I enjoy this book - it covers a lot of information, easy to read, and provides a lot of design ideas for small-medium backyards. The book covers a lot of plants/flowers and their care from seedlings to annual maintenance. It has "tips" on different subjects throughout the book: tips on pruning and growing trees, planting in different climates and "what to expect" in the care of plants you have chosen to grow. Although it does sell itself on "enjoyment of the garden", beginners reading this book might get lost on the overwhelming detail of some of the design areas (more vague on design rather than specific - so you can make it a little creative) Beginners will certainly use the book, but I think it is an ideal choice for a part-time gardener, or a book for a master gardener or garden lover (as a Christmas/Holiday time read while thinking about what they might like to add for coming growing months).

It is a keeper, and will give the reader a wealth of information (some that they might already know by trial and error) Contains great info on weeds, compose bins, greenhouses, plant diets, pests, watering, making an in ground pond or stream, roses, herbs, wild flowers - you name it - this book gives a very nice compilation of things you'll need to know to have a successful garden. You will not be sorry if you get this book.

If you are a peony lover, you will treasure this book. Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall not only knows her peonies and traces their fascinating history through the imperial courts of China and Japan, but she interweaves this with a history of how peonies have been used in paintings and porcelain. The beautiful pictures included not only show the various peony cultivars, but show the peony as it is used in Asian porcelains, paintings and European paintings. This book and its photographs are so lovely, that I expected to pay much more for it. It's a bargain, if you are a peony lover. Al Rogers "Peonies" is a bit more explicit about growing and cultivation, but this book compliments his, because of the romance it brings to the peony. It is also practical, listing the cultivars, showing many pictures, and recommending the more successful cultivars. If you love peonies and want to know more about their place in history, I heartily recommend Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall's "Peonies."

One of the better gardening books I've come across. It tells about the kind of soil (acid/alkaline) the plant prefers as well as how fast the plants grows, some known pests, propagation, and cultivation. It includes trees, perennials, vegetables, annuals, bulbs, etc. Part 1 of the book deals with choosing plants for your particular needs (i.e. soil, light needs, color, plant performance, garden design). I think because it is a British gardening book, American gardeners may note a couple of drawbacks: some popular plants do not appear (coneflower, cucumber and coreopsis, for example). When other varieties are named, I'm not sure these varieties are usually available in this country.