Customer Reviews

Know It and Grow It III: A Guide to the Identification and Use of Landscape Plants

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

 

 

This is not a "pretty" book. The photos are black and white. The font actually looks like what you expect from an old portable typewriter. It is large, heavy and bulky.

Just remember...."Appearnces are deceiving."

This is a monumentally important book for plant & garden lovers.

Dr. Carl Whitcomb is one of those rare individuals who puts his integrity where his mouth is...and actually gives you accurate & honest evaluations of an enormous number of landscape trees and plants.

His knowledge is based on years as a research professor at OSU...and years beyond that as a research horticulturist. He personally tests the growth habits and cultural needs of each of the plants included in this remarkable manual.

Not only that....

He has made remarkable contributions to the nursery industry. He developed grow bags & containers that have significantly advanced the production of healthy, growable plants for garden lovers.

He has advanced our knowledge of the benefits of soil modifications to soil used in planting holes.

Best of all, he is the horticulturist who has introduced a remarkable collection of new Crape Myrtle, Lacebark Elm, and River Birch cultivars to gardeners & the nursery trade. "Dynamite" Crape Myrtle is just one of his more famous introductions.

Dr. Whitcomb does not sell you the reader short.

His evaluations of plants are lucid, easily read, and laced with invaluable tips & opinions about the worthiness of each plant.

The black & white photos, once adjusted to, offer excellent images of the shape and size of plants.

Each plant evaluation contains a small map that shows the you where in America these plants can best be grown.

Indexes in the back of the book further evaluate plants regarding foliage, flowers, light requirements, water needs, pest & disease resistance and other important criteria.

If you love plants, but sometimes question the accuracy of the sales talks you get from nurserymen & "coffee table" plant books...you should give this book a careful look.

You might not think "pretty"...but you won't be disappointed by the breadth & depth of knowledge you acquire.

This book should always be consulted before starting your landscape project. It lists the various cultivars common to the parent plant, and is very helpful when selecting plants from your local garden center. It also lists the advantages and disadvantages of a given species. Mr. Whitcomb doesn't pull any punches with his comments. For example, look at his final comment for "Spiney Creek Juniper"!

Easy to read and understand. The charts in the back are extremely helpful and the cross-referencing of both common and scientific names is excellent idea.

short on number of plants reviewed, good insight on the no. of plants covered.this mans other books on the propagation, nursery storage,planting, and landscape maintenance of plants are first rate. 3o years of meticulous research have yielded breakthrough results in plant development and maintenance.

Although it's an older book it is an excellent source for looking at different tree option and learning what will work in your area. I used it to buy and plant many trees!! Love it!