This is an easy-to-follow manual for successful pruning without stress, from basic principles to more advanced techniques. It features specific pruning guidance for every type of plant, including floribunda roses, shrub roses, climbing roses, clematis, honeysuckle, wisteria, pyracantha, hedges, fruit trees, espaliers, cordons and soft fruit bushes. It explains cutting back to the ground, deadheading and shaping with shears, restraining evergreens, shortening new growth and rejuvenating neglected plants. It contains an illustrated guide to specialist tools and equipment, such as pruning shears, loppers, pruning knives, saws, hedge shears and hedge trimmers. It includes a useful checklist of the most popular shrubs, with advice on the pruning techniques suited to each. It features 50 step-by-step techniques and pruning projects, with over 370 clear and informative photographs. As well as being important for plant health, pruning can be a very therapeutic and enjoyable task, and this beautifully illustrated book provides expert advice to help you tackle the job with confidence and satisfaction. All the key rules of pruning are explained in a clear way, to ensure successful results throughout the year. After a section on equipment, the basic techniques are set out in detail - including deadheading, shaping and trimming - each appropriate to a variety of plants and situations. All the most popular plants are covered, such as roses, clematis, hedges and fruit bushes. There is also a cross-reference checklist which provides a handy guide to the pruning techniques suited to each type of shrub. For every gardener who wants pruning success without the stress, this book is an essential companion.

There are plants everywhere! Plants are very important to life on Earth. They clean our air, give us food and much more. But what are they, exactly?

This book successfully combines a most enjoyable and detailed account of the well-known author's many journeys through China. First and foremost, Travels in China provides a practical assessment of the plants that are either of ornamental merit or botanical interest to gardeners in the West. Roy Lancaster describes some 1,000 different plants in their natural habitat and provides an eminently readable account of a fascinating country, its people, and the plants that have enriched the gardens of Europe and North America. Hundreds of Lancaster's own attractive and colourful photographs are reproduced, interspersed with fascinating descriptions and anecdotes from his travels. This is a book about plants from a country so rich in variety that there are 50% more species on one mountain in China than there are in the whole of the British Isles. Indeed, the wide range of climatic conditions in a country as vast as China makes this book relevant to all gardeners, be they from Norway or Spain, the United

This book features over 570 colour photographs, including stunning plant directories, inspirational plantings, and practical step-by-step techniques. Providing all the essential gardening know-how, it shows how to create a fabulous garden with lasting impact, year-round colour and delicious scent. It teaches how to use scented bulbs, annuals, shrubs and trees to create a welcoming and relaxing outdoor environment. Here, is the ultimate inspirational guide to planning, creating and maintaining bountiful borders of beautiful blooms all year round. This is a book for the enthusiastic and practical as well as the aspirational gardener. It shows how to make best use of a plant's features to create a particular style of garden, and how to keep your garden looking good all year round. Packed with essential information, hints and professional tips, this is the perfect planting guide and practical handbook.

This title includes succinct advice on site, aspect, soil, compost, lawns, fences, pruning, training, propagation, pest control and more. It is an authoritative guide: helpful solutions to more than 1001 of the most frequently asked questions in one accessible at-a-glance volume. It answers queries on garden sites, soil, walls, lawns, fences, patios, trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, herbs, houseplants, vegetables, container gardening, the water garden, compost, propagation, weed control, everyday maintenance and greenhouses. It comes with over 850 photographs, this volume will help you find a quick solution to every garden question. Whether you're a novice gardener or have been growing plants for years, each season can bring new dilemmas that need addressing. This handy volume asks every typical garden question and provides invaluable guidance for successful gardening. There are chapters on planning and assessing the garden site; the hard landscape; lawns; the ornamental garden; the kitchen garden; the water garden; propagation; pruning and training; garden problems; growing under cover; and garden equipment. All provide suggestions, help and reassurance for the concerns most likely to be encountered, making this the perfect reference book for every gardener.

Native Plants of the Midwest, by regional plant expert Alan Branhagan, features the best native plants in the heartland and offers clear and concise guidance on how to use them in the garden. Plant profiles for more than 500 species of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, ground covers, bulbs, and annuals contain the common and botanical names, growing information, tips on using the plant in a landscape, and advice on related plants. You'll learn how to select the right plant and how to design with native plants. Helpful lists of plants for specific purposes are shared throughout. This comprehensive book is for native plant enthusiasts and home gardeners in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, northern Arkansas, and eastern Kansas.

