JUNE 19, 2013
Best Books on Perennials
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Laura's Recommendations: Perennial Garden Design |
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Most Practical |
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The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer Stephanie Cohen and Nancy J. Ondra |
635.9 COH |
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| Just when it seems there couldn't possibly be anything original to say on the subject of perennial-garden design, along come two authors with a breezy style, down-to-earth advice, and a refreshingly open approach to prove you wrong. | ||
| Cohen and Ondra bring their lifelong personal and professional passion to the creation of a design manual that tells both the novice and experienced gardener what to do, what to use, and just about anything else one would need to know to create vivid designs. Presented in a conversational, understandable manner, the authors' liberal use of puns, quips, and catchy phrases also makes the book a joy to read. Especially helpful are 20 original, plant-by-numbers designs addressing a variety of garden challenges; and thoughtful information about garden renovation will be savored by new homeowners who have inherited someone else's mistakes, or established gardeners weary of their current landscaping. Plant charts, reading lists, and detailed descriptions of more than 475 perennials round out this welcome addition to any garden library. Carol Haggas Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved |
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Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials Ellen Phillips and C. Colston Burrell |
635.93 PHI |
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| "Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials is an excellent reference book for all gardeners, from the novice to the expert. —Dr. Allan M. Armitage, author of Herbaceous Perennial Plant | ||
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Most Inspirational |
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The Undaunted Garden: Planting for Weather-Resilient Beauty Lauren Springer |
635.9 SPR |
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| This book is for the active gardener yearning for continued intelligent, informative counsel. Weather-resilient planting is discussed in terms of all types of plants that have been proven--in the author's own garden--to withstand such extreme situations as dry shade or hail. She is a veritable fount of horticultural wisdom, presenting a range of topics that encompasses far more than simply weather resilience. The most eye-opening facet of this book (and one sure to intrigue avid gardeners) is the wealth of references to unusual plant varieties not found in most gardening books.Alice Joyce from Booklist | ||
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The Dictionary |
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Herbaceous Perennial Plants: A Treatise on Their Identification, Culture, and Garden Attributes Allan M. Armitage |
635.9 ARM |
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| Allan Armitage has a well-deserved reputation for serving up solid information with precision and humor. Now based in Georgia, Armitage began his gardening career in Montreal. Thus, he knows a lot about what happens to plants in both Northern and Southern gardens. He shares his experience and experiments with great good will, offering a depth and breadth of information that is rarely surpassed. | ||
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Armitage's take on hundreds of hardy perennials includes cultural specifics, propagation techniques, and suggested companions. This chunky book may seem intimidating, but don't let the textbook look put you off--all the information, technical or otherwise, is presented in clear, accessible terms that won't puzzle beginners yet offer advanced gardeners the answers they are seeking. On the whole, Armitage avoids trendy tender perennials such as Meconopsis (the blue Himalayan poppy) that don't perform well for most North American gardeners. His focus is on solidly hardy plants, those that thrive in USDA zones 3 to 8. He does, however, include a few newly popular plants such as Gunnera, the enormous Chilean foliage plants, and there are lengthy sections for hellebores, heucheras, and other horticulturally hot plants, mentioning and rating many of the newest named selections. --Ann Lovejoy |
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The Classic |
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Gertrude Jekyll's Colour Schemes for Flower Garden Gertrude Jekyll |
635.9 JEK |
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| Jekyll was one of the first of her profession to take into account the colour, texture, and experience of gardens as the prominent authorities in her designs, and she was a life-long fan of plants of all genres. Her theory of how to design with colour was influenced by painter JMW Turner and by Impressionism - Wikipedia | ||
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Native Perennial Plants |
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New England Wildflower Society guide to growing and propagating wildflowers William Cullina |
635.9 CUL |
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| This most complete and authoritative guide to North American wildflowers offers clear and detailed information on growing and propagating 200 genera and 1,000 species of these precious plants. No matter what your level of interest -- whether it is to introduce a few plants into your garden or to learn how to propagate them for yourself or for sales, this book will inspire as well as inform you. | ||
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Gardening books can be found in the Reading Room. |
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