Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1392443 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

From Library Journal
Harper, a highly respected garden writer whose books are mostly out of print, surveys the plants that thrive in her Virginia garden. In sections on spring, summer, autumn, and winter, she profiles notable plants in categories such as bulbs, vines, grasses and ferns, autumn flowers, berries, and more. She is opinionated in her preferences (nix to buddleia, yes to chartreuse leaves) but informed and discriminating as only a reigning garden expert can be. She abounds with tips and eye-opening ideas, such as training an unruly honeysuckle to be a front-of-the-border small shrub. She also isn't afraid to admit when a certain plant just won't do for her. This book will have most relevance in the Mid-Atlantic region, but a work by a gardener of Harper's stature belongs in sizeable horticultural collections everywhere.DBeth Clewis Crim, Prince William P.L., VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"A digressive survey of plants worth growing, written by someone worth paying attention to." - The New York Times Book Review"

Verlyn Klinkenborg, New York Times Book Review , December 3, 2000
"A digressive survey of plants worth growing, written by someone worth paying attention to."

Customer Reviews

Time Tested Plants: Thirty Years in a Four Season Garden
The title of this book led me to think it was just another listing of plants with notes on height, hardiness etc. It is far more than that, as I realized when I read in the acknowledgements "A stroll around my garden is a bit like telling the rosary, with each bead a friend remembered by a plant they gave me." Now that I can relate to.

The author gives a great deal of information in this 350 page book, but she also shares herself and her love of her garden with the reader. We learn WITH her rather than from her. This is a really good read if you loved gardens and the book is beautifully illustrated with the author's own photographs. The material has been organized by season so you can curl up and enjoy a year's worth of garden beauty and wisdom. There are short but useful resource and reference lists.

This book contains a wealth of information, but the pleasure of reading it comes from the warmth of the author. Her voice, her ideas, her thoughts on plants and gardening come through clearly and gently to the reader. This is a sharing of wisdom rather than as sharing of knowledge.

Time-Tested Plants by Pamela J. Harper
There are very few gardening books for Southern Gardeners that are so readable. This book feels like visiting with your best gardening buddy: walking through her gardens and talking about plants frankly and enthusiastically. Ms. Harper introduced me to many plants of which I had limited or no previous knowledge, and gave lots of great information on the care, propagation, and placement of them. She is not just a cheerleader. She also gives any drawbacks or limitations to each plant, with ideas for how to overcome them. The illustrations are fabulous, detailed, and filled with plant combination ideas. This book will have a valued place on my bookshelf for many years to come.

My favorite gardening book
This is easily my favorite gardening book. Already it is dog-eared and well-worn. A lovely combination of useful information, beautiful photos, and very good writing. The author tells you what she has learned over 30 years of gardening in the hot and humid southeast and does so in a way that is a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it.