Editorial Review

Collecting contributions from 100 distinguishedhorticulturists, the handsome and lavishly illustrated Read more

Reviews (58)

The absolute must-have plant bible
I've been coveting this book at a gardening friend's house for several months and just received my own copy as a gift.It's got everything: Every plant and variety imaginable, color photos, tips and techniques, heat and temperature maps... The latter are specific to the U.S., but international buyers would likely still find the plant and tree information exhaustive and very useful.This is the ultimate reference book, with the added bonus of being glossy and beautiful enough to leave out on the coffee table.

I prefer Sunset's Western Garden Book for SoCal gardening
I've had this book for almost 3 yrs, and used it as reference while planting a large from-scratch, drought tolerant garden in Southern California.
Gardening info by Committee

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Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Ornamental Plants    6. Plants, Ornamental    7. Reference    8. Gardening / Reference   

Reviews (6)

A Gardener's Must-have
If you just want to indulge yourself in fabulous photos of every flowering plant imaginable, this book is for you.If you have problem garden spots, this book has special sections to take the guesswork out of planting.If your creativity needs a little nudge in designing a particular type of garden, again, this book contains marvelous options and suggestions, all zone-specific.It's an absolute must for gardeners and beauty-lovers alike!

Incredible reference
Some other reviewers that own this book are right when giving this book high marks. I am a landscape contractor and can attest to the rich information and pictures inside. Although, I wouldn't recomend this bk for the beginning gardener. It has a 'common names' index by which to cross ref backwards with but, if common names are all you are familiar with, this bk may be a bit much to find what you want.However, this bk will tell you if thie plant is evergreen,semievergreen, deciduous, its habit, bloom time, hardiness zones,Hight & Spread, Light & some moisture requirements, etc.The bk is alphabetized with the genus/ Latin names for a reason. These Latin names are how all plants are traced from their origin and habit, regardless of hybridizing or crossing.A Plant may have several common names regionally or for marketing purposes, but will always have the Latin name to trace its' origin. This is why you will see alot of bks with Latin names intead of common names. This bk is a must for landscapers and horticulturists.This is one of the best reference sources I've seen.

Okay Reference
I bought this book primarily because of the review by: W. Oliver "scudder" which mentions the "Plant Selector" feature. It would be a great help if it were accurate. I was particularly interested in being able to cross-reference plants by acid-loving and deer-resistant features. I know that deer will eat anything if hungry; however, many sources from garden centers to university bulletins (and my own experience) note that hostas and tulips are deer candy. Both of these plants are listed deer resistant. Additionally, hollies are also listed as deer resistant. This fall, deer turned my new 8' holly into a topiary! Other than the "Plant Selector" feature, I'm not sure why I need this book along with the A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. To anyone else considering buying the package, I would recommend you don't do it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Flowers - General    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Ornamental Plants    7. Pictorial works    8. Plants, Ornamental    9. Reference    10. Gardening / Flowers / General   

Editorial Review

For twenty years people have relied on these hundreds of recipes,instructions, and morsels of invaluable practical advice on all aspects of growingand preparing food. This definitive classic on food, gardening, andself-sufficient living is a complete resource for living off the landwith over 800 pages of collected wisdom from country maven, CarlaEmery--how to cultivate a garden, buy land, bake bread, raise farmanimals, make sausage, milk a goat, grow herbs, churn butter, catch apig, make soap, work with bees and more. Read more

Reviews (83)

Tribute to Carla Emery and Country Living
The Encycopedia of Country Living is a wonderful reference guide written over the course of Carla Emery's lifetime.It is packed full of information for the person dreaming of living in the country or for the experienced homesteader.Carla Emery writes in a personal, down to earth way and it is never boring.It is a must-have for those even thinking about a county lifestyle. Carla Emery passed away recently but her book will continue to live on and be a reference guide to all those people that have hopes and dreams of living off the land.

An Absolute Treasure! Thank you Carla!
This book is a rich treasury of simple living. Reading it is not only incredibly informative, but also almost like having a close friend or grandmother at your side. Excellent for reference, full of useful facts, critical insights, and a personal touch that rings of the warmth of a country home.
Can't live without book
Long ago I had an earlier version that was punched hole pages with wire rings holding it together.
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Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. Gardening    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Home economics    6. Reference   

Editorial Review

Much has changed in the role and use of ornamental grasses over the past 100 years. Whereas turn-of-the-century gardeners had perhaps a dozen perennial grasses to choose from, today's gardeners have hundreds. Ornamental grasses now embody a huge array of textures, forms, sizes, colors, flowering times, and cultural adaptations. Read more

Reviews (5)

Masterful, Encyclopedic Guide Full of Helpful Photos
Rick Darke's book is typical of his work. It is extremely well written, a detailed, very thorough guide to ornamental grasses, full of helpful pictures as well as information on growing and maintaining grasses. This book should be a classic for decades to come.

