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Introduction
Aren’t you lucky! You’re entering or are already part of the most popular and rewarding lifelong hobby that exists — worldwide. Gardening is a common language that knows no national, socioeconomic, or age boundaries. It’s a common thread that binds all of us together. Whether you’re discussing your outrageous zucchini harvest of the previous year or sharing your secret tips for prizewinning roses, you’ve probably found that gardeners have an instant bond, no matter what their level of experience.
Because gardening is a huge topic that encompasses a wide field of cultivation interests and disciplines, it’s impossible for anyone book to cover everything there is to know about gardening. However, when you’re armed with the gardening basics, like those presented in this book, you’re ready for just about anything that the art and science of gardening can throw at you.
Sure, gardening requires some exertion. But it’s healthy exercise. It makes you feel a great sense of accomplishment when the flowerbeds are weeded, the bulbs are planted, and the seeds are sown. It’s primal. And reaping the rewards of your labor — by cutting flowers for your dinner party or fresh herbs for your salad — is a special joy that makes the noisy, electronic stimulation that surrounds you (cars, phones, and the like) seem trivial. Gardening fosters a deep satisfaction that nurtures your body and soul. That’s why this book, Gardening Basics For Dummies, 2nd edition, exists. In addition to giving you basic pointers on how to make your gardening as successful and rewarding as possible, it’s a celebration of the art and sheer joy of gardening.
About This Book
In this book, I’ve tried to distill my more than 50 years of gardening experience as well as the knowledge of some of my other gardening friends, because everyone can discover something from each other.
I hope you find this book is fun reading: Sometimes gardeners can get way too serious about this pursuit. I’ve always felt that gardening is supposed to relieve anxiety, not add to it. After all, this is gardening, not brain surgery! Making a mistake (and you will) isn’t a big deal. Gardens can recover quickly from our bumbling efforts to care for them. My main mission in this book is to bring you gardening success and the inimitable pleasure that comes from it. It’s no fun if all your efforts end up in the compost pile.
In this second edition, look for the following:
A new chapter on multiplying plants
Revised