Sumptuous photos and exuberant text make perfect Christmas gifts for gardener

A Pittsfield gardener asks what has to be the most topical question of the holiday season — can I recommend some gardening books to put on her wish list? Specifically she asks for one good book on vegetable gardening and another on flowers.

With gratitutde in my heart for such an easy and fun topic to research and write about, I headed for my favorite independent bookseller in downtown Bangor. Throwing myself on the mercy of the owner, I begged for help in wading through all the titles to find the most worthy books. Here is what I came up with.

For sumptuousness of photography and brilliant organization, nothing tops “The Exuberant Gardener and the Controlling Hand” by William H. Frederick Jr. (hardcover, Little Brown, $50). Hundreds of color photos depict the masterful work of this professional landscaper and gardener who hails from Delaware. One senses instantly through the pictures that the author knows and loves plants both ardently and astutely; the accompanying text only confirms this impression.

The first half of the book concerns itself with 13 gardens designed and planted by Frederick, interestingly arranged by their function — entrance gardens, viewing gardens, gardens to live in, swimming pool gardens and strolling gardens. It is evident that Mr. Frederick is landscaper to the very wealthy, but his creations are still accessible to the modest homeowner.

The second half of the book is a series of 38 appendices listing plants in almost every conceivable way. Here one can learn which plants do well in shallow soil, wet soil, in between paving stones, in high wind settings, etc. Or one can scan lists of plants that have colored bark for winter interest, plants that create a mossy look, plants that remain below 6 inches, on and on. Surely this is a treasure trove of information for those who seek the right plant for a problem spot.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is a book that provides understandable information for the non-gardener who is coping (i.e. struggling) with the vicissitudes of owning a houselot. “Yardening” by Jeff and Liz Ball (soft cover, MacMillan, $24.95) is a truly non-threatening treatment of home gardening (flowers and vegetables) as well as lawn, tree and shrub care. It also contains a number of useful lists in the appendices, sans the rare and exotic plants of the previous text.

The American Horticultural Society’s “Encyclopedia of Gardening” (hardcover, Dorling Kindersley, $59.95) is a mighty tome in size and scope. Divided into two sections, creating and maintaining the garden, it manages to cover a huge amount of technical and scientific information without scaring the average reader off. The section on building an alpine style rock garden, for instance, is a revelation in clear writing and useful illustration.

“The New Victory Garden” (softcover, Little Brown, $21.95) is still the most popular book on vegetable gardening after 20 years on the shelf. Bob Thomson, who replaced the late Jim Crockett, deals with his subject on a month-by-month basis which should be a great help to the beginner, especially in terms of mastering the right timing for each garden activity. I was pleased to note that he (like yours truly) prefers to start an early crop of peas indoors, using peat pots. In Massachusetts this trick gives him peas by the first week of June!

Finally, I must mention another warhorse of gardening books, “Rodale’s All New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening” (hardcover, Rodale Press, $29.95). It seems that the Rodale Press has evolved from its early, somewhat Bohemian origins into one of the real powerhouses of American popular editing, almost on a par with Reader’s Digest.

The format is truly encyclopedic, listing both plants and general topics alphabetically. Anyone interested in growing foods the natural way must own this book; it’s as simple as that.

Michael Zuck of Bangor is a horticulturist and the NEWS garden columnist. Send inquiries to him at 2106 Essex St., Bangor, Maine 04401.