Product Description
More than ten years in the making, Perennials is the most comprehensive guide to these popular plants available. Compiled by Martyn Rix and Roger Phillips, Perennials includes complete descriptions and photographs for over 2,500 types of perennials. Every variety is described and illustrated with a color photograph.

Perennials also includes:- growing tips and propagation- origins- plant combinations and flowering times for every phase of the growing season- natural planting associations- combinations for borders, island beds, meadow gardens- sedges and grasses, hostas, ferns- further reading, sources and gardens to visit around the world

With a wide variety of old favorites and an exciting selection of rarities, Perennials is an indispensable and inspiring reference for color and variety for all sites and soil conditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

my copy is falling apart, so I'm reordering new edition
This is my all time favorite garden book.It is a reference book for people interested in propagating plants from compatible climates, a photo reference to mature plants and, since there are many photos of gardens within, a visual inspiration.It is not a beginners how to, but contains an enormous amount of useful information if the reader is at all experienced.The writers don't discuss temperature hardiness based on the Zone system, but in minimum temps. centigrade, and since they are British they don't pretend much knowledge of cold climates; the reader needs to think about their own climate in relation to other world climates in order to get the most from this book.The book is packed with excellent photos, and the information on growing preferences, moisture, origins in the wild is invaluable.Based on this, I've tried successfully many plants not supposed to grow here.It is the first book I grab when thinking about a plant, and as I mention above, I've loved it to death. I highly recommend for plant collectors, and experienced or ambitious gardeners.

Encyclopedic reference book
This book is an exhaustive encyclopedia of perennial plants grouped into three sections by their blooming time - spring, summer and autumn.It has beautiful pictures of each plant, with a number of varieties of each type included and pictured.I do not think, however, that it is a book for those who are new to gardening or who want to learn more about gardening with perennials.The plants are listed by their Latin names only, with no reference whatsoever to their common names.It therefore makes the book quite useless for someone who wants to look up or identify a plant and is not familiar with the Latin name.Basically, this lovely book is more of a dictionary or encyclopedia of plants, rather than a gardening guide or how-to.And although beautiful to look through, and a good and thorough reference for those well versed in perennials, it is not helpful as a gardening book for someone who is looking for more gardening and plant guidance. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Allan Armitage has a well-deserved reputation for serving upsolid information with precision and humor. Now based in Georgia,Armitage began his gardening career in Montreal. Thus, he knows a lotabout what happens to plants in both Northern and Southern gardens. Heshares his experience and experiments with great good will, offering adepth and breadth of information that is rarely surpassed. Armitage'stake on hundreds of hardy perennials includes cultural specifics,propagation techniques, and suggested companions. This chunky book mayseem intimidating, but don't let the textbook look put you off--allthe information, technical or otherwise, is presented in clear,accessible terms that won't puzzle beginners yet offer advancedgardeners the answers they are seeking. On the whole, Armitage avoidstrendy tender perennials such as Meconopsis (the blue Himalayanpoppy) that don't perform well for most North American gardeners. Hisfocus is on solidly hardy plants, those that thrive in USDA zones 3 to8. He does, however, include a few newly popular plants such asGunnera, the enormous Chilean foliage plants, and there arelengthy sections for hellebores, heucheras, and other horticulturallyhot plants, mentioning and rating many of the newest namedselections. --Ann Lovejoy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Herbaceous Perennial Plants, by Armitage
The book was in perfect, new condition, exactly as I'd ordered it.
Arrived quickly for my summer reading enjoyment!!

Armitage Rocks!
This book is in the same line of the Dirr manuals: authoritative, greatly detailed, and extensive.

Third Edition
The 3rd edition, with Crocosmia on the cover, came out in hardback earlier this year, 2008.Make sure you don't inadvertently order an older edition.All the previous, positive reviews hold here - Armitages's wit and bountiful descriptions, growing information, etc., more species and cultivars.The color photos are in several places, as compared to the center.I bought the 2nd edition in paperback, used, and the photos and text pages are falling out. The 3rd has fewer but larger pages (1108); the font isn't as contrast-y.Unfortunately, the color in many of the photos looks muddy. Glad for the new one. Muddy photos not withstanding, it's a 5 in my book.

The Best for Perennials
This is my go to reference for perennial plants.Informative, witty, just a good read for serious gardeners. More information on culture of specific cultivars than any other.

