Gardening Basics For Dummies
by Steven A. Frowine
with the Editors of the National Gardening Association
Gardening Basics For Dummies
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Copyright 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006940843
ISBN: 978-0-470-03749-2
Manufactured in the United States of America
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About the Authors
Steven A. Frowine was a plant nut even as a child. Since then, his love and sometimes obsession for outdoor and indoor plants has continued to grow. He worked in various horticultural jobs before and during high school and college. Steve has a bachelors and a masters degree in horticulture from Ohio State University and Cornell, respectively.
His first job after graduate school was to set up a professional gardeners program at Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden (now the National Tropical Botanical Garden) on Kauai, Hawaii. He later held other professional horticultural positions at Cleveland Botanical Garden and Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center. At Missouri Botanical Garden, he served as chairman of indoor horticulture.
Steve served as an executive at top horticultural businesses including W. Atlee Burpee Company, White Flower Farm, and International Gardening Products. Steve is sought out as a lecturer and has delivered hundreds of talks throughout the country. His presentations are noted for his excellent photography, his knowledge of the subject, and his sense of humor. He has appeared on various national TV shows and writes extensively, authoring many articles for horticultural trade and consumer magazines.
He has served on the boards of various professional organizations, including the National Gardening Association, Garden Writers of America, and the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta. Steve served on the Visiting Committee of Longwood Gardens for six years.
Steve enjoys all plants and has a particular fondness for orchids. He wrote Orchids For Dummies (Wiley Publishing) and Fragrant Orchids (Timber Press). He is also the author of Miniature Orchids, published by Timber Press in spring 2007.
Steve is now president of his own horticultural consulting firm, where he works with various companies in the green industry on writing, photography, marketing, and public relations issues.
The National Gardening Association (NGA), founded in 1972, is a national not-for-profit leader in plant-based education, esteemed for its award-winning Web sites and newsletters, grants and curriculum for youth gardens, and research for the lawn-and-garden industry. NGAs mission is to advance the personal, community, and educational benefits of gardening by supporting gardeners, communities, and teachers with information and resources. For more information, please visit www.garden.org.
Dedication
This book is for all new and veteran gardeners who have discovered or are about to realize the lifelong wonders and pleasures of gardening and the plant world. Please remember that gardening is not primarily about an end result but about the therapeutic aspects of the journey itself. Enjoy this process, and dont rush it! Let gardening become an integral part of your life. Youll be much richer for it.
Authors Acknowledgments
Simply put, this book would not be possible without the help and advice of Teri Dunn. I am deeply indebted to her.
Natalie Harris, my project editor, was a joy to work with. She cheerfully kept me on track and shepherded the myriad parts of this book to completion, so without her, this work would not have made it to print.
Ive been pleased and privileged over the years to witness the good works of the National Gardening Association (NGA). Thanks to this organization, I received the opportunity to produce this book. I hope it does justice to their mission of bringing the joys of gardening to all.
Charlie Nardozzi, a horticulturist with the National Gardening Association, was generous with his time in reviewing and making helpful suggestions for each of the chapters. It was super having a person with his gardening experience looking over my shoulder.