Down & Dirty: 43 Fun & Funky First-time Projects & Activities to Get You Gardening

by Ellen Zachos, Adam Mastoon (Illustrator)

It may seem like gardeners belong to a super-secret, esoteric club, made up of members who know all about Latin plant names and mysterious methods familiar only to the serious few. Not true, says Ellen Zachos. She is here to reassure the uninitiated that anyone can have fun in the dirt. As proof she points out the millions who have actually planted something and succeeded in making it grow without a degree in horticulture or vast experience in design and color theory. Anyone can be a gardener.

The secret, Zachos believes, is to start with one small project, make it work (that’s where her expertise comes in!), learn by doing, and move on to another. Easy! It couldn’t be simpler or more fun, and the satisfaction that comes with helping things grow is unbeatable.

Zachos’s broad range of creative projects encourages would-be gardeners to discover the joys of getting down and dirty. There’s something for every taste, from planting a tree to designing a small stonescape to starting a strawberry bed. The projects teach fundamental skills and give beginners the confidence to keep learning. Taken together, they are the building blocks of a beginner’s course in planting, designing, and creating. Gardening is really as easy as that. Spend a few weekends on fun projects that brighten up the home and backyard and learn basic gardening skills in the process. Proficiency in Latin is another matter.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference, How To

256 pages, Hardcover

First published December 21, 2006

About the author

A graduate of Harvard/Radcliffe College, Ms. Zachos resides in New York.

Reviews

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the title! Lots of fun, actually do-able projects.

[Elizabeth Gajdosik · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can't tell ME that gardening is boring; I read Ellen Zachos!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wouldn't work as *the* garden book reference, it tackles a wide range of projects without going into much depth on any. This is fine for chapters that cover making your garden into a kid-friendly dinosaur garden, but not so good for covering things like composting or watering. At the same time, it may be enough to entice the reader to go on and find out more info.

The author breaks the book into 43 projects, and the projects range in topic from establishing a fire pit to wine making. While every project relates to gardens somehow, they aren't all *garden* projects. She lives in the Northeast, and the book is really tailored to that area.

Still, if you see it at the library or bookstore, not a bad one to flip through & find inspiration.

[Narariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of good & different ideas for gardening, sometimes the projects aren't described very well. I believe the book is designed to go with other gardening references in order to figure some things out. However, the projects are simple & creative. I particularly enjoyed the dino garden & planting au natural. I'm glad I own it, but I don't think I'm likely to use it as a reference book. I'm more likely to remember a project, go back to the book, skim the project, then find the info I need online or in another book that goes into more depth for beginners. Still, an enjoyable read with a light approach.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty cool introduction to gardening with some neat tips and projects. For some reason I was expecting it to be more along the lines of fun stuff to do with houseplants and other small outdoor projects, but this was mostly geared toward folks with a fair amount of outdoor space. There are some small-space projects, but even most of those were too big for my little landing.

I did photocopy the chapter on growing herbs in a window box and will try it out in the next few weeks.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how simple this book breaks down projects; everything is really step by step, which is great for beginner gardeners like me! Lots of pictures, lots of cost and space effective ideas! This book is exceptionally practical for people living in urban areas with limited space to garden. I dare say some of the projects in this book would be great family projects, to get children interested!

[Kim Ciniello · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hardly ever come across a gardening book that I want to actually read. This lady is FUNNY! Not only is it well written, with great anecdotes and super straight forward advice, but the pics are wonderful AND the projects are amazing!

Only drawback is that most of the advice is for east coast / colder climate gardening. I guess I shouldn't bitch...I live in San Diego and can grow most anything year round. heeheehee.

[Emily Mellow · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's got some good ideas and lots of picutres, but the author is not talking about west-coast gardening, so her plant recommendations don't really mean anything for my garden. Also, there is no real emphasis on organic gardening, and she recommends all kinds of chemicals that I would never touch. it's a fun book to skim, but not a great guide to gardening or anything.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

great photos and basic instructions; fun for the beginner and the intermediate gardener; encourages people to just enjoy being in the garden and not obsess about the perfect space.

[David Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

Down & Dirty: 43 Fun & Funky First-Time Projects & Activities to Get You Gardening by Ellen Zachos (Storey Publishing 2007)(635). Meehh. My rating: 4/10, finished 2008.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A guide to simple projects for the gardener. From plants to projects presented in an appealing way.
I enjoyed it.