BOOK REVIEWS

Yates Garden Guide

Arthur Yates and Co
Published by Harper Collins
$NZ39.95

IF there's a Kiwi gardening bible, this is it. The pointer on the cover of the latest edition, the 76th, shows the pedigree. Yates Garden Guide was first published in 1895 and, in line with its continual updating over more than a century, this latest release is completely revised.

It goes without saying that the guide is comprehensive and informative, but the real key to its popularity is that its content is so accessible. From propagating to pests, Yates serves it up, generously ignoring the opportunity to belabour the company's own range of garden products. Want to know about kids gardening or five common plants that can become infestations? It's all in here.

New to this edition is a chapter on growing in difficult conditions, such as coastal gardens or shady areas. There's also a new section on growing specialities like bromeliads and ornamental grasses, as well as handy hints from some of the country's leading gardeners and writers.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 111, November 28-December 11, 2002, Page 30

• 77th edition is also reviewed on the RNZIH website

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH