Product Description

Marianne Binetti, bestselling author of Tips for Carefree Landscapes, answers gardeners' most often-asked questions, and helps make gardening less work and more fun. In this question-and-answer gardening book, syndicated garden writer Marianne Binetti addresses all of the recurring questions that gardeners confront. Organized around such topics as Shrubs, Lawns, Vines and Groundcovers, Pests, and Perennials, this book will become a well-used resource for new and experienced gardeners alike because of its friendly, appealing voice combined with a depth of solid information.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #783927 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-11
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

About the Author
Marianne Binetti reaches well over 2 million readers each week in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and other newspapers. She appears on HGTV, the Discovery Channel, Gardening in America with Ed Hume, and is heard on the radio weekly in the Seattle area. She lives with her family in Enumclaw, Washington.

Customer Reviews

Upbeat and Irreverent
This book focuses on giving the reader easy answers for more carefree gardening. This is not the writer's first gardening book and she has a syndicated gardening column and is featured on HGTV and the Discovery Channel. Her forte is giving practical gardening advice in easy-to-read, light-hearted small doses. This book consists of 500 tips, techniques and outlandish ideas; it also contains the kind of energy and enthusiasm that makes you want to go out and implement the ideas right away.

Many of the tips and ideas are based on questions she has answered in her newspaper column. The answers are cheeky and irreverent. When asked "How much should I fertilize my trees?" the writer answers "The easy answer...Just forget it." After a couple of paragraphs explaining why fertilizing trees isn't a good idea she concludes, "Make your trees lean, mean and independent." And that illustrates the whole point of the book - don't stress over garden chores that you hate and plants that don't do well for you - gardening should be a pleasure, not a pain.

The writer's light touch keeps the reader energized and coming back for more. She uses the term "carefree" quite often and points out that, while gardening is work, we should enjoy it more and worry about it less. If a plant doesn't do well it's OK to dig it up and throw it out.

The question and answer format works well in this book, as do the many sidebars. The material is well organized and upbeat throughout.. The writer is knowledgeable and up-to-date on recent research. My quibble with this book is the amateurish interior design and the poor copy editing. The writer deserved better.

Upbeat and Irreverent
This book focuses on giving the reader easy answers for more carefree gardening. This is not the writer's first gardening book and she has a syndicated gardening column and is featured on HGTV and the Discovery Channel. Her forte is giving practical gardening advice in easy-to-read, light-hearted small doses. This book consists of 500 tips, techniques and outlandish ideas; it also contains the kind of energy and enthusiasm that makes you want to go out and implement the ideas right away.

Many of the tips and ideas are based on questions she has answered in her newspaper column. The answers are cheeky and irreverent. When asked "How much should I fertilize my trees?" the writer answers "The easy answer...Just forget it." After a couple of paragraphs explaining why fertilizing trees isn't a good idea she concludes, "Make your trees lean, mean and independent." And that illustrates the whole point of the book - don't stress over garden chores that you hate and plants that don't do well for you - gardening should be a pleasure, not a pain.

The writer's light touch keeps the reader energized and coming back for more. She uses the term "carefree" quite often and points out that, while gardening is work, we should enjoy it more and worry about it less. If a plant doesn't do well it's OK to dig it up and throw it out.

The question and answer format works well in this book, as do the many sidebars. The material is well organized and upbeat throughout. The writer is knowledgeable and up-to-date on recent research. My quibble with this book is the amateurish interior design and the poor copy editing. The writer deserved better.

The Only Garden Book I've Read Cover to Cover!
The original blurb I read about this book was misleading. I thought it was going to be about using unusual containers. I bought it for my sister. Now I have to get her another one. I started reading it and read it cover to cover. It was great! Very practical, imaginative, and common sensical. I wish I had had this when I was actually living in Tacoma, WA. But you don't have to live in the Pacific Northwest to derive a great deal of benefit from this book. I am putting some of her suggestions to use and in 3 short weeks am already seeing the difference they make. Thanks for writing this book!