New York & New Jersey Getting Started Garden Guide

Book excerpt: Even beginner gardeners can select plants to create a stunning garden as unique as the Empire or Garden State - with expert help to ensure success! New York & New Jersey Getting Started Garden Guide is a plant selection guide, perfect for when you're choosing plants and starting a garden in a climate that can be as challenging as it is beautiful. Choose the right plants and care for them properly, with help from an expert. Vincent Simeone, one of the area's most highly respected and experienced gardeners, shares his deep knowledge of the region, gardens, and plants in a lively, upbeat style. The author's top picks for plants that will thrive in this area's winter cold, soils, coastal conditions, urban living, and other unique growing conditions guarantee success for area gardeners and home landscapers. Plants are divided into easy-to-browse chapters such as Annuals, Bulbs, Groundcovers, Ornamental Grasses, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Lawns, and Vines. Each plant is highlighted in its respective chapter with a large full-color photograph and tips on how, when, and where to plant. New York & New Jersey Getting Started Garden Guide doesn't stop at plant selection. Methods for preparing soil, watering, fertilizer application, and pest management are also covered in detail. Along with the "nitty-gritty" of tending your garden, Vincent shares his inspiration for garden design, offers ways to incorporate your plants into the landscape, and names some favorite cultivars or species. His sound, practical advice is clothed in beautiful descriptions of each plant that will inspire you to get your hands dirty!