[.ca] Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, ... (ISBN 0875638007)

The Nurseryman's Bible:
This is absolutely the best text available for the referencing of woody trees and shrubs grown in North America. This book is not meant as a guide for tree identification, so much as it's a way to look up all the significant horticultural information on almost any given species or cultivar. It's simply too lengthy a tome to incorporate many illustrations, and those present are usually small sketches of leaf characteristics. (For excellent photographs of a number of species see "Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia") This text is very easy to use and alphabetized according to botanical name, with a glossary/index in the back to provide the scientific name when only the common name of a species is known. Dirr himself also provides entertaining blurbs on what he perceives to be the plants best (or . . . less than best) assets for landscape usage, and it's always interesting to see another's opinion regarding plants that you know and love. He also gives a list of stunning specimens and their locales that he's come across in his travels, as well as the "champion" (largest known) specimens for a given species. I have used this (or previous . . . the text is updated somewhat frequently to keep pace with newer cultivars) edition of Dirr's manual for the last ten years as I worked at a major nursery (Waterloo Gardens, Inc.), and I frequently reccomended it to individuals interested in furthering their own knowledge. This text is an excellent reference for the professional nurseryman as well as the horticultural enthusiast, and the time and effort that Dirr puts into this text is equally evident and impressive.

Directory of woody cultivars:
In spite of all the accolades heaped upon this directory of woody cultivars it is not without a downside. The sturdy size and thick paper which make it stand up to horticulturally engaged hands make for a clumsy book at home or in the library. Not much thought was given to lay-out and typography, with the wrong font chosen for this lay-out. The style of writing is rather dry and a little wordy. The nurseryman's indifference to spelling shines through often enough to make me ache for a corrector's pencil. The cover claims "Identification" as a primary function of the book, but all the 'Manual' has to offer here is looking up a supposed identity and making a comparison. Pictorial support is quite limited (usually one line-drawing per species, mostly of a single leaf). What this book does offer is the chance to quickly look up an unfamiliar cultivar, and this is why reviewers call it a "Bible". Any use beyond that will be a bonus.

A "Must Have" book for serious horticulturalists:
This manual contains a wealth of information on the identification, cultural requirements, propragation methods, and place of origin for a wide variety of trees and woody shrubs. I keep my copy in my car, take it wherever I go, and refer to it on a regular basis. Yes, it is a thick book. No, it is not without its own quirks. However, I recommend it highly over any other woody manual available. I have only one quibble. I wish Michael Dirr would hurry up and write a similarly in-depth manual on herbaceous plants.

Truly the Bible of woody plants for any serious gardener:
Whether you're a plant collector or an avid gardener, or both as I am, this book is worth its weight in gold (and it weighs a lot). Dirr's work is indispensable. I like to collect plants, including rare and unusual plants and I like to start woody plants from seed. This manual takes the mystery out of guessing what the plants' needs are and exactly what conditions are required for sowing seeds. I even find myself reading about some old favorites (like American Elm, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, etc.) and learning new things. I've only had this manual for a few weeks and I've already got many pages marked with "stickies" and highlighted many passages and even made notes in the margins. You don't even miss the pictures. by Marcel Beauchamp, Ottawa Ontario Canada (USDA zone 4)

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Orna:
Dirr has the final word on all woody plants. You would be hardpressed to find any tree or shrub commonly used (and not so commonly used) today that is not listed in this incredible encyclopedia. I saved my copy from when it was a textbook in my Woody Lanscape Plants class in college, and have since updated to the latest version to use in practice 15 years later. A truly unbeleivable wealth of knowledge.