Contain yourself : 101 fresh ideas for fantastic container gardens / Kerstin P. Ouellet.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Covering an array of the most beautiful ornamental grasses, perennials, and annuals ever put in window boxes, baskets, pots, and urns, this full-colour guide provides basic container gardening designs as well as detailed information and suggestions for plant possibilities. Eighty plants are profiled with photographs and information on height, light requirements, frost hardiness zone, flowering time, habits, and characteristics. Diagrams and detailed instructions for re-creating 90 designs are complemented by information on container characteristics, care clues, and plant personalities. Attention is given to plants recently introduced to the market.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments (p. ix)
• Introduction (p. xi)
• Part 1 The Basics and Beyond
• Chapter 1 Container Gardening--A Passion for All Gardens (p. 3)
• Chapter 2 Designing Container Gardens (p. 5)
• Chapter 3 Planting Container Gardens (p. 25)
• Chapter 4 Caring for Container Gardens (p. 37)
• Part 2 Plant Profiles (p. 49)
• Part 3 Planting Recipes and Ideas
• Container Garden Recipes (p. 99)
• Container Garden Ideas (p. 279)
• USDA Frost Hardiness Zone Map (p. 286)
• Glossary of Terms (p. 289)
• Index to Plants in Recipes (p. 293)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Garden writer Ouellet lives in California but was raised in Germany, where she helped her mother compete in their village's annual window box contest. Here, she draws on her European heritage to discuss designing, planting, and caring for container gardens. Part 1 introduces the basics of container gardening, while an alphabetical listing of the annuals, perennials, and grasses she uses in her designs make up Part 2 of her guide. Arranged by genus, each entry includes a color photo and a description. Part 3 showcases 101 container gardens, including hanging baskets, each illustrated by a color photo and a diagram showing the placement of the plants. Ouellet details her thoughts on how the plants in the design complement one another and offers substitutions if the suggested plants aren't readily available. She also explains how she chose the particular container and how to care for the finished product. The arrangements are lush, beautiful, and imaginative. What's more, they can be used by both beginners (who can follow the designs exactly) and more experienced gardeners (who can tweak the designs to suit themselves), making this a wonderful addition to most gardening collections. Also consider Bill Marken's Container Gardening for Dummies, which includes expanded cultural information and covers additional types of container gardens.-Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Frustrated container gardeners, rejoice! Ouellet offers not just one, but one-hundred-and-one foolproof recipes for successfully creating stunning container gardens to rival any seen in nurseries or coveted on the neighbor's deck. From clay to concrete, stone to Styrofoam, no matter what sort of container, Ouellet demonstrates eye-catching displays for each medium. Logically delineating the precise procedures needed to assemble colorful designs, Ouellet takes the mystique out of mastering a horticultural art form many otherwise proficient gardeners find daunting. After covering the basic cultural requirements, Ouellet outlines 80 plant species both commonly and infrequently used in container creations. Each profile provides the pertinent factual data plus relevant descriptive information helpful for making informed choices. At the heart of the book are Ouellet's 101 detailed planting diagrams, which readers can reproduce as shown or use as inspiration for their own designs. With simple step-by-step instructions and thoughtful background rationale for design development, Ouellet makes it possible for even first-time container gardeners to create dazzling potted displays. Carol Haggas