Ground Rules

100 Easy Lessons for Growing a More Glorious Garden

By Kate Frey

“This luscious, photo-filled guide will inspire you with one hundred easy-to-implement tips.” —Garden & Gun

Gardening doesn’t have to be difficult, and expert gardener Kate Frey makes it easier than ever. Ground Rules distills the vital lessons of gardening into 100 simple rules that will yield a gorgeous, healthy, and thriving home garden. In the photo-rich pages you’ll discover tips on garden design, care and maintenance, healthy soil, and the best ways to water. You’ll also learn how to create a garden that encourages birds and butterflies, how to choose healthy plants at the garden center, how and when to re-pot a container, and much more. With bite-size chunks of expert information and inspiring ideas, Ground Rules is your new go-to resource.

Books also available at

Look Inside

View Full Size Image

Meet the Author

Kate Frey

More about the author

Review quotes

“Many of these rules will ring true to experienced gardeners, and, collectively, they provide a solid groundwork for anyone who aspires to create a gratifying garden.” —Booklist

“For a wide range of ecologically friendly gardeners with any level of experience.” —Library Journal

“Touches on every aspect of tending a garden, including choosing plants, watering, and soil care, with lots of specific steps to success. Thanks to beautiful illustrations, it’s an extra-refreshing read.” —HGTV Magazine

“This luscious, photo-filled guide will inspire you with one hundred easy-to-implement tips.” —Garden Gun

“It does not take a long browse through each bright page to realize there is always something to learn, or to remember.” —The Greenfield Recorder

"This book packs a lot of value in a small package and makes a great gift for yourself or a new gardener in your life." —Washington Gardener

“A compact and beautiful manual of 100 easy gardening rules… a great way to warm up to the nitty gritty projects of planning your garden.”—Milford Daily News

“An expert gardener and designer, Frey condenses her most important gardening tips into short, easy-to-read, one-page “lessons” with beautiful accompanying photos. Each section of the book covers what you need to know to create the beautiful, healthy, low-maintenance garden that you long for.” —Tri-City News

“A go-to guide for gardeners of all experience levels looking to cultivate a beautiful, nature-friendly landscape.” – The Seattle Times