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The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants
 
 
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The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants [Hardcover]

John Greenlee (Author), Derek Fell (Photographer), Wolfgang Oehme (Foreword)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 15, 1992
From the fresh green shoots of spring through the dramatic foliage of summer, the lush colors of autumn, and the pale, feathery maturity of winter, grasses add a special touch to the garden in every season. Native species of beautiful ornamental grasses flourish in almost every part of North America. Now these attractive, adaptable plants are making their way into yards and gardens across the continent. Ornamental grasses are easy to grow, and they provide year-round landscape interest. No wonder grasses have been enjoying a new popularity.

The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses is a comprehensive, fully illustrated reference. An informative opening section describes and illustrates the different types of grasses and their habits. This section also provides a basic primer on gardening with ornamental grasses, including practical advice on selecting and buying plants; using them in the landscape; planting, maintaining, and propagating them; and fighting pests and diseases without harmful chemicals.

The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses provides descriptions of over 250 grasses. For each major entry, the encyclopedia features a color photograph of the grass, plus a special information box that gives the grass's botanical and common names, hardiness zone, origin, and preferred sites. A comprehensive description follows, with information on the grass's physical characteristics (color, habit, height, and flowers), landscape uses (for example, as a border, in masses, as an accent, or for cutting), culture and propagation (its preferred conditions and propagation methods), and any potential pests or problems. Cultivars and varieties are listed as well.

A special section of ornamental grass garden designs by well-known designers provides lots of ideas for using grasses in perennial borders, meadows, curbside plantings, and cutting gardens. A resource section lists suppliers of seeds, plants, and equipment, and a bibliography suggests where to find further information. An index of common and botanical names makes this book as easy to use as it is practical, informative, and beautiful.

The most comprehensive reference available, The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses is destined to become a classic work on the subject-- a must for any serious gardener.


Editorial Reviews

Review

"John Greenlee has presented American gardeners with a fine gift-- a comprehensive book on the ornamental grasses that have become so deservedly popular in recent years and that promise to keep adding new interest to our gardens well into the next century. The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses is eminently practical, filled with solid cultural information, not only about familiar and common sorts of ornamental grasses, but also about new or rare ones that deserve much attention, such as Catlin sedge (Carex texensis). This is a wonderfully useful reference book, but it is also lively and readable. John Greenlee is passionate about ornamental grasses and his open delight shines forth on every page."--Allen Lacy, Author of The Garden in Autumn

"The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses belongs on every serious gardener's bookshelf. John Greenlee's book is not only clear and concise, it is complete. Well done, John!"--Carole Ottesen, Author of Ornamental Grasses: The Amber Wave and The New American Garden

From the Inside Flap

The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses
How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants

From the fresh green shoots of spring through the dramatic foliage of summer, the lush colors of autumn, and the pale, feathery maturity of winter, grasses add a special touch to the garden in every season. Native species of beautiful ornamental grasses flourish in almost every part of North America. Now these attractive, adaptable plants are making their way into yards and gardens across the continent. Ornamental grasses are easy to grow, and they provide year-round landscape interest. No wonder grasses have been enjoying a new popularity.

The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses is a comprehensive, fully illustrated reference. An informative opening section describes and illustrates the different types of grasses and their habits. This section also provides a basic primer on gardening with ornamental grasses, including practical advice on selecting and buying plants; using them in the landscape; planting, maintaining, and propagating them; and fighting pests and diseases without harmful chemicals.

The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses provides descriptions of over 250 grasses. For each major entry, the encyclopedia features a color photograph of the grass, plus a special information box that gives the grass's botanical and common names, hardiness zone, origin, and preferred sites. A comprehensive description follows, with information on the grass's physical characteristics (color, habit, height, and flowers), landscape uses (for example, as a border, in masses, as an accent, or for cutting), culture and propagation (its preferred conditions and propagation methods), and any potential pests or problems. Cultivars and varieties are listed as well.

A special section of ornamental grass garden designs by well-known designers provides lots of ideas for using grasses in perennial borders, meadows, curbside plantings, and cutting gardens. A resource section lists suppliers of seeds, plants, and equipment, and a bibliography suggests where to find further information. An index of common and botanical names makes this book as easy to use as it is practical, informative, and beautiful.

The most comprehensive reference available, The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses is destined to become a classic work on the subject-- a must for any serious gardener.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Greenlee is the owner of Greenlee Nursery and John Greenlee and Associates Garden Design, located in Pomona and Malibu, California. A native Californian, he holds a degree in Ornamental Horticulture from California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. A specialist in growing ornamental grasses and grasslike plants, he has traveled extensively in North America and England studying and lecturing on grasses.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Derek Fell specializes in photographing gardens worldwide, with an emphasis on their romantic and design qualities. His work has appeared in 35 garden books and calendars, plus numerous national magazines. Winner of more awards from the Garden Writers Association of America than any other photographer, he lives at historic Cedaridge Farm, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 186 pages
  • Publisher: Rodale Books (November 15, 1992)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0875961002
  • ISBN-13: 978-0875961002
  • Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars an authorative compendium on a unique subject, January 21, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants (Hardcover)
Greenlee did his homework and that shows when you browse through this friendly, yet exhaustive and descriptive work. Ornamental grass is growing in popularity and this is a good reference book for the novice and professional alike.

Climate info, decent photography throughout and even a list of mail order suppliers make it a must have for a burgeoning landscape designer...

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39 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Only one thing missing, August 25, 1998
By A Customer
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This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants (Hardcover)
This is a great book with clear, concise information and photographs of grasses, sedges, rushes, etc., but there is one important thing missing: bamboo! I was disappointed to find that family missing completely, but very satisfied with the rest of the book.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The term ornamental grass is somewhat confusing because this label is applied not only to true grasses, but to close relatives of grasses and to grasslike plants in general. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
large blue hairgrass, purple woodrush, hot inland climates, variegated orchard grass, awn plume grass, meadow pennisetum, hardiness untested, flowering accent, banded bulrush, bearskin fescue, grass prefers moist, orange hook sedge, smilo grass, tender fountain grass, blue wheat grass, sugarcane plume grass, split beard bluestem, hairy melic, tall moor grass, natal grass, silver spike grass, brownish spikes, cane thickness, volga wild rye, evergreen miscanthus
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, New Zealand, North America, Southern California, San Diego, Native Americans, North Carolina, South Africa, New England, New Mexico, Northern California, Ornamental Grasse, Northern Hemisphere, Pacific Northwest, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
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