BISAC Subject Headings List

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GARDENING

Use subjects in this section for works on practical operations in the cultivation of fruits, vegetable, flowers, and ornamental plants.  For works on the commercial cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and ornamental plants, use "SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Horticulture".  For works aimed at farmers or agronomists, use subjects beginning with "TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture".

For general adult titles on plant-related topics, use “GARDENING / Botany & Horticultural Topics”.  For more academic or professional works, use “SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Botany” or “SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Horticulture”.

Under the "Regional" subheading, state abbreviations have been provided as a guide, but users should not feel constrained by them.  For example, CA is found in the "West (AK, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, UT, WY)" subsubheading, but a book dealing specifically with northern California could be assigned the "Pacific Northwest (OR, WA)" subsubheading.  Similarly, all of Canada is covered by one subsubheading, but a book dealing with British Columbia could also be assigned the "Pacific Northwest (OR, WA)" subsubheading.

GAR000000   GARDENING / General

GAR034000   GARDENING / Botany & Horticultural Topics *

GAR027000   GARDENING / Climatic / General

GAR027010   GARDENING / Climatic / Desert

GAR027020   GARDENING / Climatic / Temperate

GAR027030   GARDENING / Climatic / Tropical

GAR035000   GARDENING / Edible & Medicinal / General *

GAR005000   GARDENING / Edible & Medicinal / Fruit

GAR009000   GARDENING / Edible & Medicinal / Herbs

GAR036000  GARDENING / Edible & Medicinal / Indigenous Crops & Plant Medicines *

GAR031000  GARDENING / Edible & Medicinal / Marijuana Cultivation

GAR037000   GARDENING / Edible & Medicinal / Mushrooms *

GAR025000  GARDENING / Edible & Medicinal / Vegetables

GAR002000   GARDENING / Essays & Narratives

                               GARDENING / Flower Arranging see CRAFTS & HOBBIES / Flower Arranging

GAR006000   GARDENING / Garden Design, Planning & Layout

GAR038000   GARDENING / Garden Types / General *

GAR001000  GARDENING / Garden Types / Container & Raised Bed

GAR039000  GARDENING / Garden Types / Cut Flower *

GAR040000  GARDENING / Garden Types / Edible Landscaping & Potager *

GAR011000   GARDENING / Garden Types / Hydroponic

GAR013000   GARDENING / Garden Types / Japanese

GAR020000  GARDENING / Garden Types / Shade

GAR028000   GARDENING / Garden Types / Urban, Community & Small Space

GAR041000   GARDENING / Garden Types / Vertical *

GAR029000   GARDENING / Garden Types / Water Gardens

GAR007000   GARDENING / Garden Furnishings

GAR008000   GARDENING / Greenhouses

GAR042000   GARDENING / Homesteading & Hobby Farming *

GAR010000   GARDENING / House Plants & Indoor

                              GARDENING / Indoor see House Plants & Indoor

GAR014000   GARDENING / Landscape

GAR015000   GARDENING / Lawns & Groundcovers

GAR017000   GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / General

GAR004000  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / General

GAR004010  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Annuals

           GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Azaleas see Ornamental Plants / Shrubs

GAR004030  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Bulbs

GAR004040   GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Orchids

GAR004050   GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Perennials

GAR004060   GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Roses

             GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Violets see Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Annuals

GAR004080  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Flowers / Wildflowers

GAR043000  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Native Plants *

GAR021000  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Shrubs

GAR024000  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Trees

GAR044000  GARDENING / Ornamental Plants / Tropicals *

GAR030000   GARDENING / Pictorial

GAR045000   GARDENING / Planners & Journals *

GAR046000  GARDENING / Pollinators & Wildlife *

GAR018000   GARDENING / Reference

GAR019000   GARDENING / Regional / General

GAR019010   GARDENING / Regional / Canada

GAR019020   GARDENING / Regional / Middle Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA)

GAR019030   GARDENING / Regional / Midwest (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI)

GAR019040   GARDENING / Regional / New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

GAR019050   GARDENING / Regional / Pacific Northwest (OR, WA)

GAR019060   GARDENING / Regional / South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)

GAR019070   GARDENING / Regional / Southwest (AZ, NM, OK, TX)

GAR019080   GARDENING / Regional / West (AK, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, UT, WY)

GAR022000   GARDENING / Techniques / General

GAR032000  GARDENING / Techniques / Composting & Soil Health

GAR047000  GARDENING / Techniques / Maintenance & Care *

GAR016000   GARDENING / Techniques / Organic

GAR048000  GARDENING / Techniques / Pests, Diseases & Problems *

GAR049000   GARDENING / Techniques / Plant Propagation *

GAR050000 GARDENING / Techniques / Sustainable & Regenerative *

GAR023000  GARDENING / Techniques / Topiary

GAR026000  GARDENING / Techniques / Xeriscaping, Firescaping & Low Water

GAR033000   GARDENING / Terrariums

   If your title does not have subject content, i.e. a blank book, please use the Non-Classifiable term below. Otherwise, use the Subject/General term in the closest descriptive area. NON000000 NON-CLASSIFIABLE

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