One thing I like about gardeners is that they are lifelong learners -- they learn from their gardening experiences, from other gardeners, from books and by taking classes.

One way our gardeners can keep ahead of the learning curve is with the newest edition of the Sunset Western Garden Book. When I moved here from New York in 1980, one of the first gardening books I sought was this one. It was the gardening reference that other gardeners told me was the bible of western gardening.

The newest edition is being released this month. The eighth edition has been totally revised and updated from the last edition, released in 2001. New plants are included to reflect gardening trends, such as Mediterranean plants for gardeners trying to garden with less water, easy-care plants for gardeners with less time, and ornamental grasses for gardeners wanting to naturalize their landscape.

Sunset strived to keep the tome to a portable size but still maintain its inclusiveness. With 1,500 full-color photographs, 1,400 illustrations, 30 specialized plant lists and more than 8,000 plant listings, it can't have left much out. It worked hard to make it easier to read and throughout the book have added special gardening tips form well-known plant experts. Novice gardeners will find the Practical Guide to Gardening especially helpful.

Sunset takes pride in its western climate zone maps. The Sunset zones have been updated to reflect any needed changes. The Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and the Yakima Valley are in Sunset Climate Zone 3b, which is the mildest areas of inter-mountain climates, characterized by a long growing season and lots of summer heat.

The Sunset Western Garden Book has been around almost 50 years as a "source for no-nonsense gardening advice ... and encyclopedic knowledge of plant varieties." Check out the newest edition. It's a great resource for new or not-so-new (like me) western gardeners.

Another opportunity to learn more is Spring Garden Day on Saturday. This is a daylong session of gardening classes taught by local Master Gardeners and other garden experts. The keynote speaker, Lisa Hill, will share her personal experiences.

If you want to learn more about perennial gardening, Ruthy Lyon will be sharing her wisdom and green-thumb experience. Jan Jordan will teach you how to create your own water garden. Cindy Mason will share her knowledge of turfgrass and what it takes to have the picture-perfect lawn. Two Tri-City Rosarians, Helen Newman and Jane Melville, will teach rose-growing tips. If you have ever wondered about the best way to prune trees, Ben Thompson, a certified aborist, will reveal the "what" and "why" of proper tree pruning.

Spring Garden Day will be held at WSU Tri-Cities in Richland from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Seating is limited and you must pre-register by calling the WSU Extension at 735-3551 or by stopping by the Benton County WSU Extension Office in the Benton County Annex, at 5600E W. Canal Drive in Kennewick.

* Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Office in Benton County.