A guide to the care and cultivation of dahlias for the home gardener or exhibitor

This unique guide to the herbaceous wildflowers and ferns of Kentucky's fields and forests contains 500 full-color plates accompanied by descriptive captions. Each species has been photographed to show its distinctive features for easy identification. The accompanying text gives a concise description of the plant, including distinguishing features, variations sometimes found, similar and related species, habitat, frequency, distribution, and flowering time. A simple-to-follow key enables the layman to identify nearly 700 wildflowers and ferns with minimal effort. Reliable and authoritative, A Guide to the Wildflowers and Ferns of Kentucky will provide the user with many hours of pleasure in the field or at home.

Not too long ago, it might have seemed impossible that cannabis would step out of the shadows into the mainstream. But now, as legalization sweeps the globe, a new weed culture is evolving with its own set of rules-and thousands of new devotees eager to learn them. Journalist Michelle Lhooq lives in Los Angeles and is at the forefront of this revolution. Through her own expertise as well as interviews with stars from the weed scene, she presents a captivating glimpse into the wild new frontier of cannabis. This witty, insightful guidebook offers useful tips on how to smoke joints, vapes, and concentrates; make edibles and infused cocktails; grow the plant at home; and find the best cannabis stores. It imparts the wisdom of renowned potheads such as pioneering dub music producer Lee "Scratch" Perry and includes interviews with the cannabis industry's most exciting and innovative figures, from a lauded chef who puts on a gourmet weed dinner series, to the editors of a weed-centric magazine, to a "cannasexual" sex educator, and more. Complete with vibrant new hand-drawn illustrations by the artist Thu Tran, Weed is cutting-edge, comprehensive, and brimming with sparkling personalities-an essential introduction to pot for both newbies and die-hards alike.

Why do slugs prefer your lettuces to eating weeds which are just as tasty? Why do container plants wilt even though they have plenty of water? Linda Chalker-Scott tackles these and other questions gardeners ask and explains the plant physiology that is behind these everyday gardening challenges.

Fern Fever (or Pteridomania, to give it its official name), hit Britain between 1837 and 1914 and peaked between 1840 and 1890. Although in previous centuries ferns played an important role in customs and folklore, it was only in this period that they were coveted for aesthetic reasons and that man's passion for them reached its zenith.
The craze for collecting ferns reached such epidemic proportions that it affected the very existence of some species. The fern craze started to gather momentum in the 1840s; books and magazines maintained that fern growing was a hobby that anyone could enjoy as ferns would grow in the glazed fernery, garden, shady yard, window box or even indoors in Wardian Cases. The mania also spread from the living plant to depicting it in architecture and the decorative arts. Even roads, villas and terraced houses were named after the fern.
This book, the first to deal exclusively with the subject for nearly forty years, looks at the how the craze developed, the ways in which ferns were incorporated into garden and home, and the spread of the fern through Victorian material and visual culture.

This new addition to New Holland's popular pocket "Photographic Guide" series showcases the flowers that add so much to the attractions of walking in New Zealand's alpine zone. The ideal size for slipping into a backpack when tramping, it will appeal to walkers, nature lovers, tour guides and educators, and flower photographers wishing to identify their subjects.

Every year in the UK we spend millions on plants for our gardens. This volume shows the gardener how to make sure that the shiny perfect plant they brought home from the garden centre stays that way in their own garden.

Learn to transform your outdoor space into a flourishing, vibrant garden with this fail-safe guide. Gardening expert Ellen Mary takes you through every step of gardening, from the basics of understanding your space and decoding plant labels, to common pests and how to keep your plants alive once they're in the ground. Packed full of practical information, this book is relevant for any beginner gardener, no matter what type of outdoor space you have - whether you're looking for ideas for green-filled balconies, or larger low-maintenance plots. You'll also find tailored advice for different levels of time investment, whether you have just 10 minutes or 4 hours per week to spend in your garden. Once you've got the basics covered, you'll learn key gardening skills including: - Planting flower beds - How and when to prune - Composting correctly - How to grow a lawn, trees and roses So, flex those green fingers, get your hands dirty and enjoy the process of creating a beautiful, blooming garden.

