"Native trees grow much faster than non-native trees. But even experienced horticulturists can be mystified about how nature sows and germinates seeds especially acorns and walnuts."

Thanks to this book, any gardener can now grow trees from seeds within as little as ten years. The secrets are to know what seeds to collect and how to prepare and plant them. From their extensive knowledge, the authors guide the reader in identifying native trees, vines and shrubs and describe howto propagate them.

Growing Trees from Seed covers the ecology, abundance, fruit characteristics and edibility of the more than 200 species discussed in this book. There is expert guidance on when to gather fruits, how to extract seeds from the fruit, and when and how to treat and germinate the seed, plus information on transplanting and expected growth rate. Alerts throughout the book identify closely related non-native species now common to various regions.

Many illustrations and descriptions help the reader with plant identification. A seed-treatment guide provides a handy reference.

Among the trees, vines and shrubs covered are: Alders Beeches Berries Birches Cedars Cherries Chestnuts Clematis Dogwoods Elms Firs and pines Hickories Junipers Laurels Maples Oaks Plums Poplars Spruces Walnuts Willows.

There is no better guidebook on how to grow native trees from seed.

With this manual for choosing the right trees in the central valley region of California, prospective planters can weigh their options and pick the trees that best suit their sites. Healthy, mature trees can add substantial value to property; sickly trees, however, can cost an equally substantial amount. The expertise of a professional arborist is collected and made accessible here for any reader who wishes to invest in trees for landscaping. Plenty of troubleshooting tips cover problems from blight to bugs, and each of the 40 featured species has a complete entry describing its benefits for both land and landowner.

Vertical gardening adds an extra dimension to gardens and this book will cover the ins and outs of growing climbers and wall plants to get the very best in terms of cover, cropping and flowering. It will look at flowering plants, fruit and some vegetable plants, and how to make the most of every available space in your garden. Includes: * creative ideas for using climbing plants and wall shrubs effectively in the garden * quick lists of climbing plants for specific purposes, conditions or effects * A-Z profiles of recommended plants * practical advice on training, pruning and propagation * illustrated step-by-step guides to essential techniques Alan Titchmarsh imparts a lifetime of expertise in these definitive practical 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 successfully grow climbers and wall shrubs.

As long as there have been gardens, box has played a part. In A Gardener's Guide to Box, experienced box specialist, Jenny Alban Davies, describes the use of box in a wide range of garden designs and situations. Along with useful information about the nurture of box plants as well as how to maintain clipped box in an optimal state from year to year, this book also explains the best way to grow healthy box, with the most up-to-date advice on its care. Topics include: designing with box in different styles and in small as well as large gardens; descriptions of twenty Buxus species and cultivars, with notes about their use in the garden; how to keep box topiary planted in containers healthy, and advice on controlling pests and diseases. Whether you are planning to plant a knot garden, dealing with a recent attack of blight or caterpillar, growing a box hedge from cuttings or creating your own topiary shape from an untouched plant, this book will give you the know-how to do it.

The book covers all the technical aspects of planting trees, such as how to incorporate them into the garden design; mixed border plantings; group plantings and woodland schemes, avenues; hedges, screens and windbreaks; and in tree collections. There are also useful how-to sections that explore the practicalities of growing and propagating trees.