Unfortunately, I'm told that Dr. Armitage has retired from the University of Georgia and is now turning his attention to shrubs, so I suspect we will not see another edition of this book.If you love gardening, get this one while you can.

A Virginia Gardener

Encyclopedic and opinionated; points off for spelling
Allan Armitage knows his plants.That's what I've always heard, and this book amply demonstrates it.This book covers just about every garden perennial grown in North America, including many that most of us would consider annuals or at best tender perennials (e.g., cannas).Armitage isn't afraid to tell his opinion of any plant, straightforwardly telling the reader that that's exactly what he's doing--something I especially appreciate as gardening is such an individual and idiosyncratic activity.Anybody who feigns objectivity with regard to gardening is being disingenuous at best.

There are two major drawbacks with this book.The first, and most forgivable, is the dearth of color photos.There are just a few tucked in the middle of the book, illustrating a small minority of the plants discussed in the text.Color photos are expensive, and given a choice between pretty pictures and informative text, I'm at a point in my gardening life where I'll go with the text.I can always look up the pictures in the other gardening books I have, which often have precious little information to go with them.Unfortunately, this will probably discourage many a casual book browser from buying this book--people want to see the pretty pictures, darn it!But that's not the author's fault, and it's a shame, since this book has so much good information.Unfortunately, the line drawings that stand in for photos of many of the plants are very uneven in quality, and some are worse than no picture at all.

The second major fault, and one that I found very frustrating and far less forgivable given that Armitage is an expert in his field as well as a professional, is the large number of typographical errors, misspellings, and other errors in the book.Did anybody bother to proofread this thing???Both plant names and other words are misspelled.In more than one case, a word or name is misspelled the same way more than once (e.g., "Hildago" for "Hidalgo", Yucca "filimentosa" for "filamentosa"), suggesting that they are not simple goofs or typos.Gardeners have a hard enough time spelling plant names without being misled by the pros!These errors mar what is otherwise an excellent and informative book. ... Read more

Product Description
A hands-on guide to growing perennials with an easy-to-use chart of details on culture, bloom color, and use for over 300 plants. Includes keys for successful perennial gardening, creating a garden that blooms in all seasons, turning any property into a living work of art, and more. 81 color photographs; 58 illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

One of my favorites!
I love this book, but my favorite section deals with soil amendment, and describes double digging in some detail.It took a long time and a lot of work, but I finally got my garden's soil to the point where, as the authors describe, I could literally shove my clenched fist into it.

great book
This book has been really helpful especially giving information regarding color schemes in monocrome with different blooming cycles . A must for gardners!

Every gardener should study these color and design theories
This book has a lot of useful things to say about color and garden design. Some of the color theories presented are flaky and esoteric (such as detailed color-emotion link tables, and matching hues to musical notes and making a literal "color harmony"), but the reader is free to learn and choose from many color and design theories. Since garden design is a subjective art, I can reject the need to use, say, the "golden section" in a given design, yet believe that it's a good idea to consciously consider it.

The book also has about 150 pages of information on specific perennials, by genus, and chapters on matters such as building up soil, and building paths - wasted pages if you already have a good basic library. For me, the book's best feature is its 80 well-annotated color plates, arranged by season, showing either a medium close-up of 2 or 3 plants or a broader landscape view. It always inspires and humbles me. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether planting Blue Fortune Anise-Hyssop, Hydrangeas, or Wisteria, everything a gardener needs to know about perennials is packed in this one compact guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Eyewitness does it again!
Eyewitness Handbooks are simply the best.I have several, including one on horses, aquarium fish and the annuals/biennials garden book.(I'm planning to purchase the other Eyewitness Garden Handbooks shortly.) There is just no substitute for seeing a full color picture of the adult plant.Although quite comprehensive (over 1000 photos and plants), it was organized by the size of the plant (large, medium, small) and then the season of bloom.I'm probably spoiled with computer CD ROMs that are searchable by any criteria: I wanted to find plants based on recommended sun exposure.But this wasn't really a big problem for me.Besides the beautiful clear photograhy, one of its best features was the index.It was basically organized by the scientific names, but the common names were also listed, with a "see ...." reference.This is not always the case in plant/animal books, and I appreciated it very much.I recommend that you buy this book.There's nothing better, unless Eyewitness comes out with a searchable CD ROM.

