc, California; the Netherlands;
and south-central England. Marcia, also a former Master Gardener of
several years for Colorado State University's Cooperative Extension
Program, says that tending the garden is one of her greatest passions,
and she hopes that it's contagious.
Lance Walheim, author of Roses For Dummies and Lawn
Care For Dummies, and coauthor of Landscaping For
Dummies, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley,
with a degree in botany. Shortly after, he started writing and
researching books on gardening and since has authored or contributed
to over 40 titles. He also has served as a writer for Sunset
and National Gardening magazines.
Ann Whitman, author of Organic Gardening For Dummies and
Trees & Shrubs For Dummies, earned a bachelor of science
degree in plant and soil science at the University of Vermont and went
on to complete a master of arts in landscape design in Massachusetts.
She's been tending her own patches of soil for more than 25 years.
