Deals with the basic skills that every gardener needs to know and understand. Think about what you're trying to achieve, whether it be formative shaping of the plant, maintenance, renewal or rejuvenation. Look at the best tools available for the job and the different techniques to use. Includes: * guidance on selecting and using tools and equipment * comprehensive instructions on pruning plants, including roses, shrubs and hedges * tips on how to increase cropping and flowering * advice on training for shape and support 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 and maintain your dream garden.

Conifers are among the most beautiful and versatile of all landscape plants, offering year-round variety of colour, form, and texture. They remain underutilised in the South, in part because of the common misconception that they are not adaptable to the climate. Laying such claims to rest, this book introduces readers to conifers that grow successfully in southern landscapes. Gardeners in the South traditionally have relied on the mass of spectacular spring blooms as the mainstay of their landscapes. However, with the addition of conifers or cultivars of the genus ginkgo, homeowners can enjoy twelve months of low maintenance color. Tom Cox and John Ruter present a variety of conifers that grow from Virginia to Florida to Texas. They provide tips on growing, pruning, preventing disease and pest problems, and on proper selection and cultivation requirements-all unique to the Southeast. In short, this guide includes essential information about what to buy, where to plant it, and how to maintain it. It also offers advice on what to expect from mature conifers and ginkgo while suggesting genera and species that have proved adaptable and cultivars that have performed well in the southeastern United States. Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast is a compilation of years of research and horticulture experience that will aid anyone, whether novice or professional, in creating beautiful year-round landscapes.

Washington and Oregon gardeners can easily select and care for their gardens' trees and shrubs with the help of this guide. It describes 551 species, hybrids, varieties and cultivars grouped into 96 accounts. Practical advice on pruning, optimal location, maturity, planting, pests and diseases is included.