The Essential Garden Maintenance Workbook

Alexander continues where her previous volumes, on designing and creating gardens, left off. The topic here, her most ambitious yet, is matched by the broad scope of her approach, which covers the "many different skills" and "various fields of knowledge"—from architecture to horticulture, with a smattering of linguistics, carpentry, sociology and more along the way—a good gardener needs. Amply illustrated chapters address each step, from initial assessment and planning through rejuvenating and renovating an existing garden. Each concludes with worksheets for hands-on projects designed to help readers use what they've learned in their own gardens, plus captioned color plates that reinforce key concepts. The encyclopedic information flows naturally, providing a wealth of knowledge, insights, tips and techniques for beginners and seasoned experts alike. These pages are destined to become muddy. Long after they've read the lively, conversational text from beginning to end, gardeners will delve back into specific sections for reference. London-based Alexander sometimes addresses concerns more relevant to Great Britain than North America, but she has clearly taken pains to appeal to both audiences and includes plant hardiness zone maps for the U.S. and Canada. Helpful appendices also include "What to Do When in the Garden," a season-by-season guide, and a list of recommended reading organized according to topic. (Aug.)