Skillful editors make me a better writer. I thank Gwen Steege, who initiated this project; and Carleen Madigan and Liz Stell for working with me on this book. I’m grateful to Pam Art, Storey’s president, and Deborah Balmuth, editorial director, for their support. Art director Cindy McFarland, Ilona Sherratt, and illustrators Elayne Sears and Elara Tanguy designed a book that’s fun and easy to use, and Amy Greeman, publicity director, is promoting it. Special thanks go to Nancy Hill for trusting me to update the work of Lewis, her late husband.
My technical readers are the unsung heroes of this manuscript. Tchukki Andersen, consulting arborist for the Tree Care Industry Association in Londonderry, New Hampshire, commented with patience and knowledge. Kevin T. Smith, PhD, project leader and supervisory plant physiologist at the USDA Forest Service in Durham, New Hampshire, kept me on track when I ventured into tree science.
I’d also like to acknowledge some top-notch written resources: Edward F. Gilman’s An Illustrated Guide to Pruning, 2nd edition; the late Alex L. Shigo’s Modern Arboriculture and Tree Pruning: A Worldwide Photo Guide; and the websites www.treedictionary.com and www.invasive.org/species/list. cfm?id=76.
Pruning delights me whether I’m taking off suckers or watching arborists remove dead limbs from big trees. I thank my clients, friends, and husband (a keen plant collector), who let me hone my skills on their very special trees and shrubs. They honor me with their confidence. My husband, Bob, showed love in action by cooking dinners and doing many of my chores while I wrote. I praise Leslie Webb, Candace Wheeler, Rose Matheny, and Daniela Kulik for centering me, and my kind neighbors and loving friends who cheer me on.
— Penelope O’Sullivan