Absolutely Fantastic
This is such a wonderful informational book... AND ... a gorgeous coffee table book. It is terrific from beginning to end! If you like or are interested in, or even thinking about Ornamental Grasses ... then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! I can't imagine anyone who has an interest in Ornamental Grasses NOT LOVING THIS BOOK, and would be delighted they purchased it. My only concern is that it is going to look dog-earred from my reading it over and over and over again ... which frankly takes away from its beauty on our coffee table.

Buy 2 copies...
This book is structured, written, photographed and edited with parallel purpose and effect: communication of the author's respect and regard for the book's subject and for its readers. Mr. Darke sets out to inform and does so with enconomy but in full course; when he instructs, he teaches the novice and gives pause to the critic; when he photographs he shows his passion and inspires with the nature and wonder of his subjects. The book is encyclopedic, yet its prose is always to the point with the agreeable dryness of a good, well-bodied wine. Credible, trustworthy, enlightening. This is the best gardening book I have ever read. Negatives? Only one: Mr. Darke's standards are unimpeachable; those of the book's typographer and designer, however, are not. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. General    6. Grasses    7. Ornamental Plants    8. Ornamental grasses    9. Pictorial works    10. Plants - Grasses    11. Reference    12. Gardening / Flowers / Perennials    13. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (7)

Nothing compares
I own and operate a nursery using both of these books as a primary resource when purchasing conifers from growers.When customers refer to these books at our library, they comment on how beautiful the many conifers are available.My only wish the book had w/b zone hardiness and growth habit.Buy it.ProGardens, Inc.East Amherst, New York.

Conifers : The Illustrated Encyclopedia (Two Volume Set)
Two world authorities compiled this outstanding conifer book featuring 2347 excellent, sharp photos reproduced beautifully on high quality paper.Each picture was taken at the proper distance to show the tree's outstanding detail.Captions are a sentence or two with location oftenincluded.For detail use a good companion book such as the Manual ofCultivated Conifers by Krussmann.Imperative for landscapers and a joy fortree lovers -- a bargain at the cover price.A quality bookclearly at the top of my list of favorites.

great book to figure out what you have growing in your yard.
pictures are great !!butlacks the necessary info on growing,care,climate zones&changes of sasons on the plants.but i love it for all it'svisual contents ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Conifers    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Ornamental conifers    6. Pictorial works    7. Reference    8. Trees    9. Botany & plant sciences    10. Gardening / Trees    11. Horticulture    12. Reference works    13. Shrubs & trees   

Reviews (5)

Herbs
I am taking a medicinal botany class and was not satisfied with the information the text book gave me and wanted to know more I saw this book and ordered it.I love it.It is a must have for someone interested in herbs even my instructor found it helpful.

Best of it's kind
I have an older edition that my sister bought for me for christmas several years back.It's one of the few books i'll have for the rest of my life because of its incredible value as a comprehensive herb and plant info resource.The edition I have has pictures, names, references in the front with longer descriptions in the back in the same style as an audubon society field guide book.It's great for picking up and reading random stuff or to lookup the medicinal uses of a specific herb.The book never ceases to amaze me.Of all the herb books i've read, this one is time and again the most useful.

Superb Comprehensive Book
This book is very comprehensive.It is fairly easy to use with both Latin and English names.There are many photographs to support herb descriptions.The book doesn't does not have a botanical key to support identification of more unusual specimens (I don't miss this, others may).
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Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Herb gardening    6. Herbal Medications    7. Herbs    8. Pictorial works    9. Reference    10. Gardening / Herbs    11. Gardening   

Reviews (11)

