In the ten years since I sent off that first manuscript, I've visited many gardens, asked a lot of questions, talked to numerous researchers, tried growing many new kinds of seeds, and read thousands of pages of gardening research, lore, and advice. The result is The New Seed-Starters Handbook, which contains new sections that detail the principles and techniques for starting garden flowers, wildflowers, herbs, trees, and shrubs from seed. This material has been combined with the chapter from the first edition on growing vegetables and garden fruits from seed to create a handy encyclopedia section. No book of this size can include every possible plant in each of these categories, but I've tried to give you a selection of the best. Although this is a handbook, not a textbook, I've included Latin names for the plants under discussion, just so we're all sure we're talking about the same plant, and for your convenience in ordering seeds.
Common names are charming but often vary locally.
Latin names are accurate worldwide. Apart from the encyclopedia section and several additional chapters, the other new material in the book has been inserted into the existing text via new words, paragraphs, pages, and sections. Not a chapter remains untouched. To be honest, gardening friends, rechecking all the facts, summarizing old material, adding newly discovered findings, and writing new chapters has been more difficult than writing the original manuscript. I'm hugely relieved that it is done, but also delighted to have had the chance to improve my original work.