The Complete Idiot's Guide to Lawn Care
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Another in the popular series of Complete Idiot's guides, The Complete Idiot's Guide to a Beautiful Lawn is intended for the homeowner who is confounded by his or her own backyard. Author Maureen Gilmer is the cohost of a PBS television show called Backyard Living; her lawn-care guide runs nearly 400 pages and is a remarkably exhaustive resource, for all its dumb-acting. Highlights include a section on "Resurrecting Your Lawn Step by Step"; a section on turning the lawn into a wildflower meadow; and a "no-brainer" lesson in lawn design.
Gilmer has written a clear, sometimes condescending lesson in the art of creating "golf course green" from weeds and dead patches. Each chapter ends with a summary titled "The Least You Need to Know," and there's even a cute little cartoon blade of grass that offers "turf tips." There is occasional eco-friendly advice about the dangers of chemicals and pesticides, accompanied by perfunctory warnings like "keep product from drifting into any natural waterways." Of course, that is an incredibly complex proposition, and consequently this is not a book for the environmental purist. Rather, it's meant to assist the total novice who is worried that his or her house is starting to become a public nuisance, and the hokey text is an attempt to tame the garden's mystery and envision it as an assignment that can be completed, a test that can be passed, even if you need to use Cliff's Notes. --Emily White
From the Back Cover
You're no idiot, of course. You know that grass needs sun and water and care. So why does your house appear to be sitting in the middle of the Dust Bowl? Don't call the Astroturf salesman yet; help is on the way! The Complete Idiot's Guide to a Beautiful Lawn is your one-stop reference for creating the lawn of your dreams! Here you'll learn about the parts of the grass plant, the best ways to start a new lawn, proper soil care--and even the art of baseball stadium--quality lawn mowing. Author Maureen Gilmer walks you through every aspect of turf care, from proper watering to integrating a sports court onto your lawn. No stone is left unturned in this comprehensive, fun, and infinitely useful guide. Here's what you get:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Lawn Care,Maureen Gilmer,Alpha,0028630084,Gardening,Gardening / Horticulture,Gardening/Plants,Landscape gardening,Lawns,Gardening / General
Book Contents:
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