[.ca] Gardening 101 (ISBN 0609805479)

Should be titled, "Gardening Martha's Way":
The photos truly are lovely, but I'm so glad I didn't buy based on reviews - I read a library copy first. It does start out with some good advice. The Preface talks about choosing your gardening style and doing a bit of planning before digging. The Introduction talks about matching the plant to the site, and urges readers to ask local extension services or nurseries for advice. Invaluable info for a novice gardener, but I don't believe it was ever repeated later in the book. Alas, the book then takes a nasty turn and descends into the pit of Martha's garden and Martha's terms. Rock powders - perhaps that's the New England name for soil amendments, but you'll have trouble if you ask for them in nurseries around here (unless they've read the book). Her lists of vegetables, perennials, and annuals must be the ones she favors growing in her zone; quite a few of them wouldn't do well in other parts of the country. You'll have to get ideas for your zone from some other book, because they're not in 101. A lot of basic info is touched upon but not explained very well; for instance, one page is devoted to watering, yet three pages give instructions for casting your very own garden trough. I didn't much care for her sources at the back of the book, either.

Not as comprehensive as it should be:
If you are truely a beginner at gardening, this book would be ok but it seems to only scratch the surface. I've read other gardening books and have discovered and benefited more from them than this one. I know it's tempting to buy a book because it says that its for the beginner but in this case, I'd advise beginners to seek more comprehensive books on the topic. They may sound intimidating but in the end, they will make you a better gardener and work for you long after you've moved on from the beginner stage. I abandoned this book after I learned more.

If your just starting out, this is a wonderful reference:
Don't be fooled by the size of this book. An abundance of information is inside. It is essentially a step by step guide to creating your first garden. If you are more experienced this is probably not the book for you. But for the novice (like me), there aren't many better.

My mistake, bought on reviews only...:
Bought this book based on the reviews only. It has good photos, but beyond that, I thought is was fluff. Guess I should have known from the title Gardening 101. Maybe it should have been Garden - SQUARE 1. Your results my vary - just my opinion.

Great reference book with lots of ideas!!!:
I just love this book. Look, if you've never gardened before, this is a great book to get you started. And, if you have acres of gardens, this book can help you trouble shoot as well. I actually took the raised bed garden idea and made my own this spring with my husband. Our book is covered with dirt and grease spots from all of our referencing!!! We run to it if we are unsure of where to plant a certain veggie or how long it takes to grow a certain seed. This is a good investment.