Why be a gardener?; Adam's profession to till the ground - soil, design, choosing plants; order is truth - an explanation of Latin names; the artistry of plant association - beauty through the seasons; from the four corners of the world - plant hunters through the ages; brief but beautiful - annuals, biennials and tender perennials; a hint of grandeur - plants of stature; a hint of subtlety - foliage, stems and fragrance; gardens within gardens - rock garden, scree garden, alpines, pools, orchards, the modern rose garden; the flower arranger's garden; sociable climbers; the link between house and garden - containers for patio, terrace and courtyard; indoor gardening.