Whether it stands as a single feature in a mixed border, climbs a trellis, forms a hedge, or spills out of a pot, the shrub offers beauty, diversity, privacy, and shelter; moreover, there's an ideal shrub for every season and every kind of soil and climate. So, faced with this dazzling variety, how does a gardener choose? Drawing on a lifetime's experience as a gardener, and mingling expert advise with his trademark enthusiasm, John Cushnie will help you choose the perfect shrub. With a beautifully illustrated directory featuring 175 entries, Cushnie guides you through choosing, planting, and caring for shrubs, offering his personal favorites for every situation. Whether you're looking for shape or shelter, scent, glorious autumn color, bright summer blooms, or evergreens for year-round interest, "Shrubs for the Garden" has the plant for you. Landscape designer and gardening editor John Cushnie is the author of "Ground Cover, How to Garden, " and "Trees for the Yard and Garden."

Herbaceous perennials flower each year, dying down in the winter and springing back to life the following spring. They are central features in the landscape of a garden as they appear year-after-year and must be regarded as constant features. This book gives the expert view on the vast array of flowers available. Includes: * creative garden ideas and border planting plans * practical advice on care, maintenance and propagation * illustrated A-Z profiles of recommended plants * recommended plants for specific purposes, conditions and effects * step-by-step illustrations showing essential techniques Alan Titchmarsh imparts a lifetime of expertise in these definitive guides for beginners and experienced gardeners. Step-by-step illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions guide you through the basic gardening skills and on to the advanced techniques, providing everything you need to create beautiful flower borders in your garden.

Stefan Buczacki sets out a blueprint for commonsense down-to-earth gardening - an approach that is based on an understanding of the environment and also relates to gardeners and their lifestyle: what gardeners need and want from their gardens and how they can set about getting it. The author looks at the basics of gardening, examining such topics as soil, fertilizers, pesticides and pruning, revealing his knowledge derived from years of practical gardening experience. He then proceeds to a detailed discussion of the commonsense approach to tree and shrub gardening, kitchen gardening, gardening and ornamentals, water gardening and wildlife gardening, ending with a chapter on garden design.

Lavishly illustrated, this book has been designed to show how to introduce color throughout the garden with style, flair and confidence.

The names of those early orchid hunters are preserved today in the Latin names by which the orchids they discovered are still known. In the last two decades orchids have been subject to extensive hybridisation in the search for novelty and ever more fantastic colours and shapes; indeed thousands upon thousands of hybrids have appeared. Jack Kramer concentrates on the original botanical orchids as they appeared in nature and their habitats. These orchids had waned in popularity with the introduction of the new hybrids and were also at risk in many cases of extinction as their natural habitats were despoiled and ravaged by man. Fortunately, new cloning techniques have rescued such endangered species from oblivion. This book addresses the technical needs of the novice orchid enthusiast in choosing species appropriate to the climate and facilities available, as well as guiding the beginner in the basics of orchid cultivation. ' The lesson to be learned is that you can successfully raise orchids as lo

For gardeners and beginners alike, this is the perfect guide and reference for adding appeal and dazzle to any garden. Planting or improving beds and borders is a simple, low-cost way to enhance a home's landscape. A collection of the most popular design ideas, planting solutions and quick front and backyard fixes that the editors of "Fine Gardening" have to offer. "Fine Gardening Beds and Borders" offers easy planting solutions for creating gardens that add colour and texture, help zone a property and offer maximum impact for minimum investment of time and money. Whether the goal is as ambitious as a front yard makeover or as simple as a little spruce-up in one area, "Beds and Borders" is packed with eye-catching garden designs, advice on choosing the best plants and strategies for keeping plants healthy and lush all season long.

