Book Review: The Informed Gardener

Chalker-Scott, Linda, (2008). The Informed Gardener. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Photo source: LibraryThing

Linda Chalker-Scott makes it clear that all content in The Informed Gardener is available for free on her web site. She published the book only as a convenience for those who wanted to read her previous articles in book form. Frankly, I’m glad she did. I probably would never have found this wealth of information otherwise.

Chalker-Scott writes in a clear, down-to-earth style that conveys useful information to people who intend to use it. She organizes her columns (chapters) in the form of common gardening myths to be busted. And bust them she does. For example: she states that long-term research shows that transplanting trees and shrubs bare-rooted is much more effective than leaving the root balls undisturbed. She also shows that the people who most often tout the benefits of emending lawn soil are the people who sell the emendments. Interesting, huh?

Every serious gardener—and those of us who are only passing serious—needs a copy of this book.