Garden Reference Books
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Alpine Plants of North America: An Encyclopedia of Mountain Flowers from the Rockies to Alaska
Book Description: This comprehensive pictorial encyclopedia discusses 650 species in 54 genera, with many subspecies, varieties, and hybrids also described. Intended to be as useful for the gardener as the traveler, each entry concludes with a discussion of propagation and cultivation information, as well as warnings about pertinent pests and diseases.
American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
Book Description: The most comprehensive, detailed, and lavishly illustrated guide to garden plants ever published, first published in 1997, has now been completely revised to include nearly 250 new plants and photos. The AHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants is an essential reference for all gardeners, from novices to experts.
American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
This was one of my first reference books. I still use it as it sorts its photos by time of bloom, color and size. This is handy for those times you need to fill the garden with a certain size plant with a specific color and bloom time. If you don't want the large A-Z version this one will do nicely as a reference for your library.
Book Description: An essential source for all gardeners and plant lovers. Its 400-page plant catalog describes and illustrates in full color 4,000 species and varieties of plants.
American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers: The Definitive Practical Guide
Book Description: Combining the authority of the AHS with the visual expertise of DK, this full-color gardening reference is the definitive guide for gardeners. Simply the definitive full-color reference to the horticulture of North America, AHS Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers contains more than 8,000 plant profiles, over 4,250 photographs, and practical advice on everything from cultivation, pests, and diseases, to plant selection and identification.
Armitage's Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials
Book Description: Annuals are experiencing a resurgence, as today’s gardeners demand a wider variety of options in plant selection. No longer confined to monotone bedding plants, dozens of "unusual" annuals are now available at garden centers in colors and forms far removed from the classic annual bed of pink petunias or red geraniums.
Botanica's Roses: The Encyclopedia of Roses
From Library Journal An exceptional reference on one of the world's favorite flowers. After introductory information on the rose's history and culture, there's about 600 pages of terrific photos and accurate descriptions. Aside from the thousands of cultivars listed, there's also an excellent section on wild roses. A very useful reference table summarizes the main features of each rose.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Botany for Gardeners, Revised Edition
Botany for Gardeners offers a clear explanation of how plants grow.
* What happens inside a seed after it is planted?
* How are plants structured?
* How do plants adapt to their environment?
* How is water transported from soil to leaves?
* Why are minerals, air, and light important for healthy plant growth?
* How do plants reproduce?
The answers to these and other questions about complex plant processes, written in everyday language, allow gardeners and horticulturists to understand plants "from the plant's point of view."A best-seller since its debut in 1990, Botany for Gardeners has now been expanded and updated, and includes an appendix on plant taxonomy and a comprehensive index. Two dozen new photos and illustrations make this new edition even more attractive than its predecessor.
Book Description A best-seller since its debut in 1990, Botany for Gardeners has now been expanded and updated, and includes an appendix on plant taxonomy and a comprehensive index. Two dozen new photos and illustrations make this new edition even more attractive than its predecessor.
The Color Encyclopedia of Hostas
Book Description: Hostas have come a long way since Thomas Hogg Junior sent his first shipment from Japan to his family’s Manhattan nursery in 1862. They are now consistently voted the gardener’s favorite perennial and it takes merely a glance to understand why. Their clean lines, sumptuous leaves and elegant flowers offer great potential for striking specimen plantings and also make them the most accommodating of companion plants.
With the advent of tissue culture and the rise of specialist nurseries, the range of hostas available has increased rapidly, and now gardeners are faced with a bewildering choice of over 4000 species and cultivars. The core of this encyclopedia is a fully illustrated collection of the world’s finest hostas handpicked by leading specialist Diana Grenfell. This valuable resource provides a full description and color photograph for more than 750 plants, equipping hosta lovers to judge esthetic merit and to choose the right plant for a particular situation. Organized by color, the encyclopedia is tailor-made to satisfy quests for the perfect glaucous blue or a cheerful yellow to light up a dark corner. Mike Shadrack’s enticing photographs capture the qualities of each hosta that make it distinctive and uniquely desirable.Since hostas vary greatly in their individual requirements, the fine-tuned advice in the cultivation chapter will enable growers to raise their plants to a very high standard. Readers will be fascinated as Grenfell vividly recounts expeditions by collectors, breeders and nursery owners to study hostas in the wild, and charts their introduction to the West. Informative sections on hosta classification and botany, gardening ideas, advice on pests and diseases and a quick-reference list of the best hostas for different purposes add depth to this comprehensive review of the present-day hosta. This book will delight all gardeners and find a treasured place on the bookshelves of hosta enthusiasts everywhere.
Conifers: The Illustrated Encyclopedia (2 Volumes)
Book Description: Compiled by two of the world's authorities on the subject and illustrated throughout in full color, this book is the most complete collection of photographs 2,347 strong of conifers ever assembled. It is published in two volumes, which nearly doubles the pages of Timber Press's acclaimed earlier book Conifers, Second Edition, written by the same authors.
Dictionary of Plant Names
Book Description: Have you ever wanted to match a plant's common name with its botanical equivalent? Or wanted to know how a plant got its name and what it means? Or wished you knew how to properly pronounce the Latin names of your favorite garden plants?