Interesting organization but specific plants hard to locate.
The photos are beautiful, and I love the organization by size, color, and season of interest, but good luck finding most of these at the nursery -- common names are provided for maybe one-fourth of the plants, and when a common name is given, it may not be the name you're familiar with. I would like to have lots of these plants in my garden, but I don't know what to look for at the nursery.And I don't think the workers at my local nurseries are going to know what, say, "phlomis russeliana" is, even if I tell them it's in the family "Lamiacae/Labiatae" (assuming I could pronounce half this stuff!)

Or let's say you want to look at a certain plant, maybe one you've spotted at the nursery, to see whether it's right for you.Let's use "yarrow" as an example."Yarrow" is not in the table of contents or the index, but if you happen to know that yarrow is "achillea", you will find several different yarrows in this book.None of them list "yarrow" as a common name, but that's what all the nurseries around here call them.And even though there's a 7-page section on peonies, "peony" is not in the index (you have to know it's really "paeonia").

The sections on landscaping, propogation, planting, etc., are minimal -- the catalog of plants is the focus of the book.

In short, I think the presentation of plants in this book is a great idea that has not been implemented fully enough to be useful.

Very useful, with a landscape based look at perennials.
This is a workhouse reference, filled from cover to cover with solid information.Entries start with family name, common name where applicable, and botanical name of the plant under discussion.Each variety has a picture, a description of form, flowers, and leaves, plus notes on the plant's origins, growing requirements, and propagation.The pictures themselves are relatively small but well shot, a good percentage of them include leaves and/or clumps of plants as well the flowers themselves.

This book covers all of the basics normally found in a plant reference, including propagation, maintenance care, and basic planting principals.The layout, however, betrays its real focus, which is landscaping.

Landscaping and cultivation are so closely tied that many gardeners forget the difference.However, one focuses on growing a single plant to its maximum potential while the other concerns itself with presenting plants in a setting.Whereas a book on cultivation will present species either alphabetically or by color, this book presents flowers in terms of their 'social' attributes:Size, season, and color.

Bottom line:Excellent perusing material for people who like to plan ahead.It includes all the basics of cultivation, and pulls it together in a format designed to help you think in terms of beds rather than just flowers.

OK, depending on your needs
As a new homeowner, I was looking for a book that would give me some basic information about perennials, including some good choices to add to my new garden.While this book certainly provides many varieties to choose from,I often couldn't find information on those perennials that were already inmy yard!Definitely for the advanced perennial gardener.

Excellent book for perennial lovers
What makes this book so terrific is the way it's laid out.Plants are grouped by size, season of bloom, and color.For example, you want to find a tall yellow plant that blooms in summer.Just turn to the part of the book that says, "Tall, summer interest," and look for the yellow flowers grouped together.Then choose from among those possibilities something that will grow in your garden.Every plant is further described for hardiness, care,use, and propagation.Further, it is not limited to a few selected plants, but is quite complete.The only perennial that I could think of not mentioned was lavender. ... Read more

Product Description
Returning with showy brilliance year after year, perennials continue to be the center of gardening interest both nationally and regionally. Master gardener Marty Wingate and photographer Jacqueline Koch present a gorgeous and definitive guide to the best perennials for Northwestern climates, filled with specific advice on how to select the best type and quality, as well as recommendations on which perennials work best together (similar light and water needs). The book features 150 full descriptions of plant families, plus annotated lists of almost 50 more perennials. Wingate's easy-to-follow instructions on caring for perennials are enhanced by Koch's lovely photos, which fill the book with vibrant color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

NW Perennials
While planning a new flower bed in Oregon I needed expertise.With pine and cedar overhead and shade most of the day this little booklet gave me so many different choices and ways to plant my perennials.I love this little book!

Big Book of NW Perennials
This book is "chock full" of large color photos inspirational for gardening "phantasies" or simple meditation.The text within isperfectly informative without being too lengthy.This is a wonderful addition to any gardeners library. ... Read more

Product Description
Perennials are every gardener's favorite plants. They provide colorful flowers and leafy foliage, and, best of all, their beauty returns year after year. In this fully illustrated guide, you"ll find

- The bestnew cultivars of the beloved old-fashioned plants of grandmother"s garden

- Exciting new introductions from all over the world

- Today"s popular ornamental grasses, perfect for combining with other perennials in low-maintenance gardens

- Ferns to grow among the flowers

And for every plant pictured, you"ll find complete growing information as well as notes on how to propagate your own plants to fill your garden with "free" flowers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

taylor's guide to perennials
The inside pages were fine, cover may have been bent a bit in shipping. Overall, it's fine.

