Richard Bird has been gardening since childhood and currently maintains a large garden where his abiding passion for plants is very evident. He has contributed to numerous publications and has been magazine editor for Focus on Plants, The Hardy Plant, Alpine Gardening and the Alpine Garden Society's magazine Bulletin. He is also a full-time author on gardens and plants and has written nearly 30 books on subjects as diverse as alpines and rock gardens, lilies, perennials, organic gardening and window boxes. He is the author of Essential Plants for the Garden, The Illustrated Practical Encyclopedia of Pruning, Training & Topiary (both Lorenz Books), and Beautiful Shrubs and Great Climbers (Southwater).