Containers, of course, are the norm in cities and many suburbs, where space is at a premium, but gardeners with plenty of room will also appreciate the benefits of container planting. Containers dress up front walks and mailboxes, hang brightly from the limbs of trees, and energize a deck with color and life. They are a great laboratory for "experiments," and also allow a gardener to grow plants that wouldn't otherwise winter over in northerly climate zones. Older gardeners also love container gardening for its relative simplicity and ease of maintenance.

In concise chapters, Loewer explains:

• Light, dormancy, temperature, and watering
• Potting and soil mixes
• Vertical gardens, including vines in pots
• How to create your own pool and surround it with a beautiful water garden
• Growing fruits like bananas, alpine strawberries, and mangos in containers
• Forcing bulbs