Textbook
Book was shipped when promised and was exactly as described, so no surprises. I would buy from this source again.

Best source for a novice
This book was exactly what I needed.Never seem to know the name of the
flower, and the beautiful photos are invaluable.Very helpful to know what plants work in this time zone, and there are many helpful tips forplanting and feeding.A permanent reference in my home.

Nice addition for your gardening library.....
George Shenk's book on growing gardens in shade is still one of the best books out there for shade gardening, as far as I am concerned, but TAYLOR'S 50 BEST PERENNIALS FOR SHADE is also very useful. Besides, the Taylor book includes plenty of colorfulphotographs.
If you're like me and you plant hundreds of tulips every year, in areas that will be plunged into shade when your neighbor's trees leaf out, you probably have discovered the value of "over-planting" perennial flowers (annuals generally require lot's of sun). Taylor's book explains how you go about planting covers for your bulbs, as they go dormant, by adding shade loving plants that will naturalize and hide the dying bulb foliage and thus hide the bulbs neatly until the following spring. (You should be amending the area with bulb food to ensure next year's bloom).
I have a particularly troublesome side yard, under a neighbor's Persian Walnut tree, where I have over-planted Solomon's Seal, Astilbe, and Creeping Woodruff (each one is pictured and described in this book) along with various bulbs and shade loving bushes such as Nandina and Skimmia, and I can testify that over-planting works well. Next year, I am going to try Tiarella Cordifolia (Foamflower) under the Foster Holly at the back of my yard. Taylor's book suggests about a dozen companion plants that will grow with the foam-flower including Bleeding Hearts which I love, and which are beautiful with white tulips.

Fantastic Reference for the Perennial Gardener
This is an excellent, encyclopedic reference guide, whether you are trying to identify existing plantings or add perennials to your garden.There is a section with lots of backround gardening information; soil preparation, feeding, watering and etc.The really useful part is the plant guide.

There is a long section with color photographs of hundreds of flowering perennials.This is followed by a comprehensive descriptive guide to the plants, arranged alphabetically by Latin family name.A general description is followed by specific growing tips and varietal descriptions.All the photographs and descriptions are cross-referenced by page number so it is easy to go from a picture to a description or vice-versa.A comprehensive index further adds to the book's ease of use.

If you are dreaming of, or caring for, a perennial garden, this book is indispensable.As it points out, there are tens of thousands of perennials, most of which are not specifically addressed, but basic traits and cultivation methods are shared by thousands of varieties within each genus.This book will guide you to a successful planting plan for your climate. ... Read more

Product Description
Every gardener wants to create breathtaking designs with color, form, and texture. But perennial combinations present challenges: How do I know all plants will bloom at the same time? How do I pick plants that have interest in each season? Most perplexing -- which plants look good together in the first place?

Perennial Companions takes away the guesswork by providing Tom Fischer's 100 proven picks. New gardeners will learn how to create simple pairings with two plants and gardeners with a bit more experience -- or beginners looking for a challenge -- will find complex arrangements with four or more plants. Arranged chronologically by season, spanning the earliest spring to the onset of winter, each entry identifies all the main plants by both common and botanical names, specifies the care and conditions each requires, and indicates when the combination reaches its peak of beauty.

Love flowers? You'll find both quiet compositions and bold blends. Prefer the texture of leaves? You'll find ferns and soft sweeping grasses. Better yet? Combine both for sophisticated tapestries that beguile and dazzle the eye.Whether you want to create a small-scale sanctuary, a welcoming path, or a bewitching border, you'll find an abundance of inspiration in this perfect package.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Beautiful - classy combinations!
A+ Very classy combinations - I prefer more pinks and pastels but these combos are truly beautiful!

Prennial Companions
"I have been a fan of Mr Fisher for some years. I followed his articles in Horticulture Magazine and am happy to see he is with my favorite horticultural publishing company, Timber Press, in Portand OR; just across the river from where we are.
This book was so fun to read as he suggests combinations that I had not thought of, and leads me on to do some imagining on my own, some new ideas.

