Product Description

Armitage's Garden Perennials is the most comprehensive single-volume photographic resource on perennial plants. It describes and illustrates the choice of perennials in 136 genera from Acanthus to Zauschneria. The book's greatest strengths are the quality of its more than 1400 photographs, all taken by the author, and the exhaustive information on the most interesting, important, or overlooked perennial plants. Based on his own extensive experience he has gardened in climates as dissimilar as Quebec and Georgia and studied plants on three continents Armitage makes a discerning selection of the best cultivars, from classics to cutting-edge recent introductions. The text is concise and delightful, like a private tutorial with a master teacher. The reader will have no doubt about which plants the author most admires ("What else do you know that is big, bold, and beautiful and wants to be planted in a bog?") and which fall short ("Variegated coral bells like 'Snowstorm' ought to be trashed. I am constantly told how wonderful they are. I don't listen. To each his own.") The encyclopedia is rounded out by more than a dozen extensive lists of plants suitable for particular situations or uses, including plants for wet places, for drought tolerance, and for fragrance or color. It is a noteworthy addition to Timber Press's acclaimed series of pictorial encyclopedias that includes Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs and Rick Darke's Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #557076 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .3 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 324 pages

From Booklist
In the world of horticulture, Armitage stands out as an authoritative voice that gardeners depend on for guidance. The award-winning writer's formidable expertise and opinionated good humor enliven this fully illustrated compilation of 136 genera of garden-worthy perennials. Alphabetical entries feature illuminating descriptions of plant habits and forms, along with essential cultural advice. Armitage recommends countless varieties that can be depended on to perform well or are particularly lovely specimens. Appropriate U.S.D.A. zones and regions where the plants will thrive are noted, too. With its accessible writing style, abundant color photographs, and final section listing plants suggested for specific conditions or purposes, Armitage's latest work should be considered an essential addition to gardening collections. Alice Joyce

Review
Has beautiful color photos with descriptions.Joel M. Lerner, Washington Post, May 3, 2003 (The Washington Post )

Sleek 'pictorial encyclopedia' ... A delight is the light-hearted humor that bubbles throughout.Carol Bishop Miller, Horticulture, April 2001 (Horticulture )

Armitage loves to spin a story. He tells the truth about perennials from his own rich experiences ... With his humorous asides, you will quickly recognize a kindred spirit who wants to grow every plant yet confesses that he has killed his fair share, just like the rest of us.Barbara Blossom Ashmun, Fine Gardening, March/April 2001 (Fine Gardening )

A Terrific Resource (Reference and Research Book News )

John E. Bryan, Gardening Newsletter, March 2000
Essential for those designing perennial borders.