Customer Reviews

Western Garden Book

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If you could only have one garden book and you live in the west, this is the one to choose. It is an absolutely indispensable tool for the novice and master gardener alike. Any question regarding a particular plant can usually be answered quickly and easily through this resource. As editor Kathleen N. Brenzel states in the dedication, "This book remains a no-nonsense garden guide for Westerners, built upon the rich legacy of previous editions." It is a guide designed purposely to bring gardening in the west into the new millennium .

One of my key questions before purchasing this book was if there were significant improvements over the 1995 which justified the expense of a new copy. That is a question which each individual should assess. The new 2001 edition has significant improvements over the 1995 edition. 2001 contains 768 pages as compared to the 624 of the 1995. The first section of this edition is "Gardening for the New Century" with a look to traditions of the past and ideas for the future.

The Sunset division of climate zones has always been meticulous and more precise than other zone guides. The West has so many micro-climates which are separated by short distances and differ by altitude, morning fog and delta breezes that it is important in choosing plants to know which are likely to survive in your zone. The big addition to the latest edition is that it is inclusive of Alaska, Hawaii and Western Canada. For gardeners who live in these areas, Sunset has now made their day.

The ever thoughtful Plant Selection Section has been reworked to include divisions for color, basic landscaping, special situation and problem solvers. The problem solver is particularly helpful including plants to use for dry areas, shade, seacoast and deer resistant plants.

The meat of the Garden Book has always been its encyclopedia and continues to be. When choosing a plant from a nursery this reference guide is critical. Editors took extra care to make this section even more attractive by including color illustrations of many of the plants. For each plant information included describes zones where they will thrive, exposure to sun, amount of water necessary and if the plant is poisonous.

The Practical Guide to Gardening section provides information on various gardening techniques, problems and pest. Information on weeds, gardening to attract wildlife and drip systems are included in this section.

The last two sections of the Western Garden Book are Public and Historic Gardens and the new Gardening Glossary which is quite helpful to the novice gardener.

The Western Garden Book continues to be an invaluable resource for gardeners of the west. Those who already have the 1995 edition but who feel the need to have all the latest in information and equipment should purchase this edition. Residents of Hawaii, Alaska and Western Canada should be thrilled with this edition. Anyone who is planning a new landscape would also be advised to have the most current version of The Western Garden Book.

Kudos yet again to Sunset for their excellent work.

I have anticipated this newest edition of "Sunset" for several years, and find it to be all that I have hoped it COULD be. As a nurseryperson fully aware of all the newer cultivars being made readily available to the public, I am very pleased to see that Sunset has obviously consulted with growers and distributors in order to provide information on many new genus and species available to the consumer. This newest edition contains a beautifully done introduction which defines gardening IN TANDEM with Nature in very inspiring form, complete with tantalizing photographs. The Plant Encyclodpedia now includes color in its renderings of plants, in addition to listing many "new" cultivars and charts for plant families with many cultivars. The special Guide to Plant Selection has been re-done beautifully with valuable enhancements to the previous edition. The re-worked Practical Guide to Gardening at the back has been done in a very comprehensive manner, providing many wonderful charts and graphics which "teach" effectively. No matter how many previous editions of Sunset you might own, adding this Millenium edition is well worth the investment. With this newest edition, it seems Sunset has finally caught up with the gardening times!

I worked for a Landscape Architectural firm for almost ten years beginning in the mid 1980's. Coming from an educational environment, this submission into a branch of the construction industry was definitely a change for me.

One of the most useful things I learned during this time was about Sunset's Western Sunset Garden Book. This firm designed the landscape for large resorts, high-end custom homes and a wide variety of commercial complexes. The landscape designers always used Western Sunset Garden Book for any and all questions regarding plant material they were using on a project. Unless this book was consulted on a specific plant, it wasn't included in the plans!

Western Sunset Garden Book lists any and all useful information on over 10,000 species of plants. This information includes growing traits, the likes and dislikes of the plant (e.g. likes full sun, is drought tolerant, etc.), the size of the plant(s) at maturity, and just about anything else you can think of needing to know.

The information is also broken down by climate zone, so you can see what plants will thrive in your area and which won't last long. This alone can save you a lot of money when selecting your plant material. I picked up a copy of this "Landscape Bible" as many in our office referred to it, when about half of the plant material in my yard didn't survive the first freeze. Yes those Hibiscus and Bougainvillea looked great and were really growing well until the temperature dropped. Have you ever seen a black Hibiscus or Bougainvillea plant? It's not a pretty sight!

I'd suggest this book for any gardening enthusiast or even for the homeowner that wants to change a few planting beds. It's not the type of book that you'd read cover to cover, but if you use it as a reference book, it could save you from making a costly mistake!

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Except for the cover photo, both 7th and 8 editions have the same contents. Excellent garden book. Both editions = 768 pages.

If you are serious enough about gardening to want this book, get one that won't fall apart. The hardcover is just a few more bucks, and if you throw in another small item you'll qualify for free shipping. I just replaced my 1988 hardcover edition, and it's still in fabulous condition despite being constantly used. (I keep it sitