Martha Stewart's Gardening: Month by Month

There's no doubt about it: Stewart ( Weddings ), from all appearances, has lushly productive gardens. With the help of Zeschin, an award-winning magazine photographer, she has produced an equally lush book. It's lovely to look at, but it isn't going to teach gardeners--novice or experienced--anything new or fill their minds with information they couldn't get more easily (and less expensively) in extant volumes. Chapters treat the months of the year consecutively and tell us what to do, horticulturally, with them: February, for example, is a good time to prune fruit trees, while December is best spent doting on houseplants and holiday preparations. Interspersed throughout are directions for drying flowers, gilding pumpkins, painting urns and then some; the book authentically reflects the author's wide-ranging domestic interests. Considering all the acreage, and the hours, represented by the fruits of her labor, Stewart's assiduously picturesque tome may leave readers rather breathless. 250,000 first printing; ad/promo; Better Homes and Gardens main , BOMC HomeStyle alternate; author tour; (Nov.)