4 comments about Begonias: Cultivation, Identification, and Natural History.

1. I would give this book top rating if I had had a scientific interest in the history of begonias. I bought it thinking it would have a lot of practical cultivation and propogation tips and it disappointed me in that respect. It's a very thoroughly written and documented botanist's book - not really targeting the home gardener.



2. I found this text to be very useful. The scientific classifications, including leaf shape, texture, stem placment and flower formation were introduced in an approachable and engaging manner. The section on pests and diseases that are problems for begonias was very useful. Learning the origin and natural habitat of various begonias really helps with their successful cultivation. I did not find the more scientific aspects offputting at all. The text is written in a way that I found very appealing, and the large number of color photographs make it visually rich. This is a very thorough and appealing look at the amazingly diverse begonia family.
   
   I would recommend this to anyone who wants to become more familiar with this fascinating plant family. For those of us with an acknowledged interest (ie, member of the American Begonia Society here) this book is a real treasure.



3. Anything and everything you wanted to know about Begonias. Very thorough, good pictures and an excellent reference book!



4. Great reference for species begonias. Probably more information than the average begonia grower will every use. I was hoping it would include more information on hybrids. Good information about culture and care.

1 comments about Calochortus: Mariposas and Their Relatives.

1. What a fabulous book. Detailed information on the Calochortus. Everything you could possibly need to know. The photos are absolutely amazing. Just a wonderful book start to finish. I keep it on my living room coffee table.

4 comments about Waterlilies and Lotuses: Species, Cultivars, and New Hybrids.

1. There is a lot of information on the newer lilies,but I was disappointed there weren't more pictures of the lilies.



2. I just bought this latest edition of Waterlilies and Lotuses after owning the last one for a few years and I was glad to see photos and information on many new varieties.
   
   Some of the new listings, with photos, include Foxfire, King of Siam, Carla's Sonshine, Islamorada, Innocence, Miami Rose and many others.
   
   A lot of great species lilies are also listed, with photos, such as the Victoria lilies, the Australian Gigantea lilies, Eurayle Ferox and others.
   
   All descriptions of the lilies include information such as flower size, shape and fragrance and leaf sizes colors and spread. Also included on most lilies is the date of introduction, the person who hybridized them and the parent plants of the hybrids when known.
   
   The authors also give recommendations as to what size pond or tub is best suited for a particular lily.
   
   I like this book and think it can be helpful for persons deciding which plants to purchase for their pond.



3. I was disappointed with this book as it did not include most of the hardy waterliles I've recently purchased (eg. Chromatella, Helvola). Perhaps I need to purchase the first Slocum book for this information?? They may be included under a different name, but if so, this does make this reference less useful as the common trade names are the key words most of us will be using to find information.



4. Great book for anyone who wants to enjoy pictures of water lilies and lotus or identify plants and blooms that you see in botanical parks or water ponds. The text also gives recommendations as to appropriate size of home ponds for each plant. For the more experienced water gardeners and collectors, the crosses making the hybrids are given as well as the hybridizer. For me, this book was a great help in identifying my photo collection of water lilies!

5 comments about An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials.

1. This includes all of the classics, a bunch of new herbaceous shade perennials, many, many wildflowers, and hundreds of ferns, both old and new for the shady garden.
   It covers herbaceous perennials only, as the title implies, but there are thousands of them. A few are missing, but that is a good thing. They are weedy and shouldn't be planted anyway.
   I liked the personal stories and connection of the author with each of the genera, and the attention paid to culture, diseases, propagation and heat and cold hardiness.
   As in any encyclopedia, the plants are arranged by genus name and within the genus by species and cultivar names, alphabetically. For the plants illustrated in color, the names are in bold letters. You must know the Latin names of plants, but a huge index lists all of common names and tells you what the Latin name for it is. It also gives cross references for synonyms, different scientific names that have been given to the same plant. It takes a while to get the gist of it, but it is worth the time.
   A book that will give great shade gardening information for many years to come. It should be in every serious shade gardeners library.