Pretty good ...
... if you like your herbs from the herb store, that is. And if you like the TCM view of things. Excellent but not the most recent version....
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MEDICINAL PLANTS by Andrew Chevallier is a relatively comprehensive source of information about herbal uses for healing.This is not the most recent volume by this author, however.The 2000 version is more comprehensive and includes the most current information about research associated with herbal medicinal uses. Best Source there is for medicinal plant information!!
From its detailed descriptions of almost all medicinal plants, to its step by step instructions for different preparations, this bookhas it all!!It tells you where the plant is from even the history behind todays uses.If your interested in healing with plants... this book is for you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. Encyclopedias    4. Health/Fitness    5. Herbal Medications    6. Materia Medica    7. Materia medica, Vegetable    8. Medical    9. Medicinal plants    10. Pharmacology    11. Complementary Medicine    12. Gardening / Reference    13. Reference works   

Reviews (114)

The index is very useful
I was disappointed in the superficiality of the descriptions for the herbs and their uses, but the index is very useful. Folk names, common names, and Latin names are all easily found -making it much simpler to track down the plants you want at your local greenhouse.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Llewellyn's Sourcebook Series)
This is a great general book. A word to the wise. Some of the herbs that he recommends are posionous and should be not ingested. These herbs are in no way flagged in the book at all. Lily of the Valley, Mandrake, Belladonna are all dangerous and not for use without extensive research. Remember even if you see lots of food on the forest ground not all of it is safe to eat.

practical info for the practicing witch
what I like about this book is not the info on obcure plants that I have to send away for, but the info on things and herbs you can find in the grosery store. like some fruits and spices.
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Subjects:  1. Charms    2. Gardening    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Herbs    5. Herbs (Botany)    6. Magic    7. Magick Studies    8. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    9. Occult sciences    10. Plants    11. Witchcraft & Wicca    12. Body, Mind & Spirit / Magick Studies    13. Complementary Medicine    14. Mind, body, spirit: disciplines & techniques   

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Gardens    6. General    7. History    8. Horticulture (Specific Aspects)    9. Reference    10. Agriculture | Horticulture & Gardening    11. Gardening / Reference   

Editorial Review

Many books claim to be a "definitive guide"; this is one title that happily lives up to those claims--and then some. Read more

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Reviews (17)

Not a General Reference Book
I was a little disappointed with this book because I thought it would have more information on specific plants.It gives very little info on the specific plants and focuses on the design aspects.As a novice gardener, this book has not been very helpful to me.Don't buy it if you want a general reference guide.

Wonderful for growing everything under the sun!
This book covers almost everything including how to grow Blackberries and grapes which caught my attention and how to take care of cuttings, which I had never done before and had all sorts of doubts about.Thanks to this wonderful jewel, my back yard is now filled with all sorts of exotic flowers and plants that I have grown from cuttings off of other plants and flowers in only a few short weeks.
American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Gardening
This book has kept my husband real busy since he started gardening. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Home Gardening    6. Horticulture (General)    7. Pictorial works    8. Reference    9. Gardening / Reference    10. Bargain   

Reviews (1)

The new bible of perennial plants
Definitely an essential, a new classic for the garden library, whether you are accomplished grower or a newcomer, because it is expertly written, without technical jargon - the first really "readable" encyclopedia of plants I know of. It says it covers 5000 plants, but it's really almost 7000 plants, the biggest encyclopedia of perennials ever. Chock-full of fascinating sidebars about planting suggestions, name changes, invasive plants, orchids, etc. Pictures are gorgeous and there are thousands of them. An ultimate reference. Kudos to Graham Rice, the veteran plantsman and wonderful writer, for creating this ultimate encyclopedia. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Flowers - Perennials    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Reference    6. Gardening / Flowers / Perennials   

Reviews (13)

a great reference
This book has somehow dissapeared from my collection in the last few months.Before that I couldn't understand why some of my friends had so much trouble understanding some simple gardening basics.Now that I no longer have this reference, my garden is failing miserably and I feel quite confused where I used to feel quite clear.

Great Quick Reference
This is a great overview book. No, it doesn't go into great depth, but it's always my first stop when I'm either curious, troubleshooting or just can't remember when to do what. Lot's of other books offer deeper info on the subject, it's not a handbook on organic technique (I recommend Eliot Coleman for that), but for quick checks and enough info to go squish that bug or leave it be, this helps.

Bitterly disappointed
I thought I was getting a 700 page book on organic concepts. Instead, this is a manual which briefly deals with anything garden related. Hundreds of pages are devoted to minimal information about specific plants (I had already purchased much better documention for this purpose) and also topics such as making potpourri, designing a landscape, and making a path. Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Encyclopedias    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Organic gardening    6. Organiculture    7. Techniques   

Reviews (14)

Beautiful reference
The photographic plates are indeed very beautiful but having the descriptions in another section of the book does make for an inconvenient flipping from the front of the book that has the photographs to the back of the book with the textual information.
APALMLOVERS BOOK
This book is one of the most complete books you'll find on the many types of palms.

