Pruning

by Graham Clarke

Published February 1985
Pruning is the number one anxiety of aspiring gardeners who want to train and stimulate their plants but fear they might kill them. Pruning now joins the hugely successful Collins Practical Gardener series to give you the best tips and techniques for pruning your entire garden, from roses and fruit trees to hedges and topiary plants. Pruning retains a plant's shape, improves flowering and fruiting, and keeps foliage and stems healthy. This books guides you through the vast range of tools and equipment that can be used for different pruning tasks and gives you the full understanding of plants necessary for proper pruning. General techniques are followed by a comprehensive A-Z directory of ornamental plants, plus hardy fruit trees, exotic and tender fruits and nuts, and soft fruits. Since the pruning methods required by different plants vary, the specific guidelines are invaluable. A pruner's glossary enables quick reference and, since pruning is more than a once-or-twice-a-year job, the pruner's calendar is an essential reminder of your year-round schedule for keeping your plants at their best.
Packed with information, advice and practical tips this informative guide to pruning is the most attractive and down-to-earth reference of its kind. Contents include: / Assessing your garden / Reasons for pruning / Tools and equipment / Understanding plants / Pruning techniques / Pruning roses / Hedges and topiary / Ornamental plant A-Z directory / Pruning hardy fruit trees / Pruning exotic and tender fruits and nuts / Pruning soft fruits / A pruner's glossary / The pruner's year

Water Gardening

by Graham Clarke

Published 5 April 2004
Water features have become an essential part of contemporary gardening, and this new title in the popular Collins Practical Gardener series provides all the practical know-how for installing a water feature with a comprehensive directory of the plants to grow in and around them. The first section of this book takes an in-depth look at all the practical and design considerations involved in choosing and building a water feature -- where to site it; different materials and styles, such as waterfalls, fountains, streams, beaches, bog gardens; constructing the feature and installing extras, such as pumps, lights and safety features; maintenance e. g. keeping the water clean. The main part of the book is a comprehensive directory of aquatic plants, divided into six sections reflecting the full range of plants: floating, flowering, oxygenating, marginal, bog, grasses and ferns. Each entry includes a visual chart listing the best varieties and indicating when to plant, length of flowering season, spread, height and hardiness. In addition, quick-access care charts provide a hit list of care requirements and problems to look out for.
The final chapters include a special section on keeping and attracting wildlife to water features, and an extensive troubleshooting section on pond problems and how to deal with them.