BOOK REVIEWS

No time to Garden

Anne Swithinbank
Frances Lincoln Ltd
Distributed by Bookwise International
$NZ63.95

PUT to one side the patently ridiculous title (No time to Garden? Surely no-one is that busy!) and this new book from British gardening guru Anne Swithinbank, of BBC Gardeners' World fame, has much to offer.

The book's basic premise is that half an hour at a time is about all most gardeners can spare these days to plant, prune, propagate and plan for a sumptuous display good enough to grace the pages of a book such as this. Apparently, it's all about gardening efficiently... so grab your stopwatch and set to work.

From planting basics - soil preparation, bulbs, borders, trees and pot care - to garden chores that can't be avoided, No Time to Garden is full of common-sense advice broken up into bite-sized chunks. Some of the half-hour tasks are a little far-fetched, such as the summer housekeeping that's supposed to keep a perennial border looking top notch, but the planting projects could inspire any gardener - time poor or not.

There are bold foliage combinations, blazing summer annuals and eye-catching container ideas to try. I also liked the comprehensive directory of easy-care plants at the back of the book.

Perhaps not for the experienced gardener, but a great gift idea for a friend who is keen to give gardening a go - if only they knew where to start.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 106, September 19-October 2, 2002, Page 30

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH