The Complete Book of Perennials [Hardcover]

Graham Rice (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 16, 1996

The essential guide and reference book for growing perennials appropriate for beginners and expert gardeners alike. More than 750 perennials listed alphabetically, including old favorites and lesser-known plants.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This comprehensive volume promises more than it delivers to American gardeners who work in an enormous variety of climatic conditions. Rice, a British horticulturist, leads his readers through the culture and propagation stages of perennials, starting with the selection process, which includes how to choose a good supplier. Hundreds of color photos illustrate sections on planting styles, theme gardens, creating and redoing beds and borders and combining plantings. An illustrated directory of 750 varieties of perennials includes choice varieties within a species and is followed by a map of hardiness zones for the U.S. Aside from soil and light conditions, however, there is no reference in these entries to specific climate demands (including cold tolerance) required successfully to raise the listed perennials, implying that the plants can be successfully cultivated in any part of the country. Many require more specific conditions than the brief attention paid to light and soil conditions. The poppy Meconopsis, for example, a natural for the cool northern mountains, is tolerant of neither extreme heat nor lack of humidity. This handsome reference is, thus, significantly limited in its usefulness, especially to neophyte perennial gardeners.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Readers Digest (April 16, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895778254
• ISBN-13: 978-0895778253
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,584,593 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a Transatlantic Gardener, I write about plants and gardening from our homes and gardens in Pennsylvania (zone 5) and in Northamptonshire (zone 8) in England. It's both exciting and challenging, especially as many of my favorite plants will grow in one of our gardens but not the other!

Originally trained at Kew Gardens in London, perennials and annuals are my special enthusiasms but all plants interest me. I've published a number of books on both subjects including the award-winning Encyclopedia of Perennials, published in association with the American Horticultural Society.

I've also written about sweet peas, small gardens, ornamental vegetables and herbs, and more (take a look at the books in the left) and won awards for writing on both sides of the Atlantic. I'm also a Transatlantic lecturer, my blog at TransatlanticGardener.com was runner-up in the Garden Blog of The Year awards and you'll find my Royal Horticultural Society New Plants blog at RHSNewPlants.co.uk. Or start at my website GrahamRice.com.