Billing itself as "the most comprehensive, practical, and creative book yet produced for the gardening enthusiast," The Complete Gardener has some very lofty ambitions. The author, John Brookes, is a respected landscape designer whose work might be familiar to readers of Good Housekeeping and House and Garden . Here he's taken his extensive knowledge and divided it into the two general categories of outdoor and indoor gardening, leaving no stone unturned in either arena. More of an encyclopedia than a typical gardening book, this extensive volume certainly can't be accused of being misnamed. Whether it achieves its stated goals is up to individual interpretation. However, there are sections covering nearly every conceivable gardening situation--from a town garden with a backdrop to a rural garden with a barn, caring for bonsai to arranging dried flowers--and with such a wide range of topics there is hardly a subject imaginable that this book doesn't address. The ample text is informative and quite detailed, supporting photos and illustrations are used liberally, and numerous charts are provided for quick reference and to summarize larger sections. While some of the photography appears dated, especially the shots depicting the use of plants in interior design, the related information and advice is generally timeless in its theory and suggested application. --George Laney