The City Gardener's Handbook The Definitive Guide to Small-Space Gardening

by Yang, Linda; Powis, Katherine; Pepper, Jane G.

• ISBN13: 9781580174497
• ISBN10: 1580174493
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-04-15
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC

Summary

The City Gardener's Handbook is the definitive guide to gardening in small spaces - whether on a balcony, in a container, or in a small yard - covering planting, design, and maintenance.The problems and challenges facing gardeners in cities, suburban condos, or apartment complexes are unique, and Linda Yang has personally experienced every small-space gardening situation she writes about. Yang offers a wealth of practical advice on planning a garden that will be attractive all year long; selecting wind-, heat-, moisture-, or drought-tolerant species; and coping with pollutants, insects, and more. Charts and lists supply information on the best city plants for flowers, foliage, and fragrance, as well as ground covers, small weeping trees and dwarf shrubs, soil mixes for containers, and practical mulches. The updated mail-order source list is an essential tool for gardeners who find it difficult to locate plants and supplies. The City Gardener's Handbook is an invaluable resource for any gardener facing the challenge of growing plants where space is limited, whether in the dooryard of a suburban townhouse or on a mid-city rooftop.

Author Biography

Linda Yang is known for her garden columns in the New York Times, which were widely syndicated from 1979-1995. Both her articles and her photographs have been published in numerous home and garden magazines, and she is the author of three books other than The City Gardener's Handbook. Her friendly, wise, and authoritative writing comes from a genuine love of gardening and from firsthand experiences that include "quite a bit of trial and more than one error." At present she tills one-fortieth of an acre of Manhattan, the area around the townhouse she shares with her husband.

Jane G. Pepper is president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Table of Contents

Foreword to the New Edition	x
Katherine Powis
Foreword	xiii
Jane G. Pepper
Preface	xvii
Getting Started	3	(30)
a backward glance
getting to know your place
existing plants
the search for sun
a balcony ceiling
assessing your pollutants
the soil
coping with wind
the travel route
beginning thoughts on design
the formal approach
a naturalistic view
space with style
Garden Plans and Photographs	14	(19)
Nonplant Considerations	33	(16)
what goes on outside
what's underfoot
coping with leaks
paving surfaces
something to sit on
neighborly fences
lattice patterns
trompe l'oeil
garden mirrors
gazebos
awnings
on windy rooftops
let there be light
Meet Nature's Dramatis Personae	49	(16)
all the garden's a stage
the woody ones
perennials
ferns
ornamental grasses
annuals
tender perennials
houseplants outside
biennials
bulbs and their cousins
herbal delights
vines and climbers
using leaners
and espaliers
topiary whimsies
Narrowing the Choices: Some City Plants I've Known	65	(48)
where to begin
the crossword puzzle approach
the leading players: splendid shrubs and terrific trees
the supporting cast: favorites for flowers, foliage, fragrance or flavor
creative covers: climbers for walls and fences
Garden Plans and Photographs	94	(19)
Finding and Buying Your Plants	113	(16)
on temptation
where hardy plants come from
finding a nursery
the importance of roots
container plants
B & B plants
seedlings
mail-order catalogues
the wild things
learning your Latin
facing a move
gardening safely
The Secret Is in the Soil	129	(16)
soil is not dirt
sand
vermiculite
perlite
how much lightener
restoring soil fertility
the soil conditioner
NPK, the big 3
understanding the label
fertilizer sources
the mystery of acidity and alkalinity
plants for acid soil
increasing pH
analyzing soil
Containers for Summer and Winter	145	(32)
the windowbox
the quest for planters
basics for building with wood
use containers to create the space
container gardens for winter
where there's wind
containers built for root pruning
watch your weight
happiness is a good container mix
reducing soil weight
preparing the ``hole''
be fearless
Garden Plans and Photographs	158	(19)
Planting and Other Earth-Shattering Ideas	177	(14)
an early beginning
shrubs, small trees, hardy perennials
B & B plants
spacing for now and then
seedlings of flowers, veggies and herbs
the importance of mulch
the instant lawn
plants to use as ground covers
the front-door garden
useful invaders
Water Comes Not from Heaven Alone	191	(14)
the finger test
when to water
roots in the ground
roots in containers
plants that tolerate moist soils
plants with minimal water needs
controll-ing soil moisture
the watering can
the hose
keep those plants clean
a basic watering system
watering containers when it's cold
the balcony ceiling
use your snow
Continuing Through Autumn	205	(16)
end-of season blues
coping with compost
humus without tears
soil restoration
city plowing downstairs
and upstairs
sampling autumn's splendor
autumn alterations
a spring plot for bulbs
plants that tolerate wind
a winter setting
City Girth Control	221	(36)
nature's rampant growth
controlling the woody crowd
division
needle evergreens
plants for hedges
globes, pyramids and other to piary shapes
when you can't grow up
beautiful weepers
espaliers
the right tool
pruning time
root pruning container trees and shrubs
compensating for root loss
dwarf shrubs
Garden Plans and Photographs	238	(19)
Not Quite Eden	257	(22)
behold the caterpillar
controlling nature
balancing nature
getting to know some ``good guys''
discouraging undesirables
choosing your weapon
a selection of pests
pesticide application
and formulation
air pollutants
nonpathogenic problems
plant diseases
the birds and bees
squirrels
poisonous plants
The City Gardener's Almanac	279	(6)
early spring
late spring
early summer
late summer
early autumn
late autumn
winter
Afterword	285	(3)
Elizabeth Scholtz
Director Emeritus, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Where to Find What by Mail	288	(11)
finding suppliers
smart shopping
sources of garden furnishings
garden ornaments
gazebos
tools and other essential gadgets
soil tests
natural controls and fertilizers
garden plants
seeds, perennials (may include annuals), ornamental shrubs and trees
roses
the edible landscape
bulbs
tropicals and house-plants
water plants, fish and aquatic supplies
Bibliography	299	(4)
With Gratitude	303	(1)
Index	304