Armitage's Garden Annuals: A Color Encyclopedia [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Allan M. Armitage (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2004

Horticulturists, students, and dedicated home gardeners will be familiar with Armitage's authority on this topic from his more technical Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials. That volume was singled out as a winner of the Choice Academic Book Award, the American Horticultural Society Book Award, and the Garden Writers of America Golden Globe Award. While this new offering is a perfect pictorial companion to the Manual, it also stands alone with its personal commentary and inspiring advice on the most interesting, important, or overlooked plants. Armitage selects proven specimens from nearly 200 genera of plants and evaluates their garden-worthiness and sheer beauty. With humor, authority, and a wealth of practical experience, Armitage offers invaluable insights into those plants that truly earn their keep — and a few that do not! He has illustrated the entries with more than 1300 stunning color photos, rounded out by more than two dozen helpful lists of plants suitable for particular situations or uses, including plants for cool-summer areas, plants for dry situations, edible plants, container plants, shade plants, vines, and flowers for cutting.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In dedicating his latest book to plant breeders, Armitage conveys his enthusiasm for the breathtaking range of ornamental plants now available to avid gardeners. Many green thumbs specifically count on annuals to bring vibrant color to beds and borders during the traditional growing season, and this encyclopedic reference provides a wealth of photographs to help delineate the ever-increasing arrays of annuals that can be found at nurseries and garden centers. Armitage's lively text is both informative and entertaining, and instead of emphasizing cultivation requirements, he provides savvy, up-to-date recommendations for the most desirable species and cultivars to enliven one's garden, from stunning forms of ornamental okra to fuchsias and tropicals such as ginger lily and the unusual twining vine Basella alba. A terrific resource for gardeners and an essential book for anyone who gardens in warmer regions, where many of these plants are among the choicest of year-round specimens. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A perfect edition to round out your horticulture library..down-to-earth..the latest in garden annuals along with those long considered the best for the annual garden."— Joanne S. Carpender, National Gardener, August 2004 (Joanne S. Carpender National Gardener )

"A comprehensive and boldly colorful resource for anyone looking for just the right annual for their garden ... beautiful photos and to-the-point text are perfectly balanced."— San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles, July 2004 (San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles )

"Nobody knows annuals better than Allan Armitage."—George Weigel, People Places Plants, Summer 2004 (George Weigel People Places Plants )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press; 1St Edition edition (February 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881926175
• ISBN-13: 978-0881926170
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #89,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Gardening

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent book by Allan Armitage and Timber Press, March 3, 2004

By 

Rick C (Kalispell, MT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Armitage's Garden Annuals: A Color Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

Mr. Armitage is following the format utilized by his earlier book "Armitage's Garden Perennials" and Michael Dirr's "Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs", providing frank information of common and obscure annuals. Comments such as "Bananas...If you are reading this and are not thinking, 'this guy is nuts!', then you are an open-minded gardener, and we can drink beer together." are what makes this a good book. But the pictures are outstanding. If this book had no words other than the description below the picture, it would be an outstanding book. I now have all the reference I need along with "Armitage's Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials". I just need a bigger bookshelf....

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like reading a letter from an old friend, November 27, 2009

By 

Charlene K. Schneider "katie's mom" (wichita, ks) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Armitage's Garden Annuals: A Color Encyclopedia (Hardcover)

Allan Armitage writes as if he were talking to a group of fellow gardeners. He is not pretentious, and writes not with arrogance, but with genuine down to earth knowledge. I love his books, and consider him the 'Michael Dirr' of herbaceous plants.