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196 of 198 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent starter kit for any gardener or designer, 22 Jan 2005
Alan Titchmarsh is the face and the voice of gardening for anyone living in the British Isles. He's served his apprenticeship, has done all the cold, dirty, wet jobs, and spent most of his life working with the soil. He has the experience, he has undoubted practical knowledge, and he has an extraordinarily warm and communicative personality which regularly graces television."The Complete How to be a Gardener" combines two volumes in one thick, thick volume, jammed packed with virtually everything you need to know if you are starting gardening or want to take one step beyond simply mowing the lawn or sweeping the concrete. Titchmarsh has a warmth and enthusiasm which is infectious, and which comes across in the book. It's a very well organised package, well written, illustrated throughout with photographs and diagrams to demonstrate techniques and explain concepts. The two-in-one volume takes you from an understanding of how plants grow, through tools, simple plot layouts, advice on plant choice, maintaining your garden, etc., with the second half of the book concentrating on garden design and more advanced skills. Combining the two dimensions of gardening, the practical and the aesthetic, provides much intellectual stimulation - you can begin small, dream, plan, and build for the future. The package does include virtually everything you'll want or need to know. Even if you have many years of experience, this is still a useful reference book to walk you through techniques or skills you may not have used before. It doesn't just offer a thorough introduction to gardening, it is an excellent motivational text ... particularly if watched in conjunction with the television series. I've been a reluctant gardener for many years; I've pottered, building a couple of wildlife gardens, then losing my enthusiasm and sitting back to watch the weeds grow. Gardening is immensely therapeutic, immensely relaxing, immensely rewarding - there are few greater joys than harvesting your own vegetables or fruit. Finding a book which offers this quality of advice and encouragement is therefore a boon, particularly when written in such accessible style. It's a very tolerant book - it doesn't talk down to you, but rather gives you the confidence to try out a few things, learn from your experiences, then move on to improve and expand your skills and knowledge. A first class tome, exceptional value, this is the ideal book for the beginner or the reluctant gardener. It's a book which will give years of service and which can be quite inspirational, and it should find a place in many homes.
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