Truly Tiny Gardens

As charming as its title, this book will have readers lusting after some home-style version of the lush, pint-sized gardens tucked away in Tarling's native London and so beautifully pictured here. For those whose gardens are devoid of mellow brick and ancient statuary, however, there's still plenty to chew on, as Tarling (The Container Garden) provides a host of ideas for dealing with urban rooftop gardens, alleyways, minuscule entrances and other space-constrained sites. Suggestions for light-restricted gardens are also offered (in the chapter ``Combating Dank and Dark''). In ``Tricks and Illusions'' are strategies (such as deftly placed mirrors and trompe l'oeil murals) for making a garden appear larger than it really is. Tarling's can-do attitude is infectious, and her advice is sound, based on years of experience as a garden designer. In addition to the abundance of inspiring photographs, full-color illustrations of suggested site plans are included, along with plant lists and maintenance tips. (Dec.)