Get Dirty Between the Covers

When summer wanes, gardening doesn't have to end. Build whimsical, green, miniature environments in jars or found objects with the advice of these nursery owners.

Gilbertie and Sheehan introduce novices to the first steps in herb cultivation, then move on to cuttings, storage and more advanced skills. They offer an extensive list of herb garden types, from Tex-Mex or trattoria to honeybee, bread or soup.

This guide is much more than just a calendar that lists when to plant what. This father-daughter team fills the book with gardening tricks to conserve effort, protect plants and enrich soil.

Are you an apartment dweller? Do you have a yard, but don't feel like tilling up the soil? There are still ways to create a lush garden on even the smallest spaces - a stoop, windowsill, patio or fire escape. This book walks you through the steps to creating an oasis, with clever ideas for pots and containers.

Blogger Fern Richardson offers novel ways to cover a postage-stamp area - including railings, shipping pallets or rafters - with vegetable plants and flowers.

Sunset magazine staff experimented in creating seasonal feasts derived purely from the office's surrounding land. After raising bees, chickens, a cow and many fruits and vegetables, they created four meals from dozens of recipes, which they divulge in the book. Bonus sections include winemaking, beer brewing and olive pressing.

If you can't branch out, grow up! Discover two dozen illustrated templates for vertical verdure - from aromatic herbs to vegetables to mosquito repellent walls.