Explore the magical world of moss, with this fully-illustrated and comprehensive guide. 'Moss is the height of fashion . . . for inspiration, as well as beautiful pictures of mossy forests and gardens, [this book] has a range of outdoor and indoor projects' The Sunday Times Moss is all around us. While it is most often associated with damp, shady spaces, it can be found in the most unexpected and far-flung places, from deserts to Antarctica. This book is a celebration of its quiet, unassuming beauty and a primer to understanding the secrets of the world's most ancient plant: * Discover the fascinating history of this soft and tactile plant * Learn how and where to identify and gather different moss species. * Take a tour of some of the most beautiful moss gardens in the UK, the US and Japan, where moss viewing has become a national phenomenon. * Learn how to cultivate moss, tie Japanese moss balls (kokedama) and plant moss landscapes in pots and terrariums. With stunning photography and botanical illustration, this is an utterly unique book that will be treasured by plant enthusiasts of all kinds. 'A whistlestop tour of the magical world of mosses, from Scandinavian craft projects to the animacy of carpeted Japanese gardens . . . It's a beautiful book, as happy on a coffee table as it might be on the potting bench' Gardens Illustrated

Comprehensive, profusely illustrated archive by two of the world's foremost collectors of pictorial symbols-and devoted flower enthusiasts. Their pictures, rendered from rare illustrations, extend from ancient Chinese lotus buds to a basket of flowers in a nineteenth-century Valentine silhouette. The symbolic meaning of every known species-from absinth to zinnia-is summarized in a table. A visual treat for flower lovers, this essential sourcebook, with its permission-free artwork, will be of value to artists and designers, folklore enthusiasts, as well as botanical and gardening specialists. Over 200 black-and-white designs and illustrations.

Symbolic meanings for:
Acacia Rod of Aaron Bo Tree Mistletoe
Passionflowe Edelweiss Heliotrope Tears of Job
Laurel Olive Tree Black Poplar Apple of Sodom
Barnacle Tree Houseleek Ice Plant Mandrake

. . . and many other botanical varieties.

One of the most exciting aspects of gardening is growing your own plants from scratch. In this definitive guide, Alan Titchmarsh shows how simple it is to propagate plants by following a few basic techniques. Learn how to produce a flourishing garden filled with ornamental and edible plants, at very little expense. * Demystified, down-to-earth approach to propagation * Easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step diagrams * A-Z directory with recommended propagation techniques for each plant * Key tips on taking cuttings, sowing seed, layering and division * Guidance on promoting growth of young plants

Discover how easy it is to harness the natural goodness of plants with over 50 homemade beauty recipes that can help you feel better, look better and have a healthy year! Most of us use lipbalms, body scrubs and cosmetics every day, but these can be full of chemicals and harmful to your skin and health. This book teaches you how to confidently make your own homemade remedies and natural beauty products using plants and herbs that are readily available, and often free, such as nettles, dandelions, herbs and hawthorn berries. Our gardens and hedgerows contain much of what we need to keep mild ailments at bay and it's fun giving it a go - instead of weeding the dandelions in your lawn, pick them and use them! Or plant marigolds, not just for their cheerful colour, but to make wonderful skin oils. With a helpful 'Season by Season' layout, you will know at a glance what to gather and when to gather it. Inside, you'll find homemade beauty recipes, including camomile bath soak, chocolate lip gloss, lavender bath bombs, mint lip balm, and more! Plus, plenty of healthy recipes for homemade remedies, from treatments for colds and overindulgence, to witch hazel spot gel, burn salves, skin-toning ointments, and even hay fever relief. This book is a source book for mind, body and soul, as well as a testament to the natural power and beauty of herbs. Get out there, keep your eyes open and discover the many widely available plants that you can use for your health - with the added bonus that they're not costing you anything. With Treat Yourself Natural you will feel empowered to explore the wonderful world of making healthy remedies and homemade beauty products, either for yourself or as gifts for your friends and family; after all, there is nothing nicer than a lovingly made present. "This book is full of brilliant ideas for things to make for yourself, or as wonderful gifts. Year in year out this will be an invaluable resource for a rainy day or a country walk, written by someone who really knows what she is talking about as well as living the same busy life as you and I." From the foreword, by Kirstie Allsopp

Discover 50 practical actions on how to you can make your environment greener. With suggestions for your home, your building, your neighbourhood and your city as a whole, Living Green in the City is full of smart ideas on how you can revegetate the area around you. With illustrated tutorials and testimonials, this is the perfect guide for anyone wanting to bring more greenery around them.

