It's a bewilderingly wild world in the garden, with our plants facing an onslaught from pests, fungi, viruses, bacteria, not to mention the weather and underdesirable soil conditions. And the rows of potions at the garden centrea are equally bewildering.

To guide you through the maze, the authors have drawn up a key to particular problems and their solutions. First you look up the plant name. Common or garden names are given, cross-referenced to Latin names, so you don't need to know the plant's scientific name at the outset. Then you check the details of the symptoms, matching them up with one of over 600 photos of more common problems. The key directs you to the relevant page, where general blurb gives you the background to the pest, disease or disorder, before suggesting an appropriate treatments, if necessary.