Start Thinking Of Christmas Orders Today

I hate to be one that rushes the Christmas season, but if you wish to order books, namely garden books, as gifts, then ya better get movin’ pilgrim. Some books may take six weeks or more to reach their destination.

Gardening books of all kinds make wonderful gifts and great companions on cold, snowy days. Following is a review of a few potential friends:

“Step-by-Step Gardening Techniques” with drawings by Elayne Sears (Garden Way Publishing, $22.95, hardcover). If you’ve read Horticulture magazine, you’re probably familiar with the step-bystep feature articles. They have now been compiled into a single source. The step-by-step format has been organized by season with 86 helpful projects, including building raised beds, establishing a hedge, laying a flagstone path, planting a container garden, winterizing roses, saving tomato seed, brewing manure tea and so much, much more.

If you’re at all like me, you may tend to learn more from visual aids than from verbal descriptions. If so, this book is for you. It’s an easy-to-follow guide that leads us step-by-step through garden projects with corresponding line drawings.

Example: Roses from Cuttings.

Step 1 - Preparing the Pots. The text describes the pots and planting soil to be used accompanied by a drawing showing pots, soil and the actual planting.

Step 2 - Making the Cuttings. Again, there are instructions on making the cutting with a corresponding drawing of a rose cane cut into appropriate sections.

Step 3 - Potting the Cuttings

Step 4 - Care. Like the first two steps, the last two are complete with instructions and drawings.

The instructions are easy to understand and the author presents all the information needed to complete a particular activity.

“The Big Book of Gardening Skills” by the Garden Way Publishing editors. This book is loaded with information. It’s an excellent reference for beginning gardeners and advanced gardeners alike. It’s easy reading with more than 450 illustrations covering every kind of gardening - vegetables, lawns, fruits, flowers, herbs and shrubs. There are even chapters on greenhouse growing, specialty gardens and tools. And for all of us, as we become more earth-friendly, “The Big Book” suggests many organic and non-toxic treatments. This 352-page reference guide retails for $20.90.

“The Able Gardener (Overcoming barriers of age and physical limitations)” by Kathleen Yeomans and “The Enabling Garden (Creating barrier-free gardens)” by Gene Rothert. According to the National Gardening Association, more than 75 million American households enjoy gardening activities. Yet for millions of people, age and physical limitations may restrict or eliminate gardening. No one should ever have to give up this wonderful hobby. These outstanding books cover custom-designed gardens including gardens for wheelchair accessibility, special tools and ways to adapt standard garden tools for easier handling, easy-care gardens - raised beds, container gardens, indoor plants and window gardens - and exercises (something we all should do before entering the garden) along with safe gardening practices. Both books also give a complete resource list of places to find added information and supplies.

“The Able Gardener” retails for $16.95 and “The Enabling Garden” is $13.95.

“The Hidden Hazards in House and Garden Plants” by Spoeke, Evans and Lanaburg. This is one of the finest resource books I have seen on poisonous plants.

Two hundred plants are pictured in color photos (not line drawings) along with detailed information describing each plant, its toxic parts, scientific name, common names, toxic principles, symptoms, notes of interest and more. It is easy reading, yet detailed enough for emergency control centers.

Plants and humans must coexist. We depend on each other for life.

According to the authors, this book is not intended to frighten or suggest that plants should not be enjoyed. The purpose is to inform us of the potential hazards so we can make informed decisions concerning what type of plants to purchase for our own specific home and garden.

For example, not all plant parts are equally toxic nor are potentially toxic plants always poisonous. The potential hazards vary with the type of plant, the growing conditions, the season of the year, and the amount eaten. The age, weight, and condition of the person eating the plant part are also factors.

This is a book I recommend for all parents and grandparents, especially those with “little grazers.” It sells for $29.95

Look for these publications at local bookstores, garden centers or through the Friends of Manito.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review