This 3rd Edition of Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning covers more than twenty additional plants in three new chapters. The result is the new definitive guide for the home gardener with friendly, expert advice from Cass Turnbull, founder of Seattle's PlantAmnesty, whose mission is "to end the senseless torture and mutilation of trees and shrubs caused by mal-pruning." Nothing about pruning is obvious. In fact, most of it is downright counterintuitive. People try to prune plants like they cut lumber or hair. But that doesn't work to get what they want. Your plants are actually telling you how they want to be pruned and where they need to be planted, if you would just learn to listen to your burning bush. With the information in Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning, you can approach your trees, shrubs and other plants with the knowledge that will make your plants grow in healthy and aesthetic ways. The book is organised around the most common types of plants gardens: evergreen and deciduous shrubs; bamboos and tea roses; rhododendrons, camellia, and other tree-like shrubs; hedge plants like boxwood and heather; and clematis, wisteria, and all those vines. It also includes detailed information on trees by species from dogwoods to weeping cherries.

This title helps you create a fragrant paradise to enjoy throughout the year, shown in 100 stunning photographs. You can make the most of scent around the garden by planting bulbs, annuals, perennials, herbs and small trees. You can choose beautiful plants that will calm, stimulate and uplift the body and spirit, such as butterfly bushes, honeysuckle, hyacinths, jasmine, lavender, lilac and roses. It describes scented schemes for many different garden styles, including cottage, Mediterranean and formal. It features an at-a-glance reference chart giving plant descriptions and a guide to their common names. Smell is one of the most powerful of our senses, and a glorious garden filled with subtle or intoxicating fragrances can affect our mood and wellbeing. This invaluable handbook describes the myriad plants that have scented qualities, whether it is in their flowers, leaves, fruit or bark, and explains how to use them effectively in different locations and garden styles. There is guidance on planting and harvesting for maximum fragrance, as well as advice on how to choose varieties that will provide interest throughout the year, and from morning until night. There is also a useful chart listing scented plants with their growing season and attributes.

A must-have for every gardener in California looking for a new way to garden in a changing climate In recent years California has been facing extreme drought, and in 2015 they passed state-wide water restrictions that affect home owners. Unfortunately the drought is only going to get worse, and gardeners who aren't willing to abandon their beloved pastime entirely are going to have to learn how to garden with the absolute minimum of water. The Drought-Defying California Garden highlights the best 230 plants to grow, shares advice on how to get them established, and offers tips on how to maintain them with the minimum amount of water. All of the plants are native to California--making them uniquely adept at managing the harsh climate--and include perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, and succulents.

Botany for gardeners offers an explanation of how plants grow. What happens inside a seed after it is planted? How are plants structured? How do plants adapt to their environment? How is water transported from soil to leaves? Why are minerals, air and light important for healthy plant growth? How do plants reproduce? The answers to these and other questions about complex plant processes, written in everyday language, allow gardeners and horticulturists to understand plants from the "plant's point of view". An appendix on plant taxonomy, glossary and make this an essential reference book for serious gardeners.

This book shows you how to create a garden with glorious colour in every season, with 130 photographs. You can enjoy vibrant beds and borders throughout the year, with practical advice and ideas for stunning combinations. It features easy-to-follow instructions for seasonal gardening tasks - from sowing seeds to overwintering flowers - and details of when plants are at their best. It features planting ideas for low-maintenance, seasonal interest using perennials, bulbs, berries, foliage, stems, evergreen shrubs, heathers, grasses and conifers. It includes a simple reference chart giving planting and flowering times for many common garden plants. As the year progresses, different types of plant come into their own. Bulbs begin to open in spring, hardy perennials make stunning statements in summer, foliage turns golden in the fall, and shrubs provide interest during the winter months. Discovering which plants are at their best at which times is the secret to ensuring a continuous display, and this book is full of expert instructions for providing successional colour all year long. Season by season, the book suggests plants for colour, as well as listing the main jobs that need to be done in the garden. Illustrated with over 130 beautiful photographs, the book guarantees permanent interest throughout the year.

