Gardening books from PBS to the Pacific Northwest

"The Victory Garden Companion"

by Michael Weishan, Laurie Donnelly

HarperCollins, 2006, $29.95

Marketed as a selective sampler of the best gardening advice from PBS' long-running series, this hefty volume is that and more. It's as if the producers were able to condense 31 years of locations, voices, tips, humor and skill into a reference manual with the sprightly pace and personality-rich presentation of the award-winning television show.

My garden in Lake Forest Park was on the Victory Garden years ago. It was a rewarding (if stressful) experience, because the visiting host actually let me show and talk about what was interesting to me, rather than coming to my garden with an agenda.

That respect for individual gardeners shines through in the book. You'll find Vancouver, B.C., nursery owner Thomas Hobb's recipe for making "succulent pizza gardens" (inspired mixes of succulents in shallow containers) and tricks to transform tiny urban gardens from bleakly generic to private and personal.

Generally, the design ideas are pretty basic and well-illustrated. The how-to sections, like formulas for step design and transplanting perennials, are rich with practical, useful ideas. Suggestions and photos for alternatives to lawns are among the best I've seen, and the visits to inspired gardens truly showcase the best of the best. This is one of those rare books in which you find more to like and learn every time you pick it up, rather than figuring out that once again the photos and design outshine the content.

"Pacific Northwest Wildflowers: A Guide to Common Wildflowers of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Western Idaho, Southeast Alaska and British Columbia"

by Damian Fagan

Falcon Guide, Globe Pequot Press, 2006, $24.95

A slim book with a sturdy soft binding, this newest guide has color photos and descriptions of more than 300 species of wildflowers found in our mountains, wetlands, forests and prairies.

What distinguishes this volume from the many other guides to our native flora? It's written by a botanist, with comments on every plant you'll no doubt remember far better than their botanical names. It's fun to learn when a plant was first discovered, why it has an odd common name or how it's adapted to its tough environment.

Best of all, the book is arranged by flower color, so when you're out hiking and see a red, white or yellow bloomer, you can quickly turn to the color-coded section of the book to identify it. And how often does a book come with a replacement guarantee? So go ahead and stuff this into your backpack and pull it out often, for the publisher promises to replace the book for free if the binding ever wears out.

"Bird-by-Bird Gardening: The Ultimate Guide to Bringing In Your Favorite Birds — Year after Year"

by Sally Roth

Rodale Press, 2006, $29.95

The author's focus is on helping us identify our favorite birds, and then explaining how to create an environment that will attract them into our gardens. This is far more than just putting out a feeder or birdhouse. Roth explains how to turn your garden into a tantalizing guest-

room for birds, with nesting materials, a buffet, birdbath and spots to rest, shelter and reproduce.

What I enjoyed most about the book is the reminder that such environments enhance the pleasures of the garden for people, too. There's great synchronicity between what birds and humans enjoy — water, a little wildness, flowers and fruit being just a few of the commonalities.

The engaging photos of birds from showy jays and waxwings to the more modest song sparrow inspire us to follow the author's suggestions and designs.

"The Houseplant Encyclopedia"

by Ingrid Jantra

Firefly Books, 2006, $29.95

I hate to mention how timely this new book is, but we are getting close to the time when gardeners need to get their fix largely from interior plantings rather than out in the garden.

It's easy to find gorgeous houseplants from climates far warmer than our own. We can't help but admire their brilliantly colored leaves and exotic-looking flowers. But consider that many are native to Brazil or the tropical forests of Asia, and you can imagine why plants often fail to thrive inside our dry and light-challenged interiors.

This thorough encyclopedia brims with color photos and clear advice. The "right plant, right place" mantra is every bit as true for plants kept indoors as for those grown in the garden, so use this manual to choose wisely; it also helps with trouble-shooting and care advice.

Whether you want to coax a Christmas cactus to bloom, winter pelargoniums inside or just keep your jade plant healthy, this book should be on your reference shelf.