The Naked Truth About Gardening, The Bare Essentials

Naked: (na kid) adj. 1. Without disguise or embellishment. 2. Without covering. 3. Without clothing on the body: nude.

I believe anyone can grow plants once they know how. A few years ago I told a friend that I liked to garden. She asked if I went out into the yard wearing a wide brim straw hat and cotton gloves, carrying a basket and shovel. I was shocked and told her absolutely not. After all, that was how my great, great Aunt Elodia gardened in the 1930's. This is the new millennium, for goodness sake. I use a SPF 30 sun screen, liquid gloves and my computer to garden.

At that moment, I realized there were stereotypes about gardening that needed to be cleared up. I decided it was about time for a book to be written revealing the "Truth" of gardening, the "Naked Truth", if you will.

Mankind has been cultivating the earth for thousands of years, both for survival and for pleasure. Those horticultural processes have evolved into the agriculture and gardening practices we use today. I believe gardening is the satisfaction of our primal need to cultivate the earth. This ancient urge exists in all humans; we have just lost touch with it. This book will help you learn how to apply ancient horticultural wisdom to the modern technological world where people garden in their condominiums, office cubicles, decks, AND backyards. Even if you are a confessed plant killer you can grow plants. This book breaks down the fundamental strategies behind centuries of successful plant growing. It will walk you through, and show you how, to grow plants in simple, practical and down to earth terms.

My passion for gardening connects me to the world in which I live; the sun, the earth, the rain and the air I breathe. It is a sensual experience with sights, sounds, smells, textures and tastes too! It is not only about the plants. It is also about how you experience the garden. I consider myself a Naked gardener. Like many gardeners, I love growing things, inside and out, natural spaces, wild habitats, and healthy environments. All this growing improves the quality of my life. Like you, my time is valuable. I have none to waste. I need to be efficient and effective in my gardening. I know every gardener enjoys growing plants but a naked gardener, like me, enjoys growing plants with less work, more success and spare time to enjoy their garden. What is the point of gardening if you never have time to sit and enjoy it?

I have based this book on knowledge acquired in real garden situations. I'm a practical, not a fanciful, person and I assure you this book is NOT an exercise of Poly Prissy Pants' Proper Procedures. It will explain the basic details of gardening, details most other books gloss over or fail to mention at all. It will help you rediscover the ancient secrets to success lost within yourself.

Our new millennium, though technologically advanced, has some significant pollution issues. Gardening is a great hobby that is also a part of the pollution solution. It allows you to be a naked hero in your own backyard. Gardeners, by simply growing plants, help save the Earth through contributing to biodiversity, conserving natural resources, reducing pollution and combating the affects of global warming.

The contents of this book will help you save valuable time by evaluating your wants and needs. It differs from other gardening books by looking at gardening with an ancient perspective, while utilizing the technology of the 21st century. Naked gardening seeks to magnify your pleasurable plant growing experience. It is for every gardener and those hoping to become gardeners.

I have been gardening for over 25 years and I never met a plant I didn't like. I'm excited to share my passion for gardening with you, as well as lots of tips, tricks, money saving and time saving techniques.

Care to bare your essentials? If so, join me and prepare to enter the world of naked gardening.