This book features the best plants for spring, summer, autumn and winter displays, with over 300 photographs. You can make the best of your garden throughout the year by planting seasonal flowers, trees and shrubs. Inspirational displays include flower beds and borders, ponds, window boxes, hanging baskets and tubs. It shows you how to choose suitable plants for every situation - from berried shrubs to twiggy hedges and floral climbers - and how to display them effectively. Vibrant and stunning photographs capture the beauty of delicate spring bulbs, fiery summer annuals, pretty autumn seedheads and verdant winter trees and grasses. It features a wide range of garden styles - from traditional country cottage to formal and contemporary. It features an at-a-glance calendar of key gardening jobs to do during and after each season. From the long-awaited first buds of spring and the riotous displays of summer, to the rich hues of autumn and the structural quality of the winter landscape, your garden can mirror the changing seasons and the wonderful variety of plants available. Season by season, this book takes an inspirational look at bulbs, annuals, perennials, climbers, shrubs and trees, with full descriptions, flowering times, tips on the best growing conditions and hardiness notes. Ideas are presented for pretty window boxes, hanging baskets, tubs, and eye-catching beds and borders. There are also useful lists of jobs that should be done during each season to ensure your garden stays looking its best. With a wealth of practical advice and over 300 photographs, this book is sure to inspire all year round.

Plants are a major part of most gardens and fulfil many roles within them, providing colour, shade, scent, form, texture and much more. Choosing the right plants can be a challenge but this book provides a step-by-step guide for successful long-term planting, using design techniques and good horticultural practice.

". . . you can't do without it. As a reference book it is unsurpassed." - The Guardian "Absolutely essential" - BBC Good Homes Find the perfect plants for your garden with this inspiring encyclopedia for all gardening enthusiasts! Achieve that beautiful garden oasis you've always dreamt of, and find endless inspiration and guidance for your garden to thrive with this gardening guide! This fully comprehensive yet easy-to-use informative planting guide is what every gardener needs on their bookshelf. Here's what you'll find inside: - A photographic catalogue of 4000 plants and flowers grouped by type, size, then colour, allowing readers to browse and find the best plants for their garden - A detailed "Plant Dictionary" describes more than 8000 species and varieties and their ideal growing conditions - In the Introduction, a "Plant Selector" section lists ideal plants for particular growing conditions, such as coastal areas, shady spots, and different soil types - Fully updated text from garden plant specialists, with more than 1380 new plants added, including the latest and most popular cultivars Discover perennials, bulbs, shrubs, and trees, succulents, and ornamental shrubs, all showcased in beautiful, full-colour photography to help elevate your garden to the next level. Use the extensive plant dictionary to look up more than 8000 plant varieties and the best growing conditions. Written by a team of more than 15 top horticultural specialists under the guidance of internationally renowned plantsman and botanist Christopher Brickell, this gardening encyclopedia appeals to all levels of gardeners and continually inspires with achievable garden ideas. This informative yet inspirational book about gardening will appeal to beginners or more experienced gardeners interested in the latest cultivars and horticultural advice.

Keep your house plants alive and thriving with this illustrated, accessible guide to popular house plants for new and experienced plant-parents alike. Many new gardeners are finally starting to understand why bringing the outside indoors is so appealing. From improving home decor to mental health, plants have so many benefits. But keeping them alive (and most importantly, thriving) isn't always easy! What does it mean if your plant has brown tips? Rotting roots? Yellow leaves? The list goes on. Don't you just wish your plants could communicate what's wrong and how to fix it? What Is My Plant Telling Me? answers all your plant-based questions making it the perfect companion for anyone interested in keeping their plants looking their best. This illustrated guide to the fifty most popular house plants will show you how to: -Speak your plant's language -Identify classic distress signals -Intervene successfully to keep your plants thriving for years to come -Choose plants that work best for your space -Pick the best locations within your home to keep your new plants -Identify the pot size needed when you want to replant -And more! Whether you're interested in growing a cactus, orchid, or even the popular Fiddle Leaf Fig, this book is the perfect guide to deciphering the message your plant is telling you and what you can do to revive it.

In this greatly expanded and revised edition of his classic treatment, Donald Schnell examines in detail the 45 species and numerous hybrids of carnivorous plants that grow in the U.S. and Canada. Information on each species includes an identifying description, the preferred habitat, the range in which it can be found, and the season for flowering and trapping, making this book a useful field guide as well as a fascinating source of leisure reading. With a full array of maps, drawings, and 200 color photos, this volume promises to enrich every enthusiast's library with a wealth of information. Hobbyists will find much to their liking as well. Schnell gives detailed instructions for growing these plants.