Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless

Dr. Patrick W. Colgan is Director of Research and Natural Lands at the
Royal Botanical Gardens.

Yvonne Cunnington is a keen gardener who currently tends 10 acres near
Hamilton. Her book provides a step-by-step program for establishing a
garden. She begins with “getting started” (including essential
tools), moves on to growing zones (a map would have been welcome),
discusses soil (especially composting) and watering (and its complement,
xeriscaping), provides botanical names, and offers helpful
recommendations on when and where to buy.

While lawns receive their due, their alternatives—ground covers and
prairies—are also described. The use of flowers, large plants, and
shady gardens is fully discussed, as are vegetable and container
gardening; the problems of weeds, pests, and diseases; seasonal
timeliness; and the benefits of good planning. A strength of the book is
the combination of myths debunked (on such topics as rolling and
deep-watering lawns), tips provided (such as soil improvement, tool
care, and shade-loving plants), and hazards mentioned (from bone meal as
a health risk to a vegetable garden with excess zucchinis). On the hot
issue of pesticides, Cunnington laudably emphasizes biological control.
The style is friendly and good-humored (e.g., “weeding between the
lines”). The glossary, references, and index will all prove useful. In
sum, Clueless in the Garden is highly recommended for everyone
undertaking a garden.