Book excerpt: Why should you throw washing-up water on lilies? Will gravel deter slugs and snails? Why is water the life and soul of the garden? Does a wet summer bring on tomato blight? The Gardener's Wise Words and Country Ways is a unique and captivating collection of accumulated wisdom, proverbs and superstitions, encapsulating everything that makes gardening so appealing. Ruth Binney beautifully conveys the emotions that gardens evoke, as well as addressing the practical tasks that gardeners undertake. Here you will find good old-fashioned advice, as well as plenty of up-to-date information on everything from being aware of the seasons and wildlife in your garden, to growing better fruit, vegetables, herbs and trees. Famous gardening names who share their knowledge include Vita Sackville-West, Gertrude Jekyll and Robert Thompson, but also presented are the voices of ordinary gardeners, whose experiences come alive in their sayings, prose and poetry.