An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

W. George Schmid (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 11, 2002

Finding an array of unique and diverse plants for shade might seem like a daunting task, with limited options available to the gardener. Shade perennial expert W. George Schmid dispels this perception in his new encyclopedia. This companionable reference provides information on more than 7000 species and cultivars in 184 genera, from Acanthus to Woodwardia — some new to horticulture, others unjustly overlooked, but all beautifully suited to the shade garden.

Schmid has behind him a half century of practical gardening experience, horticultural education, and extensive travel observing shade perennials in their native habitats; readers are therefore treated to both useful growing tips and his personal associations with the plants. The expert text is rounded out with 500 stunning color photographs, many taken by the author himself.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The lively content of this authoritative compendium offers up much more than a dry encyclopedic gathering of information. Instead, Schmid reveals new ways of looking at gardening in shady conditions by sharing horticultural adventures spanning his own early years in Bavaria and on to Hosta Hill, the aptly named garden he has tended in Georgia for more than 30 years. Graciously guiding budding and sophisticated green thumbs, Schmid demystifies various types of shade, thus paving the way for gardeners to make knowing plant selections. Entries offer thorough descriptions of origins, common names, hardiness, form, and flowers. Additionally, cultivation requirements, propagation advice, and an expert's tips on the likes and dislikes of countless species and cultivars should further assist all levels of gardeners in matching appropriate plants to a shady site. Abundant color photographs serve double duty as a useful and inspiring resource. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"An extensive list of perennial plants for shade, with each plant exhaustively described ... the book is of inestimatable value to gardeners in the Northwest and the cooler parts of California."—John R. Dunmire, Pacific Horticulture, Fall 2003 (John R. Dunmire Pacific Horticulture )

"An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials is a must." Michael Weishan, Country Living Gardener, March/April 2003 (Michael Weishan Country Living Gardener )

"This botanical reference book covers more than 7,000 species and cultivars in 184 genera and provides the most devoted shade gardener with a wide array of interesting plants."?�Joanne S. Carpender, National Gardener, February 2003 (Joanne S. Carpender National Gardener )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 494 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press; 1St Edition edition (October 11, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881925497
• ISBN-13: 978-0881925494
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Gardening

More About the Author

Born 1930; Studied Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Botany, Horticulture and Taxonomy;
Author of 3 Timber Press Books on Gardening (See Amazon); Numerous Journal Articles published 1980 to present.
The Hosta Journal Co-editor; Chairman of AHS Nomenclature Committee; Founder of Georgia Hosta Society; Board Member of International Aroid Society; AHS Historian; Member International Assn for Plant Taxonomy;

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kudos for the Hosta Man!, March 31, 2003

By 

"herbfractal" (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials (Hardcover)

If a book could earn six or seven stars, this would be it. Schmid divides An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials into two sections: a brief (but extremely important) overview of analyzing the conditions prevailing within shady areas, and the much longer encyclopedia itself. A practical man, he does not mince words on what works and what doesn't. The encyclopedia deftly conjures portraits for a species giving light, soil, and water requirements, and idiosyncratic likes or dislikes of a species or variety with growth habits, flowering season, and often advice on transplanting or dividing. And while packing all of this in, he is eminently readable. WOW!
Our county Master Gardeners now have An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials in our reference library because of the depth of information given, and I will soon be buying it.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wealth of information, July 2, 2004

By 

cyclista (the Midwest) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials (Hardcover)

Although I've been a shade gardener for many years, this book contains many shade perennials that I had never heard of. I liked that almost all the pictures appear to be of mature specimens, so you can see what the plant will look like. (My pet peeve is when gardening books show baby plants! What good is that?) There are sometimes many pictures of one plant: one picture will show a close-up of the flower, one picture will be a distance picture. The descriptions tell growing information, zone, size, and possible gardening problems. I was pleased with this book and am glad that I purchased it. I have been barely able to put it down, even though I have read several other shade gardening books. Thank you, Mr. Schmid, for a fantastic, wonderful resource. I enthusiastically recommend this book to any shade gardener.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars made for the shade, January 31, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials (Hardcover)

This includes all of the classics, a bunch of new herbaceous shade perennials, many, many wildflowers, and hundreds of ferns, both old and new for the shady garden.
It covers herbaceous perennials only, as the title implies, but there are thousands of them. A few are missing, but that is a good thing. They are weedy and shouldn't be planted anyway.
I liked the personal stories and connection of the author with each of the genera, and the attention paid to culture, diseases, propagation and heat and cold hardiness.
As in any encyclopedia, the plants are arranged by genus name and within the genus by species and cultivar names, alphabetically. For the plants illustrated in color, the names are in bold letters. You must know the Latin names of plants, but a huge index lists all of common names and tells you what the Latin name for it is. It also gives cross references for synonyms, different scientific names that have been given to the same plant. It takes a while to get the gist of it, but it is worth the time.
A book that will give great shade gardening information for many years to come. It should be in every serious shade gardeners library.