A full-colour and beautifully illustrated guide into transforming your existing garden or plot of land into a modern, visually-stunning - but also easily achieved and maintained - space. Including full-colour images and tips and tricks from gardening experts and Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winners Harry and David Rich as well as suggestions tailored to various garden types, this is a must-read for anyone wanting that little bit of paradise to escape to at home... 'Full of creativity and good ideas... plenty here to whet the appetite of an aspiring garden designer' -- Gardens Illustrated 'Love Your Plot is a book to read right through and then dip into again to bring a particular idea or method of working back into focus.' -- Garden Design Journal 'Very inspiring' -- ***** Reader review 'This book is a joy to own, beautifully written and illustrated. It's crammed with information, easy to read and fantastic inspiration' -- ***** Reader review 'Awesome book. Clear and easy to understand with lots of useful tips' -- ***** Reader review 'Best book ever for any garden designer - an excellent read' -- ***** Reader review 'A gold mine of garden design wisdom' -- ***** Reader review ***************************************************************************************************** Fusing conceptual garden design with the beauty of the natural landscape, twice Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winners and stars of BBC's Garden Rescue Harry and David Rich are here to show you how you can transform your outdoor space into a beautiful Eden, no matter what plot you have. In Love Your Plot Harry and David set out to help you transform your outdoor space into an inspiration green haven by making nature work for you. Fusing different outdoor elements, such as coastal and woodland landscapes, alongside key design principles, they will show you how to create a modern, practical and visually stunning outdoor space that will awe and inspire - and that is crucially easy to maintain. Complete with practical tips, unique sketches and designs, planting suggestions and stunning full-colour visuals, Love Your Plot will have you reaching for the spade and wellies in no time at all to create your own Eden, no matter what plot you've got.

Whatever your level of expertise, you'll find everything you need to know in this easy-to-follow gardening guide. This book contains the principles of good gardening - how plants work and how to give them what they need. It also includes step-by-step advice, tips and techniques. Keen on starting your own garden or looking for gardening tips to improve your existing gardening skills? This simple step-by-step guide will show you where to start, what tools and techniques to use, and how to troubleshoot common garden problems. From bulbs to borders, weeds to watering, pick up gardening techniques, practical basics, and simple skills which will have your garden blooming. Master the essentials of gardening through easy to follow steps and photographs. This beginner's gardening book will make growing your own garden easy and enjoyable. It includes: - The latest environmentally friendly practices - A new section of growing fruit, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, bulbs, and more - Easy instructions on how to grow a garden and clear photographs Start A Garden And Watch It Grow Share in the delight of gardening when you start using RHS How to Garden New Edition as your guide. You'll quickly become engrossed in the fun, rewarding gardening experience and the sense of accomplishment when you see your shrubs grow or eat vegetables that you've planted.

With Nancy Ondra's detailed plant-by-plant guide to tending perennials, maintenance is a breeze. Ondra has grown hundreds of today's most popular perennials in her own gardens and has kept detailed notes on how each plant looks through the seasons and what the plants' needs, quirks, and preferences are. All this valuable information is gathered in 125 plant profiles, arranged alphabetically by genus. Each entry features gorgeous, instructive photography by award-winning garden photographer Rob Cardillo, as well as advice on preferred light and soil conditions and complete care and maintenance instructions. What to do and when to do it are as simple as looking up the plant and following an expert gardener's advice. Complementing the plant-by-plant section, Ondra offers in-depth coverage of basic techniques for the perennial gardener. From planning a stunning but easy-to-care-for garden to fertilizing, mulching, propagating, and much more, the home gardener will find every answer to that one big gardening question: How do I keep my perennial beds looking their best - fresh, beautiful, and healthy - season after season.

Indoor plants have gotten a bad rap and are often associated with dusty and dowdy African violets, languishing philodendrons, and bloom-free orchids. No longer It's time for plant lovers to dust off their houseplants, update their image, and discover just how exciting, trendy, and crucial plants can be in the home.