2. I am still reading this book. There are many words of wisdom and there is a lot to digest. This book will be used often. It may not have an answer for all shade problems but it gives great information for what to do in the ground layer of a shady garden. The plant descriptions are detailed and the cultural information is extensive and complete. Add to that colf hardiness and heat tolerance as well as propagation, diseases, and anything else you must know, this volume give the nitty-gritty on many shade perennials, herbaceous as well as evergreen. This is a good book for starting and experienced gardeners. The starters may have to take time to get to know how to use the book. The photos are outstanding, albeit gathered in a bunch in the center sections, but bold printed names point to the illustrations. I'll use this book often and enjoy the many stories presented along with the plant information.



3. Although I've been a shade gardener for many years, this book contains many shade perennials that I had never heard of. I liked that almost all the pictures appear to be of mature specimens, so you can see what the plant will look like. (My pet peeve is when gardening books show baby plants! What good is that?) There are sometimes many pictures of one plant: one picture will show a close-up of the flower, one picture will be a distance picture. The descriptions tell growing information, zone, size, and possible gardening problems. I was pleased with this book and am glad that I purchased it. I have been barely able to put it down, even though I have read several other shade gardening books. Thank you, Mr. Schmid, for a fantastic, wonderful resource. I enthusiastically recommend this book to any shade gardener.



4. From the man who is the original expert on the subject, a fantastic resource for all who garden in the shade. Very user friendly with seven thousand species and cultivars, useful to the novice as well as the expert. Thankfully the shade craze caught on perhaps with the publication of Schmid's first book, "The Genus Hosta." The book starts with practical tips on the "bones of the garden" trees and soil and covers briefly many other subjects before getting into the plants that are appropriate for shade. I own many books on shade gardening, including books devoted exclusively to the subjects of ferns, ivies, mosses, etc. I find that this is the book that I keep right there with my other two favorites, Dirr's on trees and of course "The Genus Hosta".



5. In this volume Schmid has unselfishly shared his most intimate feeling and knowledge about the art of gardening. He has put a life time of intense gardening knowledge between the covers of this wonderful book. Every page is filled with gardening insights,understanding and details. Yes I paid for it, but it is so dam well written that, I can only consider as to have been some kind of a gift. It is much more then encyclopedia or a how to book, sure he gives a lot of how tos, but now you can know, why tos as well. A profession writer could easily make five or even ten books out of this one, just by adding some random garden minutia, but Geroge is not in to making a fast book(buck) he is into gardening. Now I can be an artful gardener toos :)

5 comments about Perennials for Michigan (Perennials for . . .).

1. This book is the perfect reference guide for the Michigan gardener. I am redesigning my home's extensive perennial gardens and this handy book is invaluable. Thank you authors Nancy Szerlag and Alison Beck!



2. I don't believe I've ever seen a gardening book where the information was as well-organized as it is in "Perennials for Michigan." Often books of regional interest are thrown together and published on the cheap, but this book is tightly-bound, full of color illustrations, and above all, well written. And it's really about Michigan climate and Michigan soils. Someone didn't just go through and change, say 'Iowa' to 'Michigan' with a word processor, then rename the book.

   The authors make a point of informing the reader which perennials are native to Michigan--another bonus. The best varieties for a particular garden are also described, e.g. the 'Gardenview Scarlet' variety of Bergamot resists powdery mildew more effectively than some of its relatives.

   The book begins with a pictorial guide called "The Flowers at a Glance" where photographs of the perennials are listed in alphabetical order, by common name. There is a no-nonsense introduction to suitable perennials for the Michigan climate and its USDA hardiness zones. The zone map is more detailed than usual, which is useful for me because I've lived in my new location for less than a year, and the map tells me I need to select perennials that will survive at -20 F. In my former location, temperatures rarely dropped below -5 F.