Not delivered in condition promised
The book was very nice, and arrived on time. However, there was a large crease in the cover, as though it had been bent backwards while being inserted into the envelope (it was a new book). What was otherwise a nice Mother's Day gift was effectively turned into a second-hand afterthought.

Photos of perennial plant associations.
Any one with a passion for perennials will be thrilled to find this small size book on 100 photos of plant associations. Every photo shows a combination of plants, and these are identified with their botanical and common names.
Easy to know which plants are at their best; as all photos are arranged in their season of perfection. Tom Fischer gives a commentary relating to the photo opposite. The photos are full page, superb, clear and the colours are true to the plants.
The small size of the book could be a small point against the publication, but would make a great gift to that special person interested in perennial border gardening and designing.
I find that Helianthella quinguenervis on page 178 appears to be the same as Helianthus 'Lemon Queen'. Difficult to tell them apart; if there is any difference!
Most photo locations are given in the front of the book, which I find extremely helpful. Lots of the photos are taken at Bressingham Gardens in Norfolk UK; which is great to see these famous borders so well photographed by the Bloom family and presented in book form.
Well worth owning. ... Read more

Product Description
How to grow flowers through the year, with a practical guide to gardeningskills for every type of situation, climate and style of garden. Step-by-step techniques and more than 250 practical photographs. ... Read more

Product Description
On location in Colorado for her syndicated television show, Gardening with Nature, filming alpine butterflies and avalanche lilies, Louise Eldridge can see why this beautiful terrain is as precious as gold. Then the pure Rocky Mountain air is fouled by the discovery of elderly rancher Jimmy Porter's body, shot to death and draped like a coyote carcass over his own backyard fence. Louise soon discovers a staggering list of suspects, since Jimmy's plan to sell his 13,000-acre ranch to a government preservation program left a lot of family, friends, and competitors with much to lose. Throw in a second death, a closed nuclear plant, a CIA investigation involving Louise's husband, and a bullet hole in her cowboy hat, and Louise suddenly realizes she's onto a killer as hardy as the native skeleton weed-and seemingly as indestructible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Snob
If you enjoy being lectured to by a lefty, elitist snob and if you believe that your 'heroine' can outrun bullets, then Ripley books are just the ones for you.

Good mystery except for gardening essays
Muggy and moist Washington DC is home to Louise Eldridge, hostess of the PBS show "Gardening with Nature." Her director sends Louise to the Boulder area as part of a series of location shows on "The Open Spaces." Louise finds the dry mountain climate of Colorado as quite ashock and she has a hard time adjusting. Though a TV personality, Louisehas gained quite a national reputation for her work on homicideinvestigations. However, she hopes that her western stay remains troublefree.

Unfortunately on her first day in Boulder, Louise finds a deadbody. Local rancher Jimmy Porter, whose spread was going to be used byLouise, has a bullet in his chest. The chauvinistic sheriff declares apoacher killed Jimmy. Almost everyone else thinks otherwise. Reluctantly,Louise is dragged into the investigation. She soon learns that almosteveryone close to Jimmy had a motive to kill him and that the real culpritmay soon have a reason to murder Louise.

Anyone who enjoys gardeningwill be happy for the insight provided throughout the novel. Those who havelittle interest in gardening can easily skip through those passages withoutlosing the theme of the main story line. Although the plot requires a bigleap of faith at certain points, amateur sleuth fans will enjoy THEPERENNIAL KILLER because of the likable heroine. Readers will sympathizewith her problems even as they applaud her inner strength, which carriesthe tale. Ann Ripley elasticized the credibility of her subplots beyond thereach of Mr. Fantastic, but those readers who enjoy an entertaininggardening cozy will still feel a Rocky Mountain High after reading thisnovel.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Book Review
Great book for an overall review of business opportunities in horticulture & the time, money & effort involved in just getting started.