"The Unexpected Houseplant," by renowned plant authority Tovah Martin, isn't your typical, old-fashioned, dowdy houseplant book. Martin's approach is revolutionary--picture brilliant spring bulbs by the bed, lush perennials brought in from the garden, quirky succulents in the kitchen, even flowering vines and small trees growing beside an easy chair. Along with loads of visual inspiration, readers will learn how to make unusual selections, where to best position plants in the home, and valuable tips on watering, feeding, grooming, pruning, and troubleshooting, season by season.

Martin also brings an evangelist's zeal to the task of convincing homeowners that indoor plants aren't just a luxury--they're a necessity. In addition to the design flair they add to a home, houseplants clean indoor air, which can be up to ten times more polluted than outdoor air.

Comprehensive, up-to-the-minute, and illustrated with gorgeous photography by Kindra Clineff, "The Unexpected Houseplant" is for beginners, green thumbs, decorators, and anyone who wants to infuse a bit of surprising green into their decor

From spring green to winter gold, the drama of grasses is nonstop. There are the striking yellow-and-green ostrich plumes of Zebra Grass. The fine-textured leaves of Blue Oat Grass. Flame Grass's dazzling red-orange leaves, Fountain Grass's coppery brushes, the rich brown nuggets of Northern Sea Oats, the feathery purple haze of Switch Grass.

Whether on their own or as backdrops for colorful garden flowers, ornamental grasses are admired for their color, form, movement, and texture. They also aid in erosion control, soil stabilization, and water retention, making them great conservation tools for gardeners in all hardiness zones. Although grasses are widely available at garden centers all over North America, few books advise the gardener on how to use them in the garden - and especially how to combine them with perennials and other plants. GRASSES features plans and practical advice for more than 24 unique gardens. It's complete with an identification and growing guide to the plants, and it features more than 150 full-color photographs, illustrations, and landscape plans.

The organic grower's guide to planting, propagation, culture, and ecology Trees are our allies in healing the world. Partnering with trees allows us to build soil, enhance biodiversity, increase wildlife populations, grow food and medicine, and pull carbon out of the atmosphere, sequestering it in the soil. Trees of Power explains how we can work with these arboreal allies, specifically focusing on propagation, planting, and individual species. Author Akiva Silver is an enthusiastic tree grower with years of experience running his own commercial nursery. In this book he clearly explains the most important concepts necessary for success with perennial woody plants. It's broken down into two parts: the first covering concepts and horticultural skills and the second with in-depth information on individual species. You'll learn different ways to propagate trees: by seed, grafting, layering, or with cuttings. These time-honored techniques make it easy for anyone to increase their stock of trees, simply and inexpensively. Ten chapters focus on the specific ecology, culture, and uses of different trees, ones that are common to North America and in other temperate parts of the world: Chestnut: The Bread Tree Apples: The Magnetic Center Poplar: The Homemaker Ash: Maker of Wood Mulberry: The Giving Tree Elderberry: The Caretaker Hickory: Pillars of Life Hazelnut: The Provider Black Locust: The Restoration Tree Beech: The Root Runner Trees of Power fills an urgent need for up-to-date information on some of our most important tree species, those that have multiple benefits for humans, animals, and nature. It also provides inspiration for new generations of tree stewards and caretakers who will not only benefit themselves, but leave a lasting legacy for future generations. Trees of Power is for everyone who wants to connect with trees. It is for the survivalist, the gardener, the homesteader, the forager, the permaculturist, the environmentalist, the parent, the schoolteacher, the farmer, and anyone who feels a deep kinship with these magnificent beings.

Orchids can bloom year after year. In this essential guide, Bruce Rogers, "The Orchid Whisperer," shares his expert tips from more than three decades of breeding and growing orchids. The book demystifies the growing process and features more than 100 lush color photographs of breathtaking plants. Best of all, it reveals professional secrets not found anywhere else for blooming, repotting, spotting hazards and pests, grooming, decorating, and much more. Perfect for beginners as well as orchid experts looking for new tricks, The Orchid Whisperer provides everything readers need to know to keep healthy orchids that will flower again and again