Pruning Made Easy (Gardening Skills Illustrated) [Hardcover]

Lewis Hill (Author)

Book Description

Series: Gardening Skills Illustrated | Publication Date: January 2, 1998

The author of Secrets of Plant Propagation returns with this revised edition of his book Pruning Simplified. This edition contains more than 300 step-by-step illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Another volume in Storey's useful Gardening Skills Illustrated series, Hill's book offers techniques on pruning just about everything that grows: ornamental trees and shrubs, shade trees, fruit trees, small fruits (such as grapes and berries), nut trees, evergreens, hedges, vines and groundcovers, garden plants, and houseplants. In a chapter titled "Artistic Pruning," Hill gives instructions on topiary, the art of shaping trees and shrubs into geometric forms, arches, and animals, and on espalier, the art of pruning trees, shrubs, and vines into a variety of shapes. Other tree-shaping techniques covered are pollarding, coppicing, and Japanese-style pruning. To include 300 step-by-step color illustrations. George Cohen

From the Back Cover

Are You Petrified of Pruning?

Pruning is one of the best things you can do for your plants, if it's done the right way. Now renowned nurseryman and author Lewis Hill shows you how to shear without fear in Pruning Made Easy. More than 300 step-by-step illustrations demonstrate the proper techniques for pruning many varieties of plants including trees, shrubs, bushes, hedges, vines, and flowers.

With Pruning Made Easy you will learn:

*Exactly when, how, and why various plants should be pruned

* Artistic pruning techniques used to make topiary, espalier, and cordons

* Methods of using and caring for pruning tools and equipment

* How to prune safely

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (January 2, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580170072
• ISBN-13: 978-1580170079
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #634,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Husband-and-wife author team Lewis and Nancy Hill currently live in Greensboro, Vermont where they own and operate a small fruit farm called Berryhill. Previously, Lewis first started a small plant nursery in the late 1940's where he grew daylilies, hardy plants, fruits, antique apples, greenhouse plants, and Christmas trees. His nurseries were called Vermont Daylilies and Hillcrest Nursery.

Lewis also helped form the Vermont Plantsmen's Association--later serving as president -- and was leader of a 4-H club for thirty years, sharing his knowledge with over 200 children. He is a member of the National Christmas Tree Association and the New Hampshire and Vermont Christmas Tree Associations. Lewis has written the Storey books titled Christmas Trees, Cold-Climate Gardening, Secrets of Plant Propagation, Pruning Made Easy, Pruning Simplified, and Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden.

The most recent title from the author team is The Lawn & Garden Owner's Manual, a landscape and maintenance guide for keeping beautiful grounds year round. Together they have also written Daylilies, Bulbs, and Successful Perennial Gardening."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

137 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you ever wanted to know about pruning including, January 13, 1998

By 

"fimiona" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pruning Made Easy: A Gardener's Visual Guide to When and How to Prune Everything, from Flowers to Trees (Storey's Gardening Skills Illustrated Series) (Paperback)

Although I am a university trained horticulturist and have managed greenhouses, I still can hardly bear to thin my carrots in the garden. Imagine the terror of inheriting a yard full of mature trees strangled by vines, lilacs overgrown and dying in the shade, broken limbs rent from their trunks five years ago still hanging in limbo, waiting for the perfect passerby to drop upon. This book was new on the shelf of the local library and in my estimation one of their best garden acquisitions for the year. Clear, easy to understand copy coaches the pruner to do anything fron improving appearance to rejuvenating old stock,including creating barriers, espalier work,bonsai, shearing Christmas trees and more. An overview of tools and sanitation is offered, and each individual area is discussed in depth. Accompanying pictures are clear and easy to understand. This book is going to be a permanent resident of my private bookshelf.

68 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Illustrations make this book, November 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Pruning Made Easy: A Gardener's Visual Guide to When and How to Prune Everything, from Flowers to Trees (Storey's Gardening Skills Illustrated Series) (Paperback)

This book is second only to the American Horticulture Society book on pruning (which might be too much information for some anyway). The illustrations in this book are superior to other books I've seen on pruning which is why I bought it as a companion to the AHS book. I don't know why other books won't give you a close up view but this one does and I liked that so I bought it. If you want just one book on pruning go ahead and make this the one, you've made a good choice.

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very very helpful book, October 18, 2001

By 

Lewis Rose (North Potomac, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pruning Made Easy: A Gardener's Visual Guide to When and How to Prune Everything, from Flowers to Trees (Storey's Gardening Skills Illustrated Series) (Paperback)

If you are like me, your attempts at pruning have largely been hit and miss affairs. Until I bought this book, I sort of guessed about how to prune the flowers and trees in my yard. This book shows you what to do and, just as importantly, what not to do. The chapters are set forth nicely, starting with instructions on why you should prune, the type of equipment you need and then how best to prune. After those three general introductions, the authors provide in-depth instructions, using drawings, about how to prune ornamental trees and shrubs, shade trees, evergreens, hedges, fruit trees, nut trees, vines and ground covers, garden plants, houseplants, and bonsai trees. There is even a chapter on "artistic pruning." And, for each plant type they also tell you when to prune.

A great book that covers what you need to know and then shows you how to do it, visually.