Product Description

Several concurrent trends have created the need for a new book on annual plants. One is the increasing popularity of container gardening, for which these plants are particularly suited. Another is the hottest trend in landscaping -- creating a bold, even jungly look through the use of tropical plants and other dramatic specimens, most grown as annuals in temperate zones. To meet the demand, growers have developed hundreds of new plants and improved cultivars of old favorites. In this Taylor's Guide, buyers will find more than five hundred of the latest, trendiest plants and the best cultivars of the beloved old standbys.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #198038 in Books
• Published on: 1999-12-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

About the Author
Barbara Ellis, a former gardening editor at Rodale Press and the publications director of the American Horticultural Society, is the author of many gardening books, including THE RODALE ALL-NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ORGANIC GARDENING and THE BURPEE COMPLETE GARDENER as well as several TAYLOR'S WEEKEND GARDENING GUIDES. She resides in Alburtis, Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

Annuals, tender perennials, and tropicals are all there
The Taylor's Guides are known for their great pictures and good cultural information. This book lists annuals as "cool weather, "warm weather" and "tender perennial."

I have often told customers that tender perennial means it is perennial somewhere, but certainly not here. That may not be the case for everyone reading this book. You have to look in the encyclopedia area to see what zone the plant is hardy in. Some tender perennials may be perennial in your climate or only some winters in your climate.

The problem with any book on annuals that includes tender perennials and tropicals is availability. For other categories in the Taylor's Guide, like perennials, shrubs, etc. most of the plants are available from good nurseries.

Annuals is a different story. The best sellers are available. Some of the tropicals are available depending on where you go. The rare or unpopular annuals to only be grown from seed are available from seed vendors and garden centers who sell a variety of seeds. For the tropical combination plants, which are the most interesting listed, you have to go to the better nurseries or mail order sources.

What I am getting at here is how to use this book. Don't have your heart set on a picture in this book. The plant may be only available by seed, and perhaps that does not suit your lifestyle. Regarding the ideas decide if you want to grow from seed or not. With the tender perennials, after you have read about them, decide what you want to try.

This is a great book on annuals. Anyone interested in plnats should buy it. When combining with tropicals and plants from seed, use your common sense.

Attractive, concise and informative
The Taylor's series of gardening books have a admirable reputation and it is easy to see why. This update of "Annuals" is in a slightly larger format but still contains the excellent information as the previous edition. A 30 page introduction discusses growing techniques and care throughout the season as well as an insect identification guide. This is followed by the "Gallery of Plants", a 200 glossy section of beautiful photographs of annuals arranged by their Latin name (an index of common names is provided in the back). Each photo is accompanied by a brief description statement and a page number reference to the plant's entry in the "Plant Encyclopedia" section in the last part of the book. Here you will find a detailed description and cultural instructions on how to grow the plant. The book is also an excellent tool for helping you identify unknown plants.

Taylor's Guide to Perennials
The colored pictures in order are extremely helpful in identifying plants. There are sun/shade and water information for each plant. Sometimes the common names aren't given and I don't know all of the Latin names for plants.