Everything you need to know to keep your garden thriving and beautiful throughout the year

Review by Penny Woodward

Well known garden writer, editor and horticulturalist, Jennifer Stackhouse has written another useful book. Garden covers everything a new and modern gardener needs to know from watering, fertilisers, mulch, compost, pruning, weeding and other maintenance, as well as a calendar of tasks and a list of top plants. There are also instructions for outdoor living that covers pools, ponds, chairs, play equipment and more. Beautiful photographs by Adam Woodhams accompany the text. There is a chapter that looks at how to garden organically and covers all the main topics and my only criticism would be that there is not more of a focus on organics (but then I’m an organic gardener so I would say this!). I particularly like the chapter on troubleshooting which explains useful things like how to tell if a plant is dead or alive, how to protect plants from wind and hail damage, the good and bad effects of frost, and bushfire retardant plants. A great addition to my collection of well researched, easy to use Australian gardening books.

By Jennifer Stackhouse, ABC books published by Harper Collins Australia, 2013, $35

(The book was given to me by the publishers)