   The next few sections explain how to start, maintain, and propagate a perennial garden. The authors detail which plants can be started from stem, root, and basal cuttings and which can be started from rhizomes. There is the obligatory chapter on 'Problems & Pests' before we plunge into the heart of this book: the alphabetically-arranged sections on each of the 681 selected perennials.

   Each species is described, including origin and bloom time, and whether (thank you! thank you!) deer find it hard to digest. Each has subsections on 'Planting' (how and when to start your plants), 'Growing,' 'Tips,' 'Recommended' varieties, and 'Problems and Pests.' Colored photographs, usually labeled by variety, accompany the descriptions of each perennial.

   Lone Pine Publishing, you've put together an excellent, well-organized book for Michigan gardeners (even if you are located in Edmonton, Canada). I'm going to order copies for my sister and all my friends who garden in this state. Highly recommended!




3. This is an absolutely invaluable reference guide for the Michigan gardener. It gives lots of suggestions of the different perennials that thrive in Michigan and has LOTS of pictures to show you what type of plant you're looking at. I use it very frequently.



4. Can't say enough about how helpfull this book is. It aides in plant shopping and knowing what to look for. This is a resource to make gardening easier, and a space worth gazing at.



5. This is the first book about perennials in Michigan that I pickee up and was immediately thrilled: great pictures, nice size book, helpful charts, not too thick, lightweight, just right, I love it!

1 comments about The Big Book of Northwest Perennials: Choosing, Growing, Tending.

1. This book is "chock full" of large color photos inspirational for gardening "phantasies" or simple meditation. The text within is perfectly informative without being too lengthy. This is a wonderful addition to any gardeners library.

No comments about Perennials Short and Tall: A Seasonal Progression of Flowers for Your Garden (Quarry Books).

1 comments about Deer in My Garden: Vol. 1: Perennials & Subshrubs (Yucky Flower).

1. For those of us who wish to be better stewards of the Earth and to live in harmony with the wildlife, gardening can be quite a challenge given how much our animal friends like what we plant. I was delighted to find a book that directly addressed how to have a successful garden in deer country: Deer in My Garden: Vol. 1: Perennials & Subshrubs (The Yucky Flower Series).
   
   This series is a necessary companion for anyone wishing to find a balance between gardening and feeding their local deer. While it may seem that deer will try to eat almost anything, there are actually plants they will avoid. Carolyn Singer, working from her own deer-friendly gardening projects, provides the following information for each plant: Latin name, common name, description, cultural requirements (sun, soil, etc.), bloom, seasonal interest, companion plants & landscape uses, propagation, and maintenance. In other words, the reader is provided with the information necessary for designing and maintaining perennial gardens that the deer won't destroy.
   
   I found this book immediately useful even though I would have liked more pictures of the plants in gardens and at different stages of their lives. In fact, I found it so useful, I went out and bought the next volume in the series: Deer in My Garden: Groundcovers & Edgers Yucky Flower). I can't wait to see what's in Volume 3.

5 comments about Perennials for Illinois (Perennials for . . .).

1. I picked up a copy of this book at Chicago Flower and Garden show recently, and found it written to reach not only the master gardener, but also the novice or inspired homeowner wishing to fill their gardens with perennials native to the area. The photos are clear and precise, making identification easy for the untrained eye.

   The book provides accurate information for growing conditions in Illinois. I will recommend this book to my college interns and fellow members of several garden clubs as well as homeowners I design perennial gardens for.

   Highly recommended.




2. I purchased this book for my public library and it has been very popular. This is a fantastic gardening resource for all green thumbs in Illinois because all the information is specific to growing in Illinois. Wonderful color pictures on every page. I can't wait to purchase Aldrich's other books! Highly recommended.



3. Besides the color pictures on every page of this book, there is an extremely useful table at the back that lists all the plants in the book, their color, their height, when they bloom, their height, the amount of light they need, the soil conditions, USDA zone # and page number in the book.

