It's springtime and Badger is ready to plant the perfect garden. He has spent months gathering and sorting seeds. It's been a lot of work but it's worth it. His friends Red Squirrel, Dormouse, and Weasel come to help. They weed. They rake. And finally they plant. Afterward, everyone celebrates, and Badger can already imagine the perfect rows of flowers and vegetables. But then a rainstorm comes and washes away the beautiful seeds. Badger's perfect garden is ruined. Or is it? Author Marsha Diane Arnold's gentle story will encourage young readers to think beyond plans and expectations and imagine the wonderful possibilities that may occur when life and nature have other ideas.

All of Badger's friends are coming to help celebrate his birthday. But what happens when it is the same day as most of his friend's birthdays too? Illustrations.

It's spring! The four ferrets go to the greenhouse to find plants for their garden, but Badger can't decide on what to get. Finally, he finds the perfect plant to last the whole summer long!

Badgers have always lived under the old oak tree. But one day, a terrible storm arrives. Big-hearted Badger works hard to keep his friends safe from the bad weather – protecting burrows and rescuing nests. But who will look after Badger’s home in the old oak tree? Badger and the Great Storm is a warm and touching tale of friendship, courage and new beginnings. With gently humorous illustrations from Caroline Pedler (Don’t Wake the Bear, Hare! and There’s No Such Thing as Monsters!), it’s the perfect book for sharing with children.

If there's one lesson every homeowner must learn, it's this: The traditional lawn is a huge, time consuming, synthetic-chemical sucking mistake. The time has come to look for new ways to create friendly, livable spaces around our homes. In The American Meadow Garden, ornamental grass expert John Greenlee creates a new model for homeowners and gardeners. For Greenlee, a meadow isn't a random assortment of messy, anonymous grasses. Rather, it is a shimmering mini-ecosystem, in which regionally appropriate grasses combine with colorful perennials to form a rich tapestry that is friendly to all life — with minimal input of water, time, and other scarce resources. Kids and pets can play in complete safety, and birds and butterflies flock there. A prairie style planting is a place you want to be. With decades of experience as a nurseryman and designer, John Greenlee is the perfect guide. He details all the practicalities of site preparation, plant selection, and maintenance; particularly valuable are his explanations of how ornamental grasses perform in different climates and areas. Gorgeous photography by Saxon Holt visually illustrates the message with stunning examples of meadow gardens from across the country. We've reached a stage where we can no longer follow past practices unthinkingly, particularly when those practices are wasteful and harmful to the environment. It's time to get rid of the old-fashioned lawn and embrace a sane and healthy future: the American meadow garden.

With wit and wisdom, an Oxford historian and Financial Times gardening columnist recounts his deep passion and appreciation for gardening.