Gardening All-In-One for Dummies

"God almighty first planted a garden: and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures."
--Sir Francis Bacon

National surveys show that gardening has become the most popular, least exclusive hobby nationwide. From the balconies of Manhattan to the patios of Malibu to the backyards of Chicago, anybody with a few square feet of earth is doing their best to make their little corner of the world more gracious and beautiful. And the best thing is, you really don't have to be born with a green thumb to give life to a glorious garden. Anybody can do it with a little coaching. Which is where Gardening For Dummies comes in.

Puzzled by pruning? Baffled by bulbs? Can't tell a hosta from a hyacinth? Don’t worry! This all-in-one reference delivers the know-how you need to transform your little patch of the outdoors into a blooming paradise. Drawing upon the expertise of the National Gardening Association, it gets you up to speed on:

• Basic gardening skills—from understanding your microclimate to using gardening tools to managing pests and common plant diseases
• How to design, plan and build a garden landscape that reflects your unique sense of style
• Selecting, planting and maintaining stunning roses
• Building a raised bed for your perennials and making them bloom in any climate
• Choose, grow and maintain annuals
• From amaryllis to spider dahlias to wood tulips—coaxing beauty from homely bulbs
• Enjoying nature’s bounty by growing you own vegetables and herbs

A veritable encyclopedia of gardening, this Gardening For Dummies is an indispensable resource for novices and experienced gardeners alike. It brings together between the covers of a single volume seven great books covering:

• Gardening Basics
• Garden Design
• Roses
• Perennials
• Annuals
• Bulbs
• Vegetables and Herbs

Your one-step guide to a beautiful garden, Gardening For Dummies shows you how to experience the “purest of human pleasures” in your own backyard.

National Gardening Association: The National Gardening Association is the largest member-based, nonprofit organization of home gardeners in the United States. For more information about the National Gardening Association, write to 180 Flynn Ave., Burlington, VT 05401 USA; or visit its Web site at www.garden.org.

Bob Beckstrom, coauthor of Landscaping For Dummies, is a licensed general contractor. He lives in northern California and enjoys building things, spending time outdoors, and sharing what he’s learned with other people. Bob has taught adult courses in house building and remodeling at The Owner Builder Center in Berkeley, California; and has written and edited extensively on home-improvement topics, including Decks & Patios For Dummies.

Karan Davis Cutler, coauthor of Herb Gardening For Dummies, is a former magazine editor and newspaper columnist and the author of seven other garden books. She publishes regularly in horticultural magazines and is an eight-time winner of the Quill & Trowel Award from the Garden Writers Association of America.

Kathleen Fisher, coauthor of Herb Gardening For Dummies, is former editor of The American Gardener, published by the American Horticultural Society. A longtime newspaper reporter, she now works as a freelance writer and editor.

Phillip Giroux, coauthor of Landscaping For Dummies, graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in landscape architecture and ornamental horticulture. He established his landscape designing and building firm in 1978, and Philip is responsible for numerous large-scale projects, such as the Los Angles County Museum of Arts Sculpture and Japanese Pavilion Garden. Phillip has served as L.A. Chapter President for the California Landscape Contractors Association and is a member of the Royal Horticulture Society.

Judy Glattstein, author of Flowering Bulbs For Dummies as well several other gardening books, is a garden consultant. She lectures extensively across the United States and abroad, and has twice spoken for the Royal Horticultural Society at their Great Autumn Show in London.

Mike MacCaskey, coauthor of Gardening For Dummies, received a bachelor of science degree in ornamental horticulture from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 1976. He served as Editor-in-Chief of Vermontbased National Gardening Magazine, and his magazine writing has been honored by both the Western Magazine Publishers Association and the Garden Writers of America.

Bill Marken, author of Annuals For Dummies, Container Gardening For Dummies, and coauthor of Gardening For Dummies, is the editor of Rebecca’s Garden Magazine, a publication from Hearst Magazines Enterprises based on a popular television show. Bill served as Editor-in-Chief of Sunset, the Magazine of Western Living, from 1981 to 1996. Earlier in his career, he wrote for the magazine’s garden section, pitched in on several editions of the bestselling Western Garden Book, and generally nurtured his interests in subjects related to gardening, landscaping, travel, and other aspects of the good life in the West.

Charlie Nardozzi, author of Vegetable Gardening For Dummies, graduated from the University of Vermont in 1981 with a degree in plant and soil science. Charlie then spent three years in the Peace Corps in Thailand, helping farmers grow everything from rice to garlic, chili peppers, and mangoes. He returned to the United States and received a master’s degree in education, again from the University of Vermont. After working as a landscaper, he served as a horticulturist at the National Gardening Association for more than 10 years.

Sally Roth, contributor to Landscaping For Dummies, is a lifelong naturalist, gardener, and writer. Her writing credits include books and magazine articles for several pu