How to Garden: The Only Gardening Book You Will Ever Need [Paperback]

John Cushnie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2002

If you have never gardened before, there is a thrill to cultivating your first piece of land, however small it may be. In this book, you will learn the tips and techniques of an expert gardener, including top ten favorite plants and ideas for successful planting from woodland to cottage garden. Attractive and approachable, this is the only gardening book a beginner ever needs to buy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It seems everyone is going back to basics - Delia Smith and cookery, Alan Titchmarsh and gardening. But long before that John Cushnie, regular contributor to Radio 4's "Gardener's Question Time", has been taking listeners back to basics, giving solid, easy to understand advice to those daunted by something horticultural. While Alan Titchmarsh gives advice in a sexy way on TV, John Cushnie uses his gentle Irish charm to attract attention and this is carried over into this, his second book, now available in paperback. Aimed at novice gardeners who have just found themselves with a garden they do not know what to do with, he leads them through the basics of soil preparation, planting and the minimum of aftercare necessary to ensure a plant's survival but at the same time not taking up all of the new gardener's free time. He offers advice on container planting for those with little or no garden, shrub and tree planting for larger gardens and design tips for developing the kind of garden you want - cottage garden, wildflower, Mediterranean, woodland. The use of ornamentation and water features are covered and the whole is lavishly illustrated with the photographs of Steven Wooster. These alone should encourage even the most apathetic of gardeners outdoors to transform their own plot into a place of relaxation and enjoyment. Ending with John's top ten plants, together with an A-Z list of all the plants mentioned within the book, this gives the reader a starting point amidst the myriad of plants currently available from a garden centre. An excellent present - to oneself or another, this is a book that covers all the basics as well as a few more advanced techniques for the beginner or still-learning gardener. Accompanied by John's wit and soft Irish humour, it is an enjoyable but educational read. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

John Cushnie runs his own landscape design and contracting company in County Down. He writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph, is gardening editor of Irish Homes, Interior and Living magazine and has contributed to BBC Gardeners' Corner since 1968. He also writes for Gardeners' World magazine, hosted the BBC/RTE television series Greenfingers and is a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time. He lectures all over the British Isles. His first book, Ground Cover, was published by Kyle Cathie in 1999 and Trees for the Garden in due in autumn 2002. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Whitecap Books (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552852423
• ISBN-13: 978-1552852422
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,478,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything the average gardener needs to know, July 11, 2002

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Garden: The Only Gardening Book You Will Ever Need (Paperback)

How To Garden: The Only Gardening Book You Will Ever Need by landscape designer and gardening expert John Cushnie is a straightforward and practical "how to" reference manual of everything the average gardener needs to know about creating and maintaining a garden. Bountiful color photographs lavishly illustrate this simple, accessible manual offering a wealth of easy-to-follow instructions for basic plant care; garden styles; tips, tricks, techniques; and helpful advice. How To Garden is enthusiastically recommended as an articulate, comprehensive guide for gardeners of all skill levels, as well as a gorgeous treat for the gardening enthusiast to simple leaf through for the lush photography alone.