Without fail, visitors to the great gardens of the world are enchanted by their topiary art. These great, green sculptures, often in the form of animals, but sometimes in geometric or abstract shapes, are formed by carefully binding and trimming a living plant. The patience and skill required may seem intimidating to those who wish to try their hands at it, but in this book the art is made accessible to every gardener. Well illustrated, with easy-to-understand instructions, three topiary projects are offered, a peacock (with instructions for its transformation into an angel), a Gothic arch, and a duck. The projects shown use small, potted plants from the nursery, but the techniques are readily adapted to shrubs and bushes in the garden.The tools and materials needed for topiary are common, owned by almost every gardener; with this basic guide, all that is needed is a little creativity and time. The results will astound.

"Bursting with useful advice, especially for new gardeners." --Booklist To be a successful gardener, you need to know two things: how to do something and when to do it. Both concepts are thoroughly tackled in The Month-By-Month Gardening Guide. This comprehensive approach to gardening guides home gardeners--whether you are growing vegetables, flowers, or houseplants--through a year of growing. Throughout, the emphasis is on organic, wildlife-friendly techniques. By following the guidance detailed in this hardworking primer, you'll be well on your way to a beautiful and bountiful garden that will provide pleasure throughout the year.

The remarkable story of Dr Shirley Sherwood, scientist, author, travel writer, gardener as well as mother and grandmother.

Following the tragic death of her brilliant scientist husband, Michael Cross, in a freak air crash in 1964, she was left as a 30-year-old widow with two young boys aged four and three. For the next twelve years she worked as a key member of the Nobel Prize-winning team which developed Tagamet, the first blockbuster drug (sales of over $1 billion a year). After her marriage to Jim Sherwood in 1977, she left science to concentrate full-time on the huge task of restoring the fabled Orient-Express train, probably the most luxurious and exotic form of travel ever devised. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, running between London and Venice, was relaunched in 1982, ninety-nine years after its first journey. Sherwood's history of the project sold more than 400,000 copies. The Orient-Express train was just the beginning.

The Sherwoods went on to create the five-star Orient-Express Hotels company (now Belmond), which owned some of the finest hotels in the world, including the Cipriani in Venice, the Mount Nelson in Cape Town and the Copacabana Palace in Rio. They pioneered new train routes across the Alps, started the Eastern & Oriental Express running between Singapore and Bangkok- crossing over the Bridge on the River Kwai- opened up tourism in Myanmar with the first cruise ship to operate on the Irrawaddy, and took over the railways of Peru, which run all the way to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca.

Her most lasting achievement, the one of which she is proudest, is the Shirley Sherwood Collection of contemporary botanical art, which she started in 1990 and now includes over 1,000 paintings and drawings representing the work of more than 300 contemporary botanical artists from 36 countries. She has mounted exhibitions in many prestigious locations including the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Kirstenbosch in Cape Town and the Real Jardin Botanico, Madrid. The Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew Gardens is the first museum to be dedicated to modern botanical art and her books, which often accompanied her exhibitions, have been largely responsible for re-establishing botanical art in its rightful place as an important art form.

These are just some of the many achievements in a long and rich life, vividly described in this book.

"An invaluable resource for the home or commercial gardener who wishes to plant native species."--Edward W. Chester, Austin Peay State University
The natural landscape of Tennessee represents a unique treasure for gardeners and nature lovers. Encompassing several geographically distinctive regions, from the 6,000-foot peaks of the Unaka Mountains to the swampy floodplain of the Mississippi River, the state boasts nearly 3,000 native plant species. This stunning diversity of life owes much to Tennessee's prime location at the crossroads of mountain and prairie ecosystems and in the transition area between northern and southern climate patterns.
In Gardening with the Native Plants of Tennessee, Margie Hunter gives gardeners the knowledge they need in order to nurture this natural heritage in their own gardens. Beginning with a survey of the state's ecology--including geology, geography, plant life and animal species--Hunter takes a holistic approach to the process of gardening with native plants. The book's main section provides detailed accounts of 450 species of wildflowers, ferns, grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees native to Tennessee and adjacent states. These descriptions, arranged according to plant type, include both scientific and common name, flowering and fruiting times, propagation methods, soil and light requirements, and distribution patterns within the state. Nearly 400 color photographs illustrate the species discussions.
No other book designed for the home gardener includes such area-specific information on native species or such a comprehensive listing of plants. Appendixes refer readers to other sources of information and seeds, including mail-order nurseries, botanical gardens, state agencies, native plant organizations, and subject-specific conferences. A detailed bibliography also contributes to the reference value of this book for gardeners, landscapers, and nature lovers throughout Tennessee and in neighboring states.
The Author: Margie Hunter, a long-time volunteer at Cheekwood Botanical Garden, lives in Nashville.

