From one of the experts at the New York Botanical Garden, this guide shares the science of good gardening in a design-forward, beginner-friendly way that will appeal to new gardeners everywhere. No one was born a gardener, but everyone was born to garden. Beyers has created an easy-to-follow, visually instructive handbook that teaches not only the hows, but also the whys-- the proven science-- of what goes into a thriving garden. Whether you're seeking to grow your own food or fill your life with flowers, you'll learn about soil, plant selection, propagation, planting and mulching, watering and feeding, pruning, and weeds, pests, and diseases. -- adapted from back cover

Preface: The science and art of gardening -- Get gardening: Balancing the roots and shoots -- Soil: Nourishing the roots -- Plant selection: Matching plants to place -- Germination: Starting plants from seeds -- Planting and mulching: Establishing plants the right way -- Watering and feeding: Balancing between nature and nurture -- Vegetative propagation -- Making plants from plant parts -- Pruning: The right cut in the right place at the right time -- Weeds, pests, and diseases: Working with the bad, the good, and the ugly -- Afterword: Gardening provides -- Acknowledgments -- Further reading -- Photo and illustration credits -- Index.