Perfect Gardening Book

What would people like to see in the PERFECT gardening book, newbies especially.

 

Pictures

 

I was thinking along similar lines Zig, something along the lines of the Haynes manuals.:thumb:

 

Simple, easy to understand straight forward advice and instructions, no jargon and not too many Latin names - Twee they may be, but Dr. Hessayon's Expert books take some beating.

 

Bye bye Mac. Your comments aren`t wanted thank you.

 

Would it be informal or educational? Surely the latin names, along with the common names, are vital?

 

I'd like to see a book based on the authors own experience, warts and all, instead of the usual repartition of what has been written before.

Too many celebs out there writing books and just quoting stuff from victorian times.

I should add I've not bothered reading a garden/plant book for about 20yrs, but used to read loads.

 

How would you feel Pete, if I were to be the author? Telling it in my " primitive " style?:D

 

Oh please I have to jump in on this
I started a thread when I joined the site, requesting this

We (Newbies) need comprehensive idiots guides, and would not feel insulted IT IS WHAT we want
Every book you buy, misses out One of the vital ingredients, so you have to buy two and try to work out what is actually needed

No one has actually managed to do it yet, as really it is too complex,
I want to know how to grow tomatoes, peas beans and flowers that grow every year
Fred wants to know how to grow Onions, and specialist flowers
Sandra wants a nice lawn and some vegies

So where could you start
The RHS encyclopeida does cover most but it is a right faff on jumping from page to page just to know how to grow and propogate (I learnt that on here) one plant
What I need a book to tell me is something like
Potatoes
A standard potato, not types once I have grown one then "I" can look elswhere for variaties and differences
I need to know exactly what to do
Dig the soil HOW deep
plant How deep,
what the soil PH needs to be and how to work out what the PH is
What to do when the first shoots appear above the soil etc step by step through its growth,
When to know when it is ready
How to retrieve the product
Most books and internet advice just take it as given that "WE NEWBIES" Know what to do just need guidance
We DO NOT that is why we buy books and ask on here

I need a book on the very basics,not how to grow cacti, specialist fusias, etc once I know the basics then if I want to search for the more exoctic stuff

And IF you produce it all the better, even a collation of factual posts to GC would be better than nowt

As an example, the present books tell you what to do, but they do not explain what you actually need ie it is NO GOOD growing potatoes in a six inch deep plant pot (or is it ? )
The books say chit the potatoes (what is chitting) when do you do that ?
Plant the potato er yes in soil I presume, but what type of soil, How deep and when, then what do you do ? do you just leave it or water it every six hours ?
when the shoots appear, what then, just let it grow and grow, or do you need to do something whilst it is growing
When do you know it is ready to give you pototoes
How do you dig them up, and what do you do then do you wash them, or just stick them in a bag, are plastic carrier bags ok ?

I tried potatoes once, when I thought they must be ready, I tried to dig them up
I used a garden fork, the first four were baynoted by the fork tines, so I tried a spade and the next two were sliced in half, then I just dug with my hands and retrieved the remaining three

IF "I" knew what I wanted, to know I would not be able to advise you BUT yes THAT is how thick I am I need the idiots guide to growing A, B, C, or D

Composting do not get me started, I bought the bin, then totally knackered
the books say four inch layers
I can not get layers, I get grass mowings, once a month in the summer, and between times about 48 egg shells, 2lb of tea leaves and a few bits of veg
so layering can never happen thus no compost, just a soggy mess

Get started on your book, mind I do not have much longer on the planet, so GC will have to help me

Jack McHammocklashing

 

I would agree with Armandii. I don't think there could ever be one perfect book. There would be several perfect books for different aspects of gardening. I think that is where Hessayon has done very well. I would rather see several smaller books each covering a different aspect. I get fed up with general books that cover everything but say so little that they don't do justice to anything.

I think in Jack's case, there could be a book on plant growing principles, but which didn't also tell you how to build stone walls or make a path.

In my case I would like to see a book on selecting the right and the best perennials. Christopher Lloyd's "Garden Flowers" comes close. As Pete said, it is based on his experience and opinions. Rather than repeating the sizes and colours of plants that are quoted in millions of books, Christopher Lloyd gives his opinion on a wide range of plants saying things like this plant is rubbish or of Salvia leucantha - this is the Salvia that I most drool after. I would like this approach to be combined with Bob Brown's CGF:: Cotswold Garden Flowers encyclopedia of plants where he gives them a score out of ten. This could be combined with referance stuff like size colour and flowering period.

 

I dont like books that try and cover too wide a subject matter. They always tend to be too vague. Much prefer a selection of books from differing view points, and focusing on key areas of gardening.

Lots of pictures and personal experiance is needed, and to be reasonably up to date with current methods and including new introductions. In many ways thats why forums and the internet can help as you can get the wider range of experiance and discuss new plants a long time before they will appear in print.

 

Great thread Dai,

I am the novice of novices and mighty confused as to what, where, how and when (see some of my threads lol) I was so overwhelmed I nearly pulled everything up and threw it out a few weeks ago but have persisted by coming here (read more than post) and the only book I bought was Gardeners world "First time veg grower" but some of the jargon in there I don't get so yea jargon busting deffo on top of my list.

Jack's post wow totally hear what you are saying young man :WINK1: and agree too.

Haines manual sounds great and with all the combined years of skill,wisdom and knowledge on GC I would think it be a fab idea for all members (with specialist areas) to put something together, get it out on the site for peeps like me to buy (and i certainly would) either put some of the proceeds to the up keep of site or get it published and make money and get something going, hell RHS had to start somewhere and I think those of you that have the patience, understanding and time that you show to us "Newbies" each year just proves what could be done as a collective and to think it all started here

Here endith my sermon

 

I think you need only a Part One (for the total beginner) and then a Part Two (for the experienced gardener)
After that everybody will think they know it all and not want any more opinions
AND ... you need loads of photographs to illustrate what you are saying ( a picture paints a thousand words)
AND you need to lace it with a little humour