Gardening Basics - 3rd Edition Revised

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!

List of contents

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
 
Index 451

About the author

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.

Summary

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!

Product details

• Authors: Sa Frowine, Steven Frowine, Steven A Frowine, Steven A. Frowine, Steven A. National Gardening Association Frowine, Frowine Steven A., National Gardening Association
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.05.2021
• EAN: 9781119782032
• ISBN: 978-1-119-78203-2
• No. of pages: 496
• Series: For Dummies
• Subjects: Guides > Nature > Garden; Non-fiction book > Nature, technology > Nature: general, reference works; Garten, Lifestyle, Gartenarbeit, Lifestyles, Gardening (general)