[.ca] Armitage's Garden Perennials: A Color Encyclopedia (ISBN 0881924350)

fabulous info and great pics:
It could be a coffee table book, but there is so much great information so elequently presented with humor that you love reading this book at any time. The information is just supurb. I remember reading about hardy lobelias and being absolutely enthralled about how "the hummingbirds will come." There is no doubt that Alan Armitage is a fabulous writer, and this is a book you have to own. Alan Armitage heads up the Perennial Department of the University of Georgia, so he is great about heat tolerant plants. He is also a truly engaging speaker and a wonderful writer for all of us.

Your library isn't complete...:
Another MUST HAVE in any horticulturalist's library. Even if you are just into gardening as a hobby, this book is essential for knowing the right plant for the right spot!

Essential, core addition to gardening reference collections.:
Armitage's Garden Perennials provides gardeners with a color encyclopedia of perennials, listing each genus, several species, and answering questions about how the plant relates to gardening and garden organization. Armitage's lists of recommendations prove especially effective guidelines for gardeners who want solid tips on how to work with perennials.

Armitage's Garden Perennials. A Color Encyclopedia:
Very disappointed. For the price I thought it would be comprehensive, but too many perennials in common usage are not included. Also, no visual distinction in writeups between description and how-to-grow, so you have to do a lot of reading to zero in on the information you want. What I like about it is that the author provides opinions as well as descriptions, the photos are very good, and the information helps you choose among perennials and among their varieties.

A valuable reference for the perennial gardener:
This is an outstanding guide for selecting perennials for your garden, especially the southern gardener because the author understands our conditions here. Over 130 varieties are covered in an encyclopedic format and an entire page is devoted (sometimes two) to each plant. The text is clearly written in an engaging style and everything that you need to know (growing requirements, if the plant is easy or difficult to grow, size of the plants, etc.) is covered. The best thing about the book are the photographs - they provide the reader with a full view of how the plant grows in the garden and numerous photos are provided for each plant. He also includes lists of plants that are good for specific locations and conditions (such as good groundcovers, drought tolerant plants, plants for shade, etc.) This is a big, heavy book so it is one that you might can't carry to bed with you for nighttime reading (although you probably will want to!).