The diversity of bearded irises rivals that of any other perennial grown in temperate climates. For some gardeners, they bring back warm memories of a grandparent's garden; for others, they're a cutting-edge plant with a seemingly endless capacity for producing new forms and patterns. As the manager of Rainbow Iris Farm and co-editor of the Bulletin of the American Iris Society, Kelly Norris is the authority on gardening with bearded irises. His introductory chapters offer tips for successful growth, garden design, plant selection, and "creating" new irises. A Guide to Bearded Irises also provides portraits of the most outstanding plants in each of the six recognized categories, from the dainty miniature dwarf bearded irises to the stately tall bearded irises. A resource section lists specialty nurseries, organizations devoted to bearded irises, and public gardens with notable iris collections.

The diversity of bearded irises rivals that of any other perennial grown in temperate climates. For some gardeners, they bring back warm memories of a grandparent's garden; for others, they're a cutting-edge plant with a seemingly endless capacity for producing new forms and patterns. As the manager of Rainbow Iris Farm and co-editor of the Bulletin of the American Iris Society, Kelly Norris is the authority on gardening with bearded irises. His introductory chapters offer tips for successful growth, garden design, plant selection, and "creating" new irises. A Guide to Bearded Irises also provides portraits of the most outstanding plants in each of the six recognized categories, from the dainty miniature dwarf bearded irises to the stately tall bearded irises. A resource section lists specialty nurseries, organizations devoted to bearded irises, and public gardens with notable iris collections.

"Cultivation advice, information about the plants' breeding history, and ideas for using irises with other plants in the garden make this the perfect one-stop reference for iris enthusiasts everywhere."--BOOK JACKET.

A fresh approach and simple way to transform your yard! The prospect of revamping a yard is daunting. Where do you start? How do all the various areas come together in a beautiful, cohesive way? The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Garden simplifies the process by showing you how to spend fewer hours (and a minimal amount of money) in the garden by tackling one small area at a time. You’ll find garden plans for ten unique areas—the entryway, the shady areas under trees, and more—that can be linked together over time to create a unified yard, and plants that are dependable, easy to find, and look good year after year. You’ll also learn the basics of good design, which plants offer the most bloom for your buck, and how to avoid the most common planting mistakes.

All the info you need to be a better gardener, whether you’re just starting out or needing to brush up on your skills. You don’t have to have a green thumb to have a healthy thriving garden! Inside The Beginner’s Guide to Gardening, you’ll learn: Skills and Techniques: Valuable expert guide to developing new gardens and taking care of those you already have Getting Started: How to choose healthy plants and build productive soil Garden Care: Easy-to-follow, time-saving methods and the least toxic disease & pest controls Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs: Advice on growing, propagating, and caring for flowers in containers and the garden, with plant encyclopedias Roses: How to select, grow, and prune healthy roses, as well as control pests & diseases Ground Covers, Trees, Shrubs: Fundamentals on planting, growing, and maintaining, plus detailed plant directories Vegetables and Herbs: Introduction to growing and care, including informative directories Specialty Gardens: Basics on creating water gardens, butterfly gardens, and gardens for birds Few pastimes are as rewarding as gardening. With a little bit of ground and a few seeds or plants, anyone can be a gardener, and almost any collection of plants can be a garden. Gardening can be a refreshingly simple activity in an increasingly complex world. But you’ll have greater success and more fun if you start with an understanding of basic gardening practices. The techniques in this book are easy to follow and suitable for all gardeners—from beginners to advanced. Ecologically friendly methods are included so that you can create a garden that eventually helps to sustain itself. The tools and materials you’ll need are included with each step-by-step project, and each is rated for difficulty. With well over three hundred photos and illustrations to guide you through each step of the process, this is your essential starter’s guide to beginning gardening!

Compost is an invaluable ingredient for garden soil. It enriches the ground with minerals and other nutrients and can provide ideal mulch for growing plants. The Gardener's Guide to Making Compost is a primer that both gardening beginners and veterans can use to help them make better compost. The book covers most popular types of compost systems, making compost with worm, mulching and green manures. It is an excellent primer on making and using compost. guide, gardening, worm, primer, basics, beginners

Gardeners are generally always looking for inspiration. In the forward of Planning & Designing Your First Garden: 50 Ways to Add Style for Personal Creativity, P. Allen Smith states, "Helen has outlined 50 ways to add style to express one's personal creativity in the garden--when in fact her 50 will inspire at least 50 more ideas." Rather than force her own creative ideas on you, author, gardener, and horticulturalist, Helen Yoest teaches you to recognize and act on your own creativity. Easy to follow sections are divided into four basic priorities when thinking about your garden: Garden Basics, Garden Styles, Garden Elements and Your Garden Environment. Chapters include how to create rhythm, scale, and balance along with curb appeal to shape your owns ideas as well as a chapter on creating a sustainable garden environment where plants and animals can live together. Also learn about the importance of selecting the perfect space and sketching out your plan first, how to use containers effectively, as well as how to incorporate other features including water, walkways and walls. Let your imagination go wild and create an amazing space that will give back season after season!