Taylor's Guide to Perennials [Paperback]

Barbara Ellis (Author)

Book Description

Series: Taylor's Guides | Publication Date: February 20, 2001

Perennials are every gardener's favorite plants. They provide colorful flowers and leafy foliage, and, best of all, their beauty returns year after year. In this fully illustrated guide, you’ll find

- The best new cultivars of the beloved old-fashioned plants of grandmother’s garden

- Exciting new introductions from all over the world

- Today’s popular ornamental grasses, perfect for combining with other perennials in low-maintenance gardens

- Ferns to grow among the flowers

And for every plant pictured, you’ll find complete growing information as well as notes on how to propagate your own plants to fill your garden with "free" flowers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Barbara Ellis, a former gardening editor at Rodale Press and the publications director of the American Horticultural Society, is the author of many gardening books, including THE RODALE ALL-NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ORGANIC GARDENING and THE BURPEE COMPLETE GARDENER as well as several TAYLOR'S WEEKEND GARDENING GUIDES. She resides in Alburtis, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (February 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395983630
• ISBN-13: 978-0395983638
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #686,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Reference for the Perennial Gardener, March 23, 2002

By 

Al the Pal "Al the Pal" (The Fruited Plain, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taylor's Guide to Perennials (Paperback)

This is an excellent, encyclopedic reference guide, whether you are trying to identify existing plantings or add perennials to your garden. There is a section with lots of backround gardening information; soil preparation, feeding, watering and etc. The really useful part is the plant guide.

There is a long section with color photographs of hundreds of flowering perennials. This is followed by a comprehensive descriptive guide to the plants, arranged alphabetically by Latin family name. A general description is followed by specific growing tips and varietal descriptions. All the photographs and descriptions are cross-referenced by page number so it is easy to go from a picture to a description or vice-versa. A comprehensive index further adds to the book's ease of use.

If you are dreaming of, or caring for, a perennial garden, this book is indispensable. As it points out, there are tens of thousands of perennials, most of which are not specifically addressed, but basic traits and cultivation methods are shared by thousands of varieties within each genus. This book will guide you to a successful planting plan for your climate.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good basic book for the casual or beginning gardener, July 26, 2001

By 

John Boggan (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Taylor's Guide to Perennials (Paperback)

A good book for the casual or beginning gardener. It covers most of the more common garden perennials in North America, and is well-illustrated with at least one color photo for each genus. Even the experienced gardener will find it valuable for basic information about a broad range of genera. Treatment of species and cultivars is rather cursory, although many of the commonest or most widely available ones are covered. The small size of the book makes it easy to refer to and carry around. The only drawback is that the color photos are all in the front of the book, so you have to keep flipping between the photos and text to match up the plant descriptions with their pictures.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best source for a novice, November 3, 2006

By 

Rosemary C. Overson (Burlington, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Taylor's Guide to Perennials (Paperback)

This book was exactly what I needed. Never seem to know the name of the
flower, and the beautiful photos are invaluable. Very helpful to know what plants work in this time zone, and there are many helpful tips for planting and feeding. A permanent reference in my home.