   So if you need to find a plant for a certain part of your garden with certain characteristics, simply scan the the handy table then look it up on the page # to see the color picture and a concise description of: when to plant, how to grow it, planting tips, and problems/pests to be concerned about.




4. I really like all the "Illinois" books by this pair of authors, but I sure wish they gave the botanical names for the plants! They only use common names, and unless you're looking for the specific common name the authors use, it's hard to locate the page for a plant.
   
   I don't think it would have hurt to include the genus, species and family names somehwere on each plant's page. After all, the botanical name is the only true name for any plant.



5. This is a good reference guide for the most common perennials. I was a bit disappointed that it did not feature more details on lesser known perennial gems, particularly native plant species. I also would have appreciated a bit more on invasive species so that Illinois gardeners can lend a hand at irradicating them rather than cultivating them!

5 comments about Perennials for the Southwest: Plants That Flourish in Arid Gardens.

1. I own several Mary Irish books and find them immensely useful for those of us who garden in the desert southwest. Since I wanted to brighten up my yard with some perennials, I figured this would be a perfect addition to my library. The information about each plant is great, but the photos are often useless - they are so small that it's often impossible to see what the plant looks like, and some are taken from such a distance that even the form is not evident. The perfect book would have a long view of the plant form, with a closeup of the bloom/foilage.



2. Ordered this book and was all excited waiting for it to come; figured it was right up my alley.
   When it arrived and I looked inside I knew when I saw the map that it was about area like Yuma, Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso. The HOT areas of the Southwest. Well, there's a lot of the Southwest that is high and cold and this book is for the low, hot areas. If you live within site of the Colorado mountains as I do in the Four Corners, this book will be of no use at all. Too bad I was given no hint about that and now have to deal with the hassle of a return and pay for it too!
   Should have called it something like "Low Desert Gardening" or something...



3. I feel this book deserves a much higher score for the information it contains about this under-represented area of gardening. I hate to see a book trashed for odd reasons and would like to elaborate on why I value this book.
   
   One reader has a problem with the fact that this book is not for the Four-Corners area. As one who lives in sizzling Phoenix, I can relate to the disappointment of not having books relate to my area. (So few books relate to Phoenix that it's fantastic to find a good one that does.) The description of the book in Amazon and on the cover of the book may not have adequately given away it's low-desert content, but that doesn't make it a bad book. If the book had been flipped through at a book store, the buyer would have known whether the book met their needs. Buying on Amazon is a short-cut. The fact that we are giving up our ability to peruse every page is the down side to the ease of purchase and lower prices we pay.
   
   Another reader didn't like the fact that everyone in their neighborhood had a copy of this book. Sounds like whoever recommended it was being very responsible in urging water conservation and in steering homeowners toward plants that won't die the first season they are planted. The fact that Phoenix nurseries sell plants that won't live here without excessive babying leads many people down the wrong path. Crispy plants are a disappointing phenomenon that plagues gardeners without sufficient knowledge of the locale.
   
   Of all the arguments, the one about the photos being too small is the only one that actually pertains to this book. Yes, the pictures are small. But the book is so good that I'm happy to do a "G00gle Images" search to see what MANY photos of a plant look like before deciding if I want it. To me, detailed information about each plant is of more value than expensive, space-consuming photos. I am a veteran in the publishing business and if the book containing this many plants accompanied by large photos, the expense of the book would be phenomenal.
   
   Buyers, give this book a chance -- and remember G00gle Images for an array of photos that will provide greater knowledge of any plant from ANY book.



4. Another winning book by author Mary Irish! I have several of her books, and the style and information within is wonderful. The first part of the book includes designing your landscape, as well as garden prep, the care of perennials and disease/pests. Much of the information relates to plant care in general, so it's a great benefit for any gardener. Add to that the pages upon pages of recommended perennials, with color photos, and it makes for a great reference book for the arid gardener.



5. A good addition to gardening books, especially if you are new to the arid garden region, as I was.