The Dictionary of Plant Names is a guide that not only cross references common names to their Latin counterparts, but also details the origins, meanings, and pronunciation of each name.
Each genus name is followed by the suggested pronunciation, the family in which it is placed, and the derivation of the name (Latin, Greek, or other). Then the main garden use of the plants in the genus, e.g. herbaceous perennials, trees, etc., is listed. Many interesting facts come to light in the origin of the Latinate name, for example that Kalmia is named after Pehr Kalm, a Finnish student of Linnaeus. Each genus concludes with the common name and place of origin of the whole species, if applicable. Species are listed alphabetically under the genus with the same categories of information.
Allen Coombes is a botanist with a rich background in plant lore. His botanical expertise and extensive knowledge of plant history make this a fascinating, compact volume. It is the type of book one picks up to answer a specific question and keeps on reading out of curiosity and enjoyment. The Dictionary of Plant Names is one of Timber Press' perennial bestsellers for its information and entertainment value.
Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia
Book Description: This bestselling encyclopedia, illustrated with brilliant photographs, describes the best woody plants adapted to cooler climates, showing both habit and details of more than 500 species, and including some 700 additional cultivars and varieties. Brief cultural information is supplied for each plant, as well as Dirr's perceptive comments and opinions.
Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates: An Illustrated Encyclopedia
Book Description: Following the phenomenal success of Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs, written for gardeners in the climates of USDA zones 3–6, this companion volume is a photographic encyclopedia of trees, shrubs, and vines for "warm temperate" zones. In North America, these areas (zones 7–11) stretch from the Mid-Atlantic states to the South, include most of Texas and the Southwest, and encompass the entire West Coast up to western Canada. Any gardener who lives in an area where average winter temperatures do not fall below 0° Fahrenheit (–18° Celsius) will want this book, and curious gardeners in colder zones may well want to test these select plants in their local microclimates. This remarkable volume shows both the habit and details—flower, fruit, bark, fall color—of more than 400 species and describes hundreds more cultivars and varieties. Certain genera offer myriad hybrids and selections, and photographs of many of the best of these are included as well—nearly 40 named crapemyrtles, a dozen teaolives, and 11 loropetalums. In all, more than 1400 photographs join with the authoritative text to bring the plants to life. From Abelia to Ziziphus, gardeners will encounter many new and unfamiliar plants that thrive in warmer climates. The book also reflects the author's inimitable personality, which holds nothing back when a plant deserves outright acclaim ("If prescriptions could be written for perfect garden plants, this species would come close to filling the order"), backhanded praise ("Use for accent, for novelty, or to drive visitors loony"), or frank condemnation ("Splays to the point of no redemption with time"). The book concludes with useful lists for selecting plants for a variety of conditions or for ornamental characteristics, such as flower color and fragrance, fruit, and fall color.
Flora: A Gardener's Encyclopedia
Book Description This comprehensive, beautifully illustrated encyclopedia of plants contains information on over 20,000 plants from all around the world. Organized in an A to Z format by botanical name, the individual entries provide a detailed description of each plant and its features, notes on origin, cultivation requirements, growth habit, propagation and pests and diseases.
The introduction explains how the 12 climatic zones work, and looks at the environment and the plants that grow in those zones. Lists of plants suitable for growing in specific areas, for example, alpine gardens and seaside gardens, are also given. In addition, the introduction provides ideas for garden design.
Flora covers all the plants groups: trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials, bulbs, corms and tubers, cacti and succulents, lawns, ground covers, ornamental grasses, herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, other fruits, nut trees, palms and cycads, ferns, climbers and creepers, and orchids.
Written by a team of international botanical and horticultural writers, this book will allow all gardeners to choose the perfect plants for their garden, and expand their knowledge on the wealth of plants available. The stunning color photography from all around the world is the perfect complement to the text.
Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual
This book is meant for those serious about botany. The keys are extensive. It does need updating but still an excellent book used by our universities and botanists.
Gardener's Latin
Book Description: For more than a decade, gardeners have been turning to a beautiful little hardcover book called Gardener's Latin, by Bill Neal. Neal understood that as Latin terms began appearing with increasing frequency on nursery tags and gardening catalogs, gardeners would need help. So he weeded through the Latin words that describe and distinguish among plants and flowers and compiled a volume of select, brief, clear definitions.
Gardener's Latin leads us down the path from abbreviatus to zonatus, turning aside here and there along the way for little-known horticultural facts and fables and the wisdom of gardeners from Virgil to Vita Sackville-West.
The Genus Arisaema: A Monograph for Botanists and Nature Lovers
Book Description: Arisaemas have become increasingly popular and highly prized for their sculptural aspect and their intriguing inflorescences. Adding to the fascination of arisaemas is their ability, unique in Araceae, to change their sex many times during their lifetime. This book represents the first attempt since Engler's classification in 1910 to bring order to the confused state of knowledge about the genus in its geographical range. Richly illustrated, this botanical treatment is a comprehensive and invaluable resource for botanists, arisaema growers, and nature lovers.
