The Bottom Line
Pros
- The benefit of the combined wisdom of some very experienced gardeners.
- Addresses both the novice gardener and the veteran.
- Has an easy to read, chatty writing style.
- Applicable for most all regions.
- Truly has some very clever ideas and advice.
Cons
- The book's tight binding makes it hard to hold and read the inner margins.
- I couldn't decide which tip to try first.
Description
- The book is 228 pages and over 1,000 tips. It is already in its 2nd printing, selling 2,500 books in weeks. $10 plus S&H.
- 'The Basics' covers general advice on soil, water, fertilizer, mulching and pruning.
- 'All About Growing' is just that, with sections on flowers, vegetables, containers, lawns, trees, houseplants - even weeds.
- 'Gardening Practices' has some of the most clever suggestions in the book, for tools, recycling, designing and enjoying.
- 'Floral Design' lets the club members shine, offering behind the scenes tips for wowing judges or decorating your home.
- You'll find more information and order forms at their web site.
Guide Review - Garden Book - Did You Know...? Wise Words & Advice for Gardeners
This book was sent to me in response to my request for gardening tips from readers. I expected sage advice, but the tips in this book go well beyond the obvious. For instance:- If you want to plant daffodil bulbs all at once, but want them to bloom longer, just plant some of the bulbs upside down. It will take them longer to come up and blossom. Lenna Vasur, Holly Hills Garden Club
- Hair rollers tied together and put in the bottom of a vase, standing on end, make an ideal holder for flower arrangements. Cherrywood Garden Club
- A Norfolk Island pine that drops its lower branches can be rejuvenated by giving it a 1/2 cup of brewed coffee once a month. Seedling Garden Club
The book is divided into 4 sections, outlined below, with an excellent index to point you to help when you need it in an instant.
Each tip is succinct and the pages are illustrated with lovely, soft line drawings. This helps make the book both an easy read and a pleasant one.
Because they have drawn from a large pool of gardening expertise, the advice in "Did You Know...??" is quite sweeping in its coverage. Yet the tips remain personal and you always get the feeling that the writer has learned the hard way - and doesn't want you to.
If you're the type of gardener who's always looking for little tweaks that make gardening easier and more productive, "Did You Know...?" won't disappoint you. It would make an excellent gift for any gardener, but especially for a gardener about to embark on their first creation. Knowledge like this makes you feel like you learned gardening at a grandparent's knee; like you were let in on secrets only the garden brotherhood can know. Of course, what you learn from this book should be passed on to all your gardening friends, just as the members of the National Capital Garden Clubs, Inc. have so generously done themselves.
