It is seldom that a practical guide to gardening attains the level of a literary masterpiece, still more seldom that a book on gardening can amuse and instruct even those who have no garden to plant, nor the faintest interest in acquiring one The Gardener's Year is a characteristic product of Karel Capek's genius: amusing, informative, and full of a quizzical interest in people, animals and plants. In this new version Geoffrey Newsome - the highly acclaimed translator of Capek's witty Letters from England - has captured the grace and irony of the original Czech, to produce a volume that will be treasured equally by those who love gardening as a relaxation, by those who loathe it as a chore, and by those who have no interest in it whatsoever. This edition includes the original illustrations by the painter Josef Capek, the author's brother, who collaborated with Karel on many artistic projects.