Explains how to grow organic foods in desert climates, with sections devoted to vegetables, fruits and nuts, and controlling extreme pests organically.

In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

Lots of people want gardens but find the prospect of getting started a bit daunting. P. Allen Smith's Garden Home is P. Allen Smith's inviting solution. Smith begins with his own story: his family's love of gardens and experience in the nursery business, his own education at the great gardens of England, and his discovery that we all have, as he says, "a longing for our agrarian past." After walking us through his own "garden home" and explaining why he made the choices he did, Allen introduces his 12 principles of garden design, discussing such topics as a sense of enclosure, framing the view, texture, pattern, rhythm, and, of course, color. Then, with step-by-step projects, he shows readers how to apply the principles in their own garden homes. For the millions of people who know Smith through his syndicated television show, Weather Channel segments, and appearances on The Early Show, this book is the irresistible invitation to follow him into the garden.

While what you create using your computer is a unique expression of who you are, how you use your computer probably isn't. Nearly every Windows XP user follows the same Start menu path to launch programs, uses the same standard techniques in programs like Windows Explorer and Outlook Express, and performs the same customizations that don't go much beyond changing the wallpaper. However, there are those of us who qualify as the "post-novice" user, who think that doing things the "official" way is too slow, less efficient and less powerful than there is potential for with Windows XP. Microsoft Windows XP Unleashed will take you beyond the standard-issue default settings and program wizards to shortcuts, new customization techniques, workarounds for common problems, and warnings on how to avoid the pitfalls of Windows XP, including those associated with Service Pack 2. Along the way, you'll learn about all kinds of insider details, undocumented features, powerful tools, and background facts that help put everything about Windows XP into perspective.

"The Darien Gap is a place of legend. The only break in the Pan-American highway, which runs from Alaska to the tip of South America, it is an almost impregnable strip of swamp, jungle and cloud forest between the vast landmasses of North and South America. Stories of abduction and murder there are rife and in recent years more people have successfully climbed Everest or trekked to the South Pole than have crossed the Darien Gap. In 2000, Tom Hart Dyke, a young botanist, set off to Central America with one thing on his mind- orchids. He knew that in order to find the rare and beautiful species he so fervently admired, he would have to visit some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Unbeknown to Tom, another young explorer, Paul Winder, was backpacking through the area at the same time. Though he sometimes worked freelance in the City of London, Paul was a fearless and intrepid traveller, happier scaling volcanoes than lounging on beaches. In every bar and cafe along his route, rumours abounded of the Darien Gap - and the more he heard, the greater became his desire to make the journey. Pure chance brought Paul and Tom together in northern Mexico; they formed an instant bond

“A Way to Garden prods us toward that ineffable place where we feel we belong; it’s a guide to living both in and out of the garden.” —The New York Times Book Review For Margaret Roach, gardening is more than a hobby, it’s a calling. Her unique approach, which she calls “horticultural how-to and woo-woo,” is a blend of vital information you need to memorize and intuitive steps you must simply feel and surrender to. In A Way to Garden, Roach imparts decades of garden wisdom on seasonal gardening, ornamental plants, vegetable gardening, design, gardening for wildlife, organic practices, and much more. She also challenges gardeners to think beyond their garden borders and to consider the ways gardening can enrich the world. Brimming with beautiful photographs of Roach’s own garden, A Way to Garden is practical, inspiring, and a must-have for every passionate gardener.

This sequel to the best-selling book Extreme Gardening is jam-packed with more of Owens's great gardening ideas that work in the desert areas. Broken down by months in an easy-to-read, handy organic gardening manual--a calendar of what to do and when to do it.