<body><![CDATA[You have to give the people behind Complete Gardens credit. They know their stuff, not least when it comes to red hot pokers. How many types are thriving in your garden? Explore this<br>CD-Rom and you could find no fewer than 12, each with a detailed description, a lovely photograph and comprehensive growing advice. Many gardening discs available over here are imported American monstrosities that assume we all have to guard against armadillos and raccoons. Complete Gardens is a home-grown product that acts as an all-singing,<br>all-dancing guide to more than 2,000 shrubs, flowers and vegetables suited to the British climate. A formidable plant encyclopaedia, this CD-Rom has been compiled with astonishing care. Each variety is minutely described, with advice on soil, position and possible insect and disease problems. If you have a specific look in mind but are unsure how to achieve it, you can work your way backwards by searching, for example, for something large and pink that will flower in a shady spot in September. There are also generic guides to horticultural styles, such as cottage gardens, and an interactive calendar that can tell you when and how to prune and remind you of general maintenance tasks. The interface is a little clunky, and there are some strange omissions ΓÇô why include lettuce but leave out broad beans? All the same, this is a handy electronic tool for the green-fingered, or anyone who wants a red hot poker thatΓÇÖs different from their neighboursΓÇÖ.]]></body>
