In An American Cutting Garden Suzanne McIntire describes how to plan a cutting garden, choose suitable plants, keep the garden in good order, and harvest a bountiful crop—all with charm and humor. Using both common and botanical names, she discusses in depth a wide variety of herbaceous perennials, biennials, annuals, and bulbs. McIntire includes information on topics such as the length of stems one might expect from the cutting garden, how many plants are needed of any one kind, when and how to sow seed outdoors, the heat-hardiness of plants, and strategies for coping with the effects of hot summers and cold winters.

Suzanne McIntire is a freelance writer and seasoned veteran of gardening in northern Virginia. She is the editor of The American Heritage Book of Great American Speeches for Young People.