Miniature Gardens. 1990. (The Gardener's Handbook. A Series of Useful Books, vol. 4). 70 color photos. 69 black&white illustr 159 p. gr8vo. Hard cover.

A survey of a popular form of Alpine gardening that had its origin inBritain in the 1920s and has developed into a specialized art there -and, as this books attests, increasingly in Western Europe as well.Treats container gardening in troughs and on slabs. Not only are suchcontainers convenient in limited spaces, but their construction alsoallows for maintaining special soil conditions for more successfulcultivation of plants known to be difficult. As well as setting forththe principles and techniques of this distinctive variety of rockgardening, the author provides detailed instructions for construction ofartificial troughs and slabs, information which is particularly helpfulfor American gardeners who are less likely to have access to oldstone-work troughs and other antique materials.