The Anxious Gardener’s Book of Answers by Teri Dunn Chace is a well-organized resource for those of us who love to garden, but do not always get everything right. It is set for release on March 6 2012. Chace addresses one hundred of the most common garden questions and mistakes, as well as how to avoid or repair the errors. The book is divided into twenty-four chapters, which are structured in a way that makes the book accessible to both the cover to cover reader and those simply looking to find the answers they need at the moment. The language is straight forward and perfect for amateur and beginning gardeners, while there are great reminders for more experienced gardeners since there is always room to learn from your mistakes.
The Anxious Gardener’s Book of Answers does a great job of addressing the questions that most gardeners will have at some point in their love affair with the outdoors. I especially like the advice on how to fix each possible goof, and the ways to avoid making the same mistake in the future, or avoiding it in the first time. There is such a glut of information out there, and much of it conflicts. While researching your next gardening move or how to deal with specific problems, you can come to question your own knowledge and abilities. This book helps to organize the information and put it together in a way that you can actually use it. To make the page flipping or intent reading even more interesting, Colleen Coover’s illustrations make you smile as you learn.
I recommend The Anxious Gardener’s Book of Answers for beginning and experienced gardeners alike. Anyone that has made a gardening goof, or had gardening questions, but felt intimidated by the sheer volume of information available online or at the library can get something significant from this book. I found myself recognizing my own beginning gardening mistakes and questions addressed here, and wished that I had this book in my hands before I even planned my first garden bed.