The Genus Epimedium and Other Herbaceous Berberidaceae (A Botanical Magazine Monograph)
Horticulturists will relish this beautifully illustrated volume on two woodland genera. The text on Epimedium is a substantial revision of Stearn's original 1938 volume; Julian Shaw contributed the section on Podophyllum. The entry for each plant includes an illustration by color photo or watercolor, and features a description, history of its discovery and study, distribution, and a list of references. - Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR
Book of the Week 8/31/03.
The Genus Paeonia
Book Description Twenty-five species of the genus Paeonia are documented in these pages, including 40 subspecies and varieties. Also included herein is the closely related genus Glaucidium. With only two species, it will be of intense interest to peony fanciers. Waddick provides valuable information on growing peony species, with a full account of soil considerations, hardiness, propagation, and diseases and pests. The text is graced with stunning botanical paintings. Sponsored by the Heartland Peony Society, which helped fund its publication, The Genus Paeonia is a rare work of beauty, science, and practical value.
Great Flowering Landscape Shrubs
Book Description: With stunning color photos throughout, this gardening guide describes more than 50 types of the best flowering shrubs and details their use in home landscaping. Shrubs are arranged by genus, separated into deciduous flowering and notable evergreen shrubs, and listed with the common name; size and shape; foliage color, shape, and texture; flower and fruit (if any); soil, nutrient, and light needs; pruning needs for maximum growth and/or flower; and USDA Hardiness Zones. Details of specific species, cultivars, and varieties that lead to exceptional size, color, flower, hardiness, and durability are also included. Helpful hints on soil types, watering, pest control, and pruning explore how best to plant and care for any shrub. The appendix includes lists of nurseries, web sites for further information, and an extensive index and bibliography.
Hardy Herbaceous Perennials
Here is the English translation of the world's greatest encyclopedia of perennial plants. Included are 809 genera;4286 species, supspecies, varieties and hybrids; and 3617 cultivars. It is a peerless resource for perennial one-upmanship because of its inclusiveness, and this translation offers material on new introductions.
Hortus Third : A Concise Dictionary of Plants Cultivated in the United States and Canada
This is a book for the very serious gardener, garden writer or researcher. It is an expensive book and worth it for those that need an accurate and concise reference for cultivated plants.
Iris of China
Book Description: This monograph comprises Zhao's systematic analysis of China's 60 native and introduced species and Waddick's account of Chinese irises in the wild and in the garden, based on research that included a 7500-mile collecting expedition in 1989 and resulted in the introduction of many species previously unknown in the West.
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants : Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses
This is the bible for woody plants and indispensible reference book. Everything from propagation to growth rate and habit. This is its 5th edition.The one in my library is well used, I consider it the bible of trees and shrubs.
From Library Journal: Serving as an ideal companion to Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs (above), this classic manual offers thorough information on the woody trees and shrubs used in landscaping. Aside from each plant's physical description, there's also an elaboration of hardiness, growth rate, culture, diseases and insects, landscape value, cultivars, and propagation.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Perennials for American Gardens
An encyclopedic book, designed for the wide range of American climatic and cultural conditions. Includes 400 classes and 3000 species of cultivated varieties and hybrids. 360 full-color photos. Just published in '89, this is already a backlist bestseller
Rock Garden Plants: A Color Encyclopedia
Book Description: Rock Garden Plants: A Color Encyclopedia is a unique resource, invaluable for beginning and expert rock gardeners alike. From Abies balsamea to Zinnia grandiflora, Mineo mentions more than 1300 plants, none of which grow to more than 24 inches (60 centimeters). He describes plants that have extremely diverse characteristicsperennial, herbaceous, succulent, shrubby, woody, and more. They have very different requirements for sun, soil, and temperature; included are true alpines, plants for dry or desert areas, woodland plants, Mediterranean plants, and plants for other climates. A thorough appendix lists rock garden plants for specific purposes and locations.
Baldassare Mineo has been the managing owner of Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery in Medford, Oregon, since 1978. He has helped to solidify Siskiyous reputation as the premier alpine and rock gardening nursery in the United States, and he is a member of the North American Rock Garden Society and the Alpine Garden Society, as well as other plant-related organizations.
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials
Book Description: The definitive book on perennials is now bigger and better than ever!
The revised 10th Anniversary Edition of Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials is the last word on growing lush, healthy gardens using hundreds of gorgeous, versatile perennials. Highlights of this new edition include seven new garden designs by well-known landscape artists from around the country; over 75 new encyclopedia entries, with hundreds of new plants added; and three new chapters: Perennial Flower Finder, Perennial Combinations, and Growing with the Design. The result is a winning mix of information and inspiration-and beautiful color photographs-to take one's dream garden from concept to reality.
Western Garden Book
Sunset has been the recognized authority among western gardeners for more than 100 years. Their completely revised edition of the popular Western Garden Book includes more than 2,000 new plant entries, all new four-color plant illustrations, improved climate zone information for the Western states and new maps for Alaska, Hawaii, and southwest Canada. The book is brimming with full-color photos and practical tips for successful Western gardening from Sunset gardening editors.
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