For two decades readers around the world have been fascinated by Brian Capon's crystal-clear descriptions of how plants work. What happens inside a seed after it is planted? How do plants use each other - and animals - to survive? How do they reproduce, and how do they transform nutrients into growth? ''Botany for Gardeners'' is the most complete, compact, and accessible introduction to the world of botany available. The new edition has been expanded with dazzling scanning electron microscope photographs and even more amazing facts about plants. Especially timely are new essays on food plants: what makes plants edible, the effects of climate change, and the role of genetic engineering. Whether it's the exotic behaviors of unusual seeds, the astounding weight-bearing capacity of the Victoria waterlily, or the ingenious existence of lichens, the third edition of ''Botany for Gardeners'' will be embraced by beginning gardeners and devoted plant-o-philes.