A hollow guide for serious perennial growers and sellers
This book completely lacks technical and even practical steps on planning, growing and marketing perennials.It has no continuity or orderly progression of any steps to take if deciding to grow perennials for pleasure -- let along for developing a business.It states generalities while giving no insight into the conclusions presented. The book's layout and lack of visual references (i.e. graphs, pictures, charts, tables) makes it hard to follow and stay interested. The biggest dissappointment of all: The book is riddled with the authors advice to buy his starter seed kits for those looking to grow perennials. There are many good references on perennials - both technical and pratical - that would be well worth investing a little more money into their selection. ... Read more

Product Description
This classic on native plants encourages the garden use of wild flowers, grasses, ground covers, and hardy ferns native to the eastern and midwestern U.S., suggesting suitable plants for woodland, meadow, and wetland features in the garden. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

wonderfully organized!
This book is not meant to be an encyclopedia but a guide to gardening in the midwestern and eastern US.After the opening discussion of general issues (planning, management, soil, light, nutrients, pH, etc.) come several sections, each of which provides gardening information and detailed lists of native plants according to several possible sites -- sun, shade, meadow, bog -- plus separate sections for ferns, for grasses, sedges, and rushes, and for native ground covers.This is exactly what I've been looking for!
A note to the reviewer who complained of the book's including the invasive Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife).Had you looked on p. 165 where it is cited in the Index, you would have seen this warning: "This introduced species with tall, magenta-colored spikes has become a noxious weed along stream banks and around ponds in the North, choking out many interesting native species.Purple Loosestrife is so aggressive that it should never be planted."

Includes invasive species!
Don't buy this book!It says it lists native wildflowers, but lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) is listed in the table of contents.This species has been listed as an invasive species or noxious weed in about thirty states.Its sale is prohibited by law in several of those states.Obviously the authors did not do their homework. I wouldn't be surprized if there were other invasives listed in there too.

Good content, don't like how it's presented
This is one of the better books when it comes to information about growing native plants. The authors are not shy about their opinions and the book is better for it.

On the down side, the book is not nearly as exhaustive as Cullina's books.I also don't like that it puts the photographs apart from the text, as this makes for some annoying page-flipping. The quality of the photographs is also rather amateurish.

A tepid recommendation would be a hearty one with a better layout and improved pictures.

too garbled
I have an extensive collection of books on native plants - and the plants
to go with them! This book is one of my least favorite. The information is
not well sorted or presented.I would recommend C. Colston Burrell's
"Encyclopedia of Wildflowers" in preference to this book.
Or Carole Otteson's "Native Plant Primer" with trees and shrubs in addition to
herbaceous perennials.

The bible of native flowers!
I never thought I would take a gardening book to bed with me. This one is a pleasure to read and taught me a lot about identification and gardening uses of native wildflowers of the southeast and northeast.It's the first book I grab to look up a species.Lots of full color photographs have made it much easier for me to identify the plants I want at the nursery. The two authors are coming from different perspectives - one has a natural meadow/woodlands landscape and the other uses native plants in a more controlled garden setting along with exotics.Between the two of them, the reader gets a balanced idea of the possibilities of introducing native flowers to their own yards.I only wish the index combined scientific names with common names, rather than having two separate indexes.It would also be convenient if the plant photos were on the same pages as the descriptions.But those are minor criticisms of an overall superb book. ... Read more

Product Description
Create beautiful gardens and grow healthy perennials ideally suited for zones 3, 4, and 5.Emphasizing basic good gardening techniques, the author answers such questions as How do I start a garden? Where do I plant? What is a good fertilizer? When should I mulch?A home gardener, Joan demystifies and simplifies gardening with a commonsense approach that makes growing perennials accessible to most everyone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A disappointing book
I picked this book based on the positive reviews on Amazon, but sadly was disappointed that I wasted money on it.The auther is, certainly, passionate about gardening in the mid-west, and her interest is clear.But, as a useful guide for creating a yard, it's not so good - it's a random stream of thoughts, and I did not find the photos to be the least bit helpful.There are so many better choices for books on mid-west gardening.Save your money.

Great narrative on starting and tending gardens in upper Midwest
This is a great book. Heart-felt narrative by author who give steps to establish a perennial shade garden in Wisconsin (zone 3-4). I think it would be a wonderful addition for a new gardener who want a step-by-step narrative describing the work (and sometimes rework) required when establishing and maintaining a garden.

Since my style of gardening is using natives in sunny zone 5, the suggestions for plants really won't work for me. The suggestions about how to create harmonious and relaxing areas is applicable to any garden.

Just what we needed
Layout and design of this book brings inspiration for the expirienced gardener and easy reference for the needy. Great pictures too. Shipment arrived well wrapped within a week!