An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms
Superb! Clear information, very well organized for all types of readers, and with many great pictures. This book is a must if you appreciate palms--even if you don't, it's lovely for your coffee table. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Life Sciences - Horticulture    5. Ornamental Plants    6. Palms    7. Reference    8. Science    9. Trees    10. Gardening / Ornamental Plants    11. Gardening: plants   

Subjects:  1. Gardening: plants    2. Reference works   

Reviews (7)

Book called "The Color Encyclopedia of Daylilies"
This was an awesome book I love it.Received it very fast in perfect condition from Amazon.
New edition needed.
This is a beautiful book but there are so many new varieties that have been developed since publication it has become somewhat dated.

Pretty, Pretty Pictures
You will not find another book with such a variety of beautiful photos of daylilies.For daylily growers that want the most comprhensive photo gallery available to date.I would have enjoyed more details about the parentage of these beautiful daylilies.Munsen and Hill are tops for information but Petit's Encyclopedia is by far the pick for beautiful photos.I am sure the five stars this book received from reviewers was based on the hundreds of excellent color and variety of daylily types.If you like lots of top notch photos this is the best!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Daylilies    2. Encyclopedias    3. Floriculture    4. Flowers    5. Flowers - Bulbs    6. Flowers - General    7. Gardening    8. Gardening / Horticulture    9. Gardening/Plants    10. Pictorial works    11. Botany & plant sciences    12. Gardening / Flowers / Perennials   

Editorial Review

Perennials are the most challenging and rewarding of all garden plants, and most gardeners need all the help they can get to grow them well. Perennials emerge from the ground in early spring, grow to full height, bloom, bear fruit, and then disappear with the first frost, only to do the same thing the following year and again the next. Add this to the fact that for the first year or two, perennials don't do much above the ground (they are growing their root structure), but after that they burst forth with amazingly vigorous growth, and you get an idea of the pleasures and tribulations of perennial gardening. The rewards, however, are rich: a wide array of flower forms and colors, structure and leaf, an ever-changing mid-level tapestry in the garden, plus a celebration of seasonal change. Few gardeners can resist perennials, but how to grow them better and more effortlessly?Read more

Reviews (10)

A Must Have For Every Gardener
This book is very informative and also well organized.It offers many useful tips and information for greenhorn and experienced gardeners alike.It covers every perennial you can think of and even some that I considered roadside weeds.Great reference guide to care for your perennials properly.Highly recommended!

Makes Getting "Serious Gardener" Results Much Easier
This is the one book about perennials to own if you can only own one -- part growing manual, part plant reference encyclopedia, and part garden design guide.I stumbled into gardening by accident, having avoided it throughout my youth, but once I caught "the bug," I wanted to learn in a hurry how to do it correctly.This book was (and is) the perfect choice.
helpful:
Have not had a lot of luck with perrenials.I have gone thru from cover to cover and know where and how to plant now.A great book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Flowering Plants (Angiospermae)    3. Flowers - Perennials    4. Gardening    5. Gardening / Horticulture    6. Gardening/Plants    7. Home Gardening    8. Perennials    9. Gardening / Flowers / Perennials   

Reviews (36)

Excellent Resource
After spending hours on the internet trying to select new trees for my yard, this book puts it all in one place. I especially appreciate the photos that show not only the leaves, flowers, but also the structure, shape, and size. Many web sites don't give you the complete "picture" of the tree, but just a special feature. This book was recommended to me by a person who wrote a book about tree selection, and it is an excellent resource.