Eat homegrown food all year round and save money on your weekly shop by following a simple plan for self-sufficiency.

Huw Richards and Sam Cooper have spent the past two years planning and trialling their very own self-sufficiency garden in a 10x12.5m plot and now they've worked out the perfect formula. Grow six portions of nutritious veg a day per person following their month-by-month growing plan, which is realistic and flexible with cost, space, and time in mind.

• Learn about Huw's self-sufficiency ethos, goals and approaches
• Create your garden and learn how to build all the growing spaces you will need, such as hot beds and polytunnels
• Follow month-by-month planting plans with guidance on key tasks throughout the year
• Discover useful kitchen tips meal prep, storage, and preserving ideas along with base recipes so you can make the most of your crops

In Japanese gardens, composition follows from placement of the first stone; all elements and plantings become interconnected. These eight essays on Kyoto gardens similarly begin with keen description and build into richly meditative excursions into art, Buddhism, nature, and science. Landscape architect Marc Keane shows how Japanese gardens are both a microcosm of the natural universe and a clear expression of our humanity, mirroring how we think, worship, and organize our lives and communities. Filled with passages of alluring beauty, this is a truly transcendent book about "experiencing" Japanese design.

Marc Peter Keane has lived in Kyoto for 17 years and is author of "Japanese Garden Design." He designs residential, company, and temple gardens.

This breakthrough handbook for botanical garden and arboretum curators (and curators in training) has now been expanded and updated fifteen years after the last edition was published. The new edition includes up-to-date information and methods for the preservation and conservation of plants and their use in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation programs, habitat restorations, and conservation research. There are expanded and updated sections on plant acquisitions and field collecting that conform to the Convention on Biological Diversity protocols. New technologies for documenting plant collections are described including reviews of the most common software programs to streamline this process. Recommendations for plant preservation-caring for collections-have been updated with expanded information on basic horticulture practice, sustainable techniques, special applications for conservation collections, and examples of preservation plans. There is an entirely new section on collections research and applications with several chapters on the latest conservation practices, technologies, and programs involving collections. All of the basic and essential information for collections management contained within the first edition, including specific recommendations and examples, has been expanded and updated with recommendations on new technologies and procedures to assist and guide curators in their critical role as plant collection developers, managers, and programmers. What is an important resource for public garden professionals and students has now become even more essential.

This early work is a fascinating read for any gardening enthusiast or historian, but contains much information that is still useful and practical today. It is a thoroughly recommended title for the amateur or professional arborist or horticulturalist's shelf. Its 130 pages contain 50 full page plates. Contents Include: Introduction; A General Survey; The Apple; The Apple-Pruning the Young Trees; The Apple-Maintenance, Thinning, Storing and Mating; The Apple-Insect Pests; The Apple-Diseases; The Pear; The Pear-Pests and Diseases; The Plum; The Plum-Pests and Diseases; The Cherry; The Cherry-Pests and Diseases; The Apricot; The Black Currant; The Red and White Currants; The Gooseberry; The Raspberry; Miscellaneous Fruits; The Strawberry; The Strawberry-Pets and Diseases; The Grape Vine; The Peach and Nectarine; The Fig; and Propagation. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Gardening has become a rather specialised and costly undertaking, but with the necessary knowledge and determination it is not only possible but also easy to create a beautiful and functional garden without spending a fortune. This title contains a wealth of time-and-money-saving tips to help you on your way. It includes an list of waterwise plants, a host of suggestions for recycling, and information propagation so that you can fill your garden with plants you have grown from scratch - not only inexpensive or even completely free, but also most rewarding. Also read about nature's own defences and saving money on cut flowers by including flowers for the vase in your garden.

This book contains a number of papers that originally appeared in a London Sporting paper during the season of 1846. The papers are a series of sketches of the principle characters that compose the hunt and are presented in such a way that they form a souvenir of one of the most favourable seasons in the author's recollection. A lovely illustrated book appealing to those with an interest in fox-hunting and history of the sport. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original artwork and text.

Presents the latest information on applied topics in horticultural science.* Numerous essays provide easy, time-saving and cost-effective access to the primary literature.* Sponsored by the American Society of Horticultural Science.