There is no more solid authority on choice garden plants and flowers than the Royal Horticultural Society. This extravagantly illustrated book is an unputdownable reference for all gardeners, novice, expert, reluctant or enthusiastic, an essential guide to the panoply of plants on offer today. With breeders introducing new varieties faster than they can be sold, working out which cultivar is best to grow in the garden is not an easy task. And with gardens shrinking thanks to overbuilding, the correct choice becomes that much more important with every plant having to earn its keep. Divided into five A-Z sections - trees and shrubs, climbing plants, flowering plants, bamboos and grasses, ferns - author Ian Spence, former Head Gardener at Geoff Hamilton's garden, Barnsdale, gives a short precis of each plant's requirements and cultivation details. He follows these sections up with a comprehensive look at designing your garden, buying plants, planting, pruning and general aftercare. Propagation and pest control are also covered making this a well-rounded reference on the subject suitable for gardeners of all levels. Endless hours of contemplation will be spent amongst its inspiring pages, ensuring yet again that the RHS in conjunction with Dorling Kindersley have produced a book that will become highly prized and highly thumbed. - Lucy Watson