Great Source for Trees and Tree lovers
For any tree lover, or gardener this is a great read.Specifically targeted to those of us in the northern tier, the book is an excellent source for individual species and varieties, within each selection.
If you are from west of the Missippi, you might want another book.
This should be titled Dirr's Hardy Bias for the East.I noticed nearly all of the reviewers hail from east of the Missippi.That may be the reason no one noticed the omissions of many western trees and thinks this book is the best thing since sliced bread.Dirr is a professor at the University of Georgia, and I can suppose that is the main reason for the bias.And the glowing review from the Washington Post must be for the same reason.I live in Florida now, but grew up in Northern California.Let me say the trees of the East and South are indeed beautiful.I like learning about them.In fact many books talk exclusively of eastern and southern trees.But those books state that in the title.This book does not.If it did, I would like it more (although a more systematic order to the trees and shrubs in it would be a lot more user friendly).The Ponderosa pine is the most widespread pine in North America (Sierras and Rockies would be naked without it) but does not find it's way into the book.The Monterey Cypress which groes naturally and in yards along the Pacific Coast is omitted.The Coast Live Oak (not the Southern Live Oak) shades many hillsides and homes on the west coast, and the Interior Live Oak leaves a signature on the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra Nevadas, as does the California Black Oak, Valley Oak, and Blue Oak.Western oak species are markedly different from their Eastern cousins (the western oaks do not grow as straight, but sprawl and twist much more than even the Southern Live Oak).The Western Sycamore is a massive and gnarled cousin to the American Sycamore and London Planetree, but didn't make the cut.There are many others that would've been in the book if Dirr taught at the University of Oregon or maybe Colorado State Univerisity or Berkeley.I don't mind a book on eastern trees and southern trees.They are magnificent and beautiful, but let the reader know what to expect.Westerners, if you are looking to plant or to identify trees in your neighborhood, you should skip this expensive non-comprehensive volume. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Ornamental shrubs    6. Ornamental trees    7. Pictorial works    8. Reference    9. Shrubs    10. Trees    11. United States    12. Gardening / Trees    13. Horticulture    14. Reference works    15. Shrubs & trees   

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Reviews (8)

the rose guide
though not our only guide,it is the first off the shelf when researching a new rose or history of favorites.living in california,we have to add a foot or two to heights,but otherwise this book is most accurate.this last volumne was purchased as a gift;we know it will be very appreciated.

Great Reference guide!
This book is the greatest reference book you can have.There are over 2000 roses described, each with pictures, with everyting you would need to know such as average height and width (and height range based on climate), blooming period, fragrance, any drawbacks the flower has or any disaes susceptibility, and other names the rose is known by.
very informative rose book
I realized when I purchased this book that each year they come out with new roses and some of the ones that I just purchased would not be in the book.But, a lot of my old favorites are there and this book is a real fountain of information for me.Hope they update this book in a couple of years.
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Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Flowers - Roses    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Pictorial works    7. Reference    8. Rose culture    9. Roses    10. Bargain   

Reviews (9)

Attractive to the eye, somewhat limited utility.
I purchased this book as "The Plant Book" on sale for $19.99 at Borders books & music in 2004.It is interesting to note that the introduction _How This Book Works_ still uses the title "Botanica". the professionals choice
I'm a garden designer and couldn't do without it. Every garden centre I know also has a copy. The Zone guides have always been exactly right based on my experience. Highly recommended. Plant Nursery's Best Friend
Working in a small plant nursery, we depend on this book for everything it seems. Many of our customers are new to the area and know only common names for what they're looking for. We've used this book extensively to find these plants. In fact, we've used it so much that this is the second copy we're ordering, having worn out the first! No garden center or gardener should be without this incredible book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Gardening    3. Gardening / Horticulture    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Landscape gardening    6. Plants, Ornamental    7. Reference   

Reviews (3)

The Encyclopedia of Dahlias
The book is a listing of the many varieties of dahlias with photographs. I purchased the book as a gift to a dahlia lover and it was a hit. There is information on growing dahlias and showing dahlias. A good book for a flower gardener.

Encyclopedia of Dahlias by Bill McClaren
After attending a dahlia show in Bellingham,WA, we had to find out more about these beautiful flowers. This book should be rated a "must have" for anyone considering adding dahlias to their garden. The pictures are beautiful and the information is excellent.

Review of Encyclopedia of Dahlias by Bill McClaren
Bill McClaren's Encyclopedia of Dahlias is the first full length book about dahlias written in North America in the past 50 years.For the serious dahlia grower, a book based in North America is important, because many cultivars from other continents are either difficult to obtain in North America or may not perform well in our area.In addition, the book has the most up to date history of the dahlia published anywhere.The book corrects lots of misinformation from other sources.For anyone interested in taking seeds and trying to hybridize new dahlias, the chapter on hybridizing is also the best available treatment of the subject.
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Subjects:  1. Dahlias    2. Flowers - Perennials    3. Gardening    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. Reference    7. Flowers    8. Gardening / Flowers / Bulbs