Amazon.com (ISBN 0897214137, Paperback)

For busy gardeners, the prospect of continually dragging out hoses to water the garden can be a real disincentive to gardening. Often, the installation of an irrigation system appropriate to the needs of the garden can be a huge time and energy saver, and provide the appropriate and timely water that all plants need in differing amounts at different times. Starting with "The Basics of Home Irrigation," readers will learn if an irrigation system is appropriate for their needs and which one (or combination of systems) works best. Next, "Getting Started" discusses which kinds of systems can be installed and how they work. The final section of the book is "Using and Repairing an Irrigation System."

Just about everything one needs to know is included here: troubleshooting and problem solving, customizing designs for an irrigation system, buying guides to components, and thorough, well-diagrammed how-to instructions made clear by helpful color photographs and detailed diagrams. --Mark A. Hetts