Gardening Books and CD-ROM's

• Gardening books
• Garden Design
• Vegetables and Fruits
• Specific plants, shrubs etc
• Construction books for the garden

Alpine Gardening

Alpines are both attractive and easy to manage, and in this comprehensive guide Chris and Valerie Wheeler demonstrate the many ways in which readily available hardy species can be grown as a feature in the garden. An inspiration to gardeners of all abilities, the book is lavishly illustrated and gives practical advice on all aspects of its subject. choosing plants suitable for particular soils and climates; caring for them throughout the season; displaying them to best effect in a variety of settings Illustrated in full colour: with 160 colour photographs and 8 full colour garden plans.

The Rock Garden and Its Plants: from Grotto to Alpine House

Graham Stuart Thomas made rock gardens an important part of his life's work. In this book, the first complete history and exposition of rock gardening, he provides the necessary geological background, traces the historical introduction of alpine plants and gives practical and aesthetic advice on how to create a rock garden and choose suitable plants. There are chapters on all the relevant topics - including grottoes, the history of early rock gardens, the scree garden, the alpine lawn, the peat garden, paths, ponds, the rock garden in autumn, dwarf conifers - and extensive information on suitable plants and shrubs. There is a revealing chapter on the restoration and maintenance of rock gardens, which dispels the fear that rock gardens involve a large amount of detailed work. Numerous illustration, many of which are of special historic interest, help to make this the most authoritative, comprehensive and up-to-date volume on the subject.

This handbook describes, in clear text, step-by-step artworks and finely detailed photographs, the anatomy and the art of bonsai. The book takes the reader from a first foray into the world of miniature trees to a level of considerable expertise, covering both indoor and outdoor varieties.

Bonsai in the original Chinese and Japanese means "plant in a container", and it conforms in all respects to a normal tree except for its miniature size. The cultivation of bonsai depends on careful selection of suitable specimens, skilful root pruning and potting, and regular attention. The aim is to produce a tree of perfect proportion and in harmony with its container so that the whole can be seen and displayed as a living work of art. This illustrated handbook looks at how to achieve the six basic styles of bonsai. It also offers detailed advice on obtaining material, potting, pruning, training and seasonal care for bonsai.

In The Gardener's Guide to Growing Clematis, Raymond Evison, world authority on clematis, provides a fresh look at the genus by focusing on not just the popular large-flowered cultivars but also the less-well-known species and their varieties. The sheer range of flower types from the large and flamboyant hybrids through to the delicate bell-shaped species means that there is a clematis for every situation and effect. A comprehensive plant directory provides detailed and authoritative descriptions of around 375 species and varieties.

The bulk of this guide comprises a comprehensive directory of the most popular varieties of clematis and other climbing plants.

Entries include: background information on general characteristics, planting and care; a visual chart listing the most popular varieties and cultivars, with instantly-accessed information on height, spread, colour of flower, hardiness, moisture and sunlight requirements; seasonal guides indicating the flowering season; a table of plant care with concise advice on soil, site, general care, pruning and pests and diseases; and expert tip boxes.

"Fuchsias - The New Cultivars" follows George Bartlett's first volume, "Fuchsias - A Colour Guide", profiling another 1500 newly created cultivars with over 500 colour photographs. Starting with practical advice from an expert on how to care for this beautiful plant, it then updates the fuchsia enthusiast and specialist with entries on the very latest cultivars.

This practical manual shows how to make the fuchsia a glorious focus in any garden. The author explains how to select and buy plants, how to grow new plants from old ones, and what to do for them as the seasons change.

Only one thing is standing between you and a fabulous lawn: It's called Lawn Care For Dummies. If you want a spiffy and well-coifed lawn (and not the overgrown, unruly one that people comment on when they pass by your house), you'll find everything you need to know to help you make your lawn the most dazzling spectacle on the block.Let authors Lance Walheim and the gardening experts at the National Gardening Association treat you and your yard to a megadose of lawn care information. In Lawn Care For Dummies, Walheim and the NGA give you the dirt on all the essentials, including how to:

• Design a low-maintenance or a high-maintenance lawn
• Evaluate the pros and cons of planting a lawn from seed or starting one from sod
• Discover how often you need to water your lawn without under-watering it or waterlogging it
• Choose a mower that's right for your grass type
• Deal effectively with wicked weeds and pesky insects
• Create alternative lawns, such as ground cover plants, decks, and patios

A celebration of roses from around the world presents photographs of 1,500 roses selected for their beauty, fragrance, and popularity and organized into four categories: old garden, modern garden, miniature, and wild.

GENERAL GARDEN TIPS include natural fertilizers, toilet roll planters, how to fit a garden hose, feeding the birds and removing rust from garden tools;

DEALING WITH PESTS AND WEEDS includes beating slugs, discouraging moles and banishing weeds without chemicals;

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN includes rotating crops, what to grow, the best tomatoes and storing apples and pears;

ALLOTMENTS includes checking the rules, growing flowers amongst the veg and preparing the plot;

THE FLOWER GARDEN includes what to grow for the scent , where to buy for success with roses, what to plant in a shady corner and when to dead-head spring bulbs.

The Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs is widely recognised as a classic horticultural literature, with more than 200,000 copies sold since first publication.

The 8th edition has been thoroughly revised to keep the entries entirely up to date. Over 9,000 plants representing more than 650 genera are described in detail, making it the definitive work for any gardener. The manual is published in a handy compact form, enabling users to take it with them on their nursery and garden centre visits, and for on-the-spot reference and identification at arboreta, parks and gardens.

Revised, expanded and extremely manageable, this is the definitive reference work on trees and shrubs for every gardener on the move.

Trees, shrubs, and hedges are the "bones," or essential framework, of any landscape design. "Complete Trees, Shrubs and Hedges" explains how to select the finest plants for specific growing conditions, as well as plants that look good together. Over 550 colour photographs and 165 illustrations provide instruction and inspiration to landscape for four-season interest, colour, and beauty. Descriptions of over 1,000 of the best plants are included -"best" because they are beautiful, low-maintenance, pest and disease-resistant, and available at local nurseries and home centres. "Complete Trees, Shrubs and Hedges" provides all the necessary information to add privacy, shade, colour, and texture to the landscape all year round. It presents over 550 colour photographs, 165 illustrations and paintings.

Chris Baines shows the reader how to transform his or her garden into a rich wildlife haven. He sets the wildlife garden within the context of the broader concerns of regional ecology and reveals how we can each do our bit to safeguard the habitats of important indigenous flora and fauna.

A wide range of natural habitats is discussed in detail, including hedgerows, shrubberies, meadows and ponds, with lists of native wildflowers and practical tips.

With today's concerns about pollution and habitat loss, ever more gardeners are using organic methods of cultivation, eschewing chemicals and actively encouraging wildflowers and wild creatures to colonize their gardens.

This book advises how to make your garden more ecologically viable.