when faced with "what to do?" with old, overgrown, or neglected landscaping; without bulldozing. The author is very clear and very honest about the process of rejuvenating a garden. He has great infomation and advice about evaluating what is there, looking for the potential, determining what stays and what goes, plus lots of practical tips. What I really liked about this book is that is is geared to anyone; I connected right away with the gardens and his message. Some gardens books feel inaccessibile to us regular folks, showing designer gardens that probably cost thousands of dollars....not here. I felt very right at home with the gardens, photos and advice given.

In addition, there is a wonderful rejuvenation guide for hedges, shrubs and trees, practical information on scheduling work so as to not be overwhelmed ( what to do first....) suggestions for budgeting, and working with what you have as compared to starting from scratch.

Illustrated with more than 100 photographs, Urban Sanctuaries: Peaceful Havens For The City Gardener by gardening columnist, author and lecturer Stephen Anderton is a basic and straightforward guide for green thumbs living in the big city. In addition to completely "user friendly" and basic gardening advice and clearly portrayed do-it-yourself instructions, Urban Sanctuaries also features numerous "design solutions" to the creation of aesthetically pleasing home gardens that combine beauty with freshness and practicality. A fine book for anyone who wants to reap the visual, fragrant, and edible wards of introducing plant life into their city home, Urban Sanctuaries is a highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic reading lists and reference collections.