Gardening Basics For Dummies (2^nd Ed.)

Cultivate your passion to grow

In a 1625 essay, Francis Bacon called gardens "the purest of human pleasures," and what was true then is even more so today?gardening can give you a serene refuge from the short-lived (and noisy!) distractions of modern life and a fertile basis for satisfaction that will bear fruit long into the future. To help you get started on your own leafy paradise, the new edition of Gardening Basics For Dummies grounds you thoroughly in the fundamentals of soil, flowers, trees, and lawns?and helps you get to know the names of what you're planting along the way!

In a friendly, straightforward style, professional horticulturist Steven A. Frowine distills 50 years of gardening experience to show you how to start growing your expertise?from planning out your own mini-Eden and planting your first annuals, bulbs, and perennials through to laying the perfect lawn, raising tasty crops, and even introducing fish to your landscape! He also digs into the grubbier side of horticultural life, making sure you're as prepared as any seasoned farmer to deal with pests, weeds, and other challenges the earth will throw up at you.

• Create your ideal garden plan
• Become an expert on common flora with definitions and descriptions
• Know how to look after your soil
• Get creative with butterfly and children's gardens

Whether you're beginning with a tiny garden in a box, or beautifying your property with tree-lined groves and flowery bowers, this is the ideal introduction to the intense pleasure of gardening and will make you happy to reap what you?ve sown!

Introduction 1

Part 1: Preparing Yourself (and Your Garden) for Planting 5

Chapter 1: Getting Ready for Gardening 7

Chapter 2: Creating a Landscape That You’ll Love 25

Chapter 3: Getting into the Zone – Your Garden’s Zone 51

Chapter 4: Live Long and Prosper: Giving Plants What They Need 65

Chapter 5: Gathering Your Gardening Gear 87

Part 2: Flowers and Foliage: Growing for Color 113

Chapter 6: Adding Yearly Variety to Your Garden with Annuals 115

Chapter 7: Growing Perennials: Plants That Make a Comeback 131

Chapter 8: Brightening Up the Garden with Bulbs 155

Chapter 9: Coming Up Roses 181

Chapter 10: Multiplying Your Plants 207

Part 3: Stretching Your Garden beyond Its Boundaries: The Permanent Landscape 227

Chapter 11: Growing a Perfect Lawn 229

Chapter 12: Reaching New Heights with Trees 253

Chapter 13: Going Low with Shrubs 275

Chapter 14: Climbers and Crawlers: Growing Vines and Groundcovers 289

Part 4: Producing Your Own Produce 311

Chapter 15: Food, Glorious Food! Raising Your Own Veggies 313

Chapter 16: Taking Your Veggie Garden to the Next Level 337

Chapter 17: Adding Flavor to Your Garden with Herbs 351

Chapter 18: Sweet and Crunchy: Growing Fruits, Berries, and Nuts 363

Part 5: Designing Special and Fun Gardens 391

Chapter 19: Mini Gardens and Microcosms: Gardening in Containers 393

Chapter 20: Taking the Plunge: Gardening with Ponds and Fish 411

Part 6: The Part of Tens 433

Chapter 21: Ten Great Perennials for Northern Climate Gardeners 435

Chapter 22: Ten Garden Projects for Children 439

Appendix A: Basic Gardening Resources 443

Appendix B: English-Metric Conversion Tables 449

Steven A. Frowine is a noted professional horticulturist and a longtime avid gardener and communicator.

The National Gardening Association is the leading garden-based educational nonprofit in the USA. Visit http://garden.org.