Pruning Made Easy: A Gardener's Visual Guide to When and How to Prune Everything, from Flowers to Trees

This is, hands-down, one of the best, if not the best, how-to book I have read so far. Every page is a must-read. Pages are not overloaded with information. Each section is clearly written with excellent illustrations. I have easily over 50 books on gardening and this is excellent. I can't say enough about the format and content.

This book is second only to the American Horticulture Society book on pruning (which might be too much information for some anyway). The illustrations in this book are superior to other books I've seen on pruning which is why I bought it as a companion to the AHS book. I don't know why other books won't give you a close up view but this one does and I liked that so I bought it. If you want just one book on pruning go ahead and make this the one, you've made a good choice.

If you are like me, your attempts at pruning have largely been hit and miss affairs. Until I bought this book, I sort of guessed about how to prune the flowers and trees in my yard. This book shows you what to do and, just as importantly, what not to do. The chapters are set forth nicely, starting with instructions on why you should prune, the type of equipment you need and then how best to prune. After those three general introductions, the authors provide in-depth instructions, using drawings, about how to prune ornamental trees and shrubs, shade trees, evergreens, hedges, fruit trees, nut trees, vines and ground covers, garden plants, houseplants, and bonsai trees. There is even a chapter on "artistic pruning." And, for each plant type they also tell you when to prune. A great book that covers what you need to know and then shows you how to do it, visually.

The problem with so many pruning instructions is that they show you the before and after, but not what was removed. Using drawings, this book shows you exactly what was pruned and tells you why. Buy this book and you'll fear pruning no more. Plus, you won't butcher your plants!

This is a great book. It has clear instructions for the beginner (me) and even makes pruning sound like fun. Oh how I wish Lewis Hill would use his talent for plain pithy prose to write computer software instructions.

Although I am a university trained horticulturist and have managed greenhouses, I still can hardly bear to thin my carrots in the garden. Imagine the terror of inheriting a yard full of mature trees strangled by vines, lilacs overgrown and dying in the shade, broken limbs rent from their trunks five years ago still hanging in limbo, waiting for the perfect passerby to drop upon. This book was new on the shelf of the local library and in my estimation one of their best garden acquisitions for the year. Clear, easy to understand copy coaches the pruner to do anything fron improving appearance to rejuvenating old stock,including creating barriers, espalier work,bonsai, shearing Christmas trees and more. An overview of tools and sanitation is offered, and each individual area is discussed in depth. Accompanying pictures are clear and easy to understand. This book is going to be a permanent resident of my private bookshelf.