Gardening for non-gardeners. If you're like us, you need some help before you start working on your garden. Otherwise, like us, you'll just wander the garden center and then leave empty-handed. Some research beforehand would be good. And so here are some of the best resources we've found:

• Sunset Western Garden Book by Kathleen Norris Brenzel: The classic book that's probably already on most people's bookshelves

• Northern California Gardening by Katherine Grace Endicott: A must-have guide, divided into months of the year

• Golden Gate Gardening: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Food Gardening in the San Francisco Bay Area & Coastal California by Pam Peirce: Invaluable if you're interested in planting fruit, veggies, herbs

• Bay Area Gardening: Practical Essays by Master Gardeners edited by Barbara J. Euser: Useful, short articles, but no photos

• Design Your Garden by Diarmuid Gavin: This British garden designer specializes in contemporary gardens -- although this book is not as wild as his designs we've seen on Homefront in the Garden

• The Ultimate Book of Small Gardens by Graham Rice: From the famous British horticulturist

• Sunset: The classic magazine

• Garden Design: The best U.S. gardening magazine we've found

• Garden Guides: A website with gardening information and resources, including articles by top garden writers, seasonal tips, and advice

• Urban Gardening Help: A website with some useful information -- yet, mysteriously, no information about who's writing it