The Little Book of Gardening
Rhoads Murphey has been gardening for more than 80 years and is a self-described "keen amateur" whose knowledge of flowers and vegetables is extensive. He is a well-traveled professor emeritus who can write, so the book is fun to read as well as informative. This second edition of his book has been updated with a checklist for each month to keep up with your garden, 1990 and 2006 Hardiness Zone maps and lists of desirable plants for each zone, up-to-date sources of gardening supplies, sample garden layouts, tips for dealing with problems from animals to weeds, and seven beautifully detailed drawings of flowers.