Makes the science of plant processes accessible to home gardeners. The American Gardener Why do container plants wilt even when they ve been regularly watered? Why did the hydrangea that thrived last year never bloom this year? Plant physiology the study of how living things function can solve these and most other problems gardeners regularly encounter. In How Plants Work, horticulture expert Linda Chalker-Scott brings the stranger-than-fiction science of the plant world to vivid life. She uncovers the mysteries of how and why plants do the things they do, and arms you with fascinating knowledge that will change the way you garden.