The Bountiful Container. Rose Marie Nichols McGee and Maggie Stuckey. Workman Publications New York 2002 0-7611-1623-0 432 pages

This most readable book was written for "everyone who aspires to have garden-fresh foodstuffs but has no yard in which to grow them". This is a detailed book about growing herbs and vegetables in containers - there is a chapter each on fruits and edible flowers too. Both writers are experienced growers and standard growing information is not only tailored to container growing, but is supplemented by the experience of two down to earth women who have been there and done that.

Sensibly organized, the book starts with planning a container garden and moves on to basic information such as the tools you'll need and the pros and cons of different types of containers. But most of the book tells you how to get the best crop from a great long list of vegetables and herbs There are chapters on growing fruit and edible flowers in containers and a decent list of mail order sources for seeds and plants.

I liked the direct, no-nonsense approach of the two writers. They have produced a thorough and thoughtful book, sensibly organized and both readable and knowledgeable.

I have an apartment with a small balcony, and this book has been very helpful for gardening ideas both inside and outside. It's been especially helpful for giving clear but detailed descriptions of different types of container plants, and giving advice on what types of plants work best in different conditions. It's well-organized, includes personal anecdotes, and makes you feel like you can try out anything in the book. I especially liked that they warn you if something has specific requirements for growing--it's much easier for me to cut down on my choices for buying seeds or plants when I know what will grow best.

What a find! I am a novice gardener; I started my gardening journey at the library, where I found this book. It is just about the most user-friendly book on gardening, specifically container gardening, that I have found! McGee and Stuckey's love of gardening is contagious; it makes you want to rush out and begin planting! There were two aspects of this book that I found particularly helpful. First, they present detailed write-ups on an extensive list of various vegetables, fruits, herbs, and edible flowers--how and when to plant, what size container is needed, etc. Second, and very interesting, they suggest numerous theme gardens; specifically, how to plant a variety of edibles in a single container or grouping of containers around a particular theme or color (i.e., a kid's garden, a lemonade garden, etc). A MUST have for any gardener!