cover image Down to Earth with Helen Dillon

Down to Earth with Helen Dillon

Helen Dillon. Timber Press (OR), $29.95 (208pp) ISBN 978-0-88192-859-4

Gardening from a pristine Dublin plot, droll green thumb Dillon offers equal measures of witticism and advice-both expert techniques and common sense tips-in this verdant, photo-rich guide, imbued with enough passion to inspire an all-consuming hobby. The perfect book for anyone contemplating a leap into the gardening lifestyle, Dillon is mercifully easy on newcomers (a full third is devoted to ""Beginners' Stuff""), the busy (""The one-hour-a-week garden"") and the brown thumb (""Why did it die?""). Dillon's organic approach to plant care will play well with the environment-savvy, and she's quick to suggest simple cures for common problems such as slugs (a saucer of beer should get rid of them). With patience and humor, Dillon covers a wide range of topics, most in two- or three-page chapters, coaching readers through pruning and ""deadheading,"" the ""May gap"" and late summer, how to cadge plant cuttings from more experienced gardeners and informative asides like ""Dog in the garden"" (""your ideal garden dog is a male dachshund"") and even some social history: ""Years ago, in Ireland, high garden society only liked to spread special plants to their friends and equals."" With this informative, personal and gorgeous book, it's clear Dillon considers her readers to be both.