Product Description

A basic planting design reference, this book provides the amateur, student, and professional with information that assists in simplifying plant-use decisions where native plants are desired. The characteristics, cultural requirements, and most suitable environmental settings are identified for each plant.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #750099 in Books
• Published on: 1987-11-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 832 pages

Ingram
This guide covers over 250 major species--by asthetic character, culture requirements, and ecology--and presents essential design information through scale illustrations.

From the Inside Flap
Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America A Planting Design Manual for Environmental Designers Gary L. Hightshoe As environmental designers strive to maintain the ecological context of the landscapes they design, they are turning more and more to native plantings. Native plantings are hardier than more exotic imports, requiring less care. They mesh better with other natural elements of a landscape, such as soils, climate, and wildlife. And, popular misconceptions about their scraggly, disorganized look aside, they can be used to create stunning design effects. Until now, however, landscape designers had to search through many sources to find the native trees, shrubs, and vines appropriate to their particular environmental conditions as well as to the effect they want to achieve. This comprehensive volume puts all the information needed to choose native plantings in one handy reference source. The book is divided into two parts, Trees and Shrubs and Vines, with each part further divided into two sections. The first describes different factors normally considered in selecting plantings, classifying over 250 woody plants by these characteristics. Classifications include:

• Visual characteristics: form, branching, foliage, flower, fruit
• Ecological relationships: most suitable habitats, including flood and shade tolerance
• Cultural requirements: soil, hardiness, silvical characteristics, urban conditions, similar and associate species.

The second section is an encyclopedia of native woody plants. Each "master plate" includes the plant’s scientific and common names, plus all of the plant’s characteristics as described in the first section. Also included are a map showing the plant’s native regions: a drawing of its twigs, leaves, flowers, and fruits; a photo of its bark, and a photo or drawing of its crown without leaves. Thus, you can find the information you need in one of two ways: you can choose the plant characteristics you want and look them up in the first section to find the plantings that fit your needs. Or you can look up specific plants in the second section to learn if their characteristics are appropriate for your landscape. No other book on native plantings provides as much information, as usefully organized, as this one does. Landscape architects, ecologists, park personnel, botanists—anyone interested in natural landscaping—will find this to be an invaluable reference that greatly assists in choosing and nurturing native trees, shrubs, and vines.

About the Author
Gary L. Hightshoe is professor of Landscape Architecture at Iowa State University, Ames, where he teaches courses in plant materials, planting design, and landscape resource management. He obtained his B.S.L.A. and M.L.A. degrees from Iowa State University. His current research interests include the development of a regional guide to environmental settings and associations of plants for landscape use in the north-central states. He is a strong advocate of the accelerated inventory and preservation of rare and threatened ecosystems.

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Customer Reviews

Great for East of the Rockies
This is a very useful book for those living in the appropriate area. The book contains information on native trees and shrubs in Eastern and Central United States. Native trees and shrubs found west of the Rockies are NOT included in this book.

Excellent reference book (within its range)
Overall, the information contained in the book is excellent. It is well-presented, well-organized, and very thorough. However, I was disappointed to find it is best suited for use by those who live in USDA Hardiness zone 5 or farther north. I live and work in zone 6, which is really the fringe of the area addressed in this book. Species native to the southeast are included only if they are hardy over a wide range. (For example, Southern magnolia is omitted in this book, as are loblolly and slash pines and yaupon holly.)

I have a degree in landscape architecture and prefer to use native plants in planting design. This book has been helpful, but will never replace my dog-eared copy of Know It and Grow It--a reference far more suited to my region.

Most Used Reference Book
This book has excellent info on each plant within its text. I am a native plant landscape designer and soil requirements, natural habitats, associate plants (communities), urban tolerance, flower & fruit development are a few of the plant categories I use on a daily basis. The line drawings are also superb for knowing the form the plant will take in the landscape and how the flowers & fruit will appear. This book is used so much, my pages are starting to fall out. I hope they create a new version soon! This book is a 'must' for all landscape designers & architects --- it's a great tool.