Perennials can make a stunning statement in your yard, if you know how to combine and arrange them. In The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer, Stephanie Cohen and Nancy Ondra offer expert advice on how to create gorgeous gardens using these beloved plants. They explain how to choose perennials that suit your site, and combine well with each other, by paying attention to color, shape, size, and texture. They also offer down-to-earth design solutions for 20 specific types of gardens, including a low-maintenance garden, a more complex container garden, a formal border, and a cottage garden. Whether you are breaking ground for a new garden, or revitalizing an existing bed, The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer can help you achieve great results, year after year.
The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Garden design is less rule-bound than it once was, but many novices approach it with trepidation. By bringing a refreshingly relaxed attitude to a well-worn topic, Cohen and Ondra give it friendly appeal. Both are professional designers and private enthusiasts who believe "you don't really know a plant until you've killed it." Readers who follow their ample, practical advice are much more likely to create beautiful gardens than to kill many plants, and even experienced gardeners will pick up some tips. First, the authors "demystify" perennial design, explaining how to approach a project, choose plants, plan the design and add details for extra appeal. They then explain how to "put perennials to work," focusing on specific designs and including handsome color sketches, schematic plans and lush photographs. Each of their designs accomplishes a goal—solving a problem with site conditions (e.g., excessive shade or sun), achieving a desired color effect, maximizing seasonal impact—and comes with a detailed list of recommended plants and alternate selections. Finally, in the "From Theory to Practice" section, they document the two-year histories of a new border, a major expansion and a garden renovation. The conversational text and photographs comparing early plantings with second-year results are great confidence builders for neophytes. Helpful appendixes include a zone map, a comprehensive plant list in an easy-to-use chart format and a reading list.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Just when it seems there couldn't possibly be anything original to say on the subject of perennial-garden design, along come two authors with a breezy style, down-to-earth advice, and a refreshingly open approach to prove you wrong. Cohen and Ondra bring their lifelong personal and professional passion to the creation of a design manual that tells both the novice and experienced gardener what to do, what to use, and just about anything else one would need to know to create vivid designs. Presented in a conversational, understandable manner, the authors' liberal use of puns, quips, and catchy phrases also makes the book a joy to read. Especially helpful are 20 original, plant-by-numbers designs addressing a variety of garden challenges; and thoughtful information about garden renovation will be savored by new homeowners who have inherited someone else's mistakes, or established gardeners weary of their current landscaping. Plant charts, reading lists, and detailed descriptions of more than 475 perennials round out this welcome addition to any garden library. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Perennials may be put in their place using an organized design pattern and Stephanie Cohen's teaching background blends with nursery owner Nancy Ondra's experience with rare plants to make for an excellent set of design tips in Perennial Gardener's Design Primer. Here are 20 plans for different kinds of gardens, along with designer tips, checklists, and a list of recommended reliable perennials. Color photos and plenty of diagrams and charts pack life into a recommended gardener's planning guide.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By garden bee
Format:Hardcover
I have over 50 gardening books, but none of them compare to this one for gardening design. It has a wide variety of garden designs with exact directions for placement. The only drawback I see in this book is for southern gardners. I was not familiar w/all of the plants & I suspect most of them are for northern gardens.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have purchased many Garden design books. I want something to just give me an idea and Ill go from there. This book does just that. The color ideas, what to plant with what. Has detailed sketched designs as well as many photographs of actual flower beds.
The quick reference Planning Chart has to be one of my favorite things about the book.
Would I buy it again? yes, I think I would
The quick reference Planning Chart has to be one of my favorite things about the book.
Would I buy it again? yes, I think I would
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely
Love the book and info. However, for me it fell short because it lacks pictures of the plants. I prefer a book that shows a particular plant along with a complete description. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Grammy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perennial Gardner's Design Primer
This book provides the perfect guidence for a new perennial gardener. The material is well organized. The design plans are usable. Read more
Published 21 months ago by margaretw
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Perennial Gardner's Design Primer
Much useful information from 2 experienced gardners, and the book is a relatively easy read. Love the photos. There's a great deal of inspiration in those pages.
Published 22 months ago by Vic
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good designs and clear directions
I had taken this book out from the library and liked it so much that I decided to buy my own copy.
Published on April 19, 2010 by Joinmo
5.0 out of 5 stars
very helpful
This book is very helpful in planning a border or bed. The authors give a simple procedure that will give good results. Read more
Published on April 9, 2010 by Molly
4.0 out of 5 stars
Everything You Need To Know
The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer
By Stephanie Cohen and Nancy J. Ondra
Storey Publishing
ISBN -13978-1-58017-532-2
If this book had been available... Read more
By Stephanie Cohen and Nancy J. Ondra
Storey Publishing
ISBN -13978-1-58017-532-2
If this book had been available... Read more
Published on September 9, 2009 by allanbecker-gardenguru
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite for garden design
This is one of my favorite garden books. I've only started gardening in the last couple of years. Since I had some failures in my first season, I've been trying to read all I can... Read more
Published on June 6, 2009 by J. Sorensen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute favorite of my gardening books
If you want to plant a flower garden, this is a great how-to. It gives you plenty of suggestions and "jumping off" points which giving you the knowledge and confidence that you... Read more
Published on April 26, 2009 by bd
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buy This - Read Why:
In the back of this book is a 13 page planning chart. It includes most or all of the perennials featured in the book with: zones, light req, soil moisture req, bloom... Read more
Published on May 9, 2008 by CelticBrewer
5.0 out of 5 stars
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
After seeing this book recommended as one of the year's best by "Fine Gardening" and seeing it as the #3 selection on Amazon . Com for bestsellers I bought the book. Read more
Published on December 12, 2005 by Rick
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
|
|
