Assuming no previous knowledge of gardening, this is a guide through the process of taking over an existing garden (whether a wilderness or an inner-city yard), especially one which has seen better days. The topics covered include stamping your own personality on a garden, weed clearing, soil renovation, laying a new lawn, planting trees, cutting back overgrown shrubs, dealing with tree stumps and stubborn weeds and patchy lawns, disguising fences and other eyesores, and renovating rock gardens, pools and ponds, and pergolas. The book also includes advice on what to plant and where, and how to keep it looking good, and a calendar of the gardening year, with explanations of what to do, and when.