Creating a Perennial Garden in the Midwest
I think this is an excellent book and I will make good use of it.

Something missing
Lots of pretty pictures, but no information on zones. Because of cold winters, the zones of each plant is important to me. I have to do additional research to find out if a given plant is suitable forthe climate I live in. ... Read more

Book Description
Actually the first North American edition, translated from the fourth German edition, this volume describes a new way of using perennials in parks and gardens based on ecological rather than purely aesthetic principles. It demonstrates how attention to ecological needs of herbaceous perennials can result in low maintenance plantings in parks and other public spaces. Nearly all the perennials currently available from nurseries are categorized according to the conditions in which they are most likely to thrive in the face of competition from other plants and weeds. Includes 32 pages of color photographs and numerous b&w drawings. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or. ... Read more

Product Description
More than 250,000 copies sold! Tried and true advice on the best plants to choose for any garden type. Includes pointers for selecting flowers for color, height range, blooming periods and drying bouquets, as well as many other valuable gardening hints. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great resource for gardeners
This is an excellent resource for gardeners.I took my copy to the garden centers last year and the staff loved it because I knew what I wanted and what I was talking about.Hole's easy to follow instructions on planting and care resulted in ALL of my perrenials coming up this year.Blogging on MySpace right now and recommending this text.

great book
This is a great book for gardners in the colder shorter growing regions.What I like is that there are no plants included that will not grow in my region (3) so I spent no time browsing plants that only grow further south.Nice book at a reasonable price from a knowledgeble author

My Springtime Bible!
I have both Lois Holes "Perennial Favorites" and "Practical Advice and the Science Behind it" and have found both books to be extremely helpful, since I live in Saskatchewan.I carry "perennial Favorites" with me when I am shopping for perennials!It is extremely helpful to me as I am a forst-time gardener.They are easy to read,have fabulous pictures of what the plants actually look like, and have very detailed care information.I will continue to purchase her books!Thank you Lois Hole for some sound advice on Saskatchean gardening!

My Springtime Bible!
I have both Lois Holes "Perennial Favorites" and "Practical Advice and the Science Behind it" and have found both books to be extremely helpful, since I live in Saskatchewan.I carry "Perennial Favorites" with me when I am shopping for perennials!It is extremely helpful to me as I am a first-time gardener.They are easy to read, have fabulous pictures of what the plants actually look like, and have very detailed care information.I will continue to purchase her books!Thank you Lois Hole for some sound advice on Saskatchean gardening!

Confidence-building perennial book!Absolutely!
Midwest perennial gardener here!This is the easiest, most helpful gardening book I own for choosing a new perennial or figuring out what's going wrong with an older one.All the pictures are in color and show the plants in clear close-up shots and as they look when planted.The Latin names are where they should be-off to the side, and Ms. Hole recommends the best variety and explains why it's the best.She also lists the other varieties available to clear up confusion, gives thorough planting steps, includes the length of time the plant will take to mature (read "look good in your garden"), and a host of other tips.These are all beautifully written on a two-three page spread for each plant!Add chapters on planning a garden, choosing the plants, preparing soils, trying different types of perennial gardens, throw in a host of well laid-out "quick" lists, and you have a very useful guide. Handy, easy, and confidence-building for the beginner or the intermediate gardener!Recommended absolutely! ... Read more

Product Description
These comprehensive and collectable handy books contain a wealth of gardening knowledge that will inspire both the novice and the experienced gardener.Every horticultural term is explained, and common names of plants are given in a clear and concise chart. ... Read more

Product Description
Hardy perennials are not only captivating and beautiful but also reliable and value for money. They can provide you with a stunning array of seasonal highlights, introducing colour, texture, fragrance and shape into any border, bed or container. This revised edition of "The Gardening Which? Guide to Successful Perennials" includes up-to-date results of "Gardening Which?" growing trials and offers plenty of tips on how to buy and care for your new plants. It covers more than 160 hardy perennials, from acanthus to zantedeschia, with sections on bamboos and ornamental grasses and a new section on ferns. Each entry also features recommendations on which variety to select and suggestions for good companion plants to create eye-catching combinations of flowers and foliage. Whether you want to inject new life into existing areas such as shrub borders, shady ground under trees or a sunny patio, or to create inspiring new features such as a gravel garden, meadow or pond-side plantings, this guide will help you transform your garden. ... Read more