Customer Reviews

A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I haven't left this book alone for a day since I bought it. The book provides, in a catalog format, all of the essential information one might need to evaluate the suitability of a very wide variety of native wildflowers, shrubs and trees.

The organization of the book is helpful in that it categorizes the plants as long-lived wildflowers, short-lived wildflowers, shrubs, trees, palms, et cetera. Each individual plant is represented by a good photo and a consistent presentation of essential data: culture, propagation, zone, soil requirements, et cetera, so you can easily and quickly access needed information.

A drawback for Central or North Florida readers: the book seems to be heavily weighted toward southern Florida natives.

A suggestion: a clear identification of the habitat within which each plant is likely to be found would be helpful, especially to those interested in habitat restoration, as I am.

If you want to start, enhance, or improve a native Florida garden, this book has it all! From basics like how to prepare your site before planting (wish this book had been published two years ago!), to selecting the right plants for your site, to pictures of the plants, Rufino Osorio has covered it in this book. I thought I knew a lot before reading it, but now I rely on this text to help me refine my own native garden with buying new plants, pruning and propagating existing plants, (possibly even removing some existing ones), etc. Whether you're a relative novice like me, a true ground-zero beginner, or an experienced gardener, this book belongs on your shelf. My only note of caution is that this purchase will be only the beginning of a long list of acquisitions; in the two weeks since buying this book (got one early through Mounts Botanical Garden in WPB), I have already purchased about 20 new plants.

The pictures in the book are mostly close up pictures of the flowering plant. Can't see leaf or leaf structure or plant size within a natural environment. Would not recommend this book for plant identification.

The author created an excellent reference book on native Florida plants. It has wonderful photos, descriptions, and suggestions for planting and growing a native garden.

Osorio's book is the one I take with me to Florida Native Plant Society meetings and plant sales. "A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants", in combination with another that has better pictures (but without Osorio's great descriptions), plus information from edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ all combine to give me enough confidence to order plants that I've never seen from FL native plant mail order sources.

I have recently become interested in native plants. This book was a big help in identifying plants and determining where to use them to best advantage. I especially appreciated the information on propagation.

This book was absolutely wonderful in helping us plan our garden. We used it along with another book and, I must say, the garden is looking great and the plants attract a great deal of wildlife. A must if you are planning a native garden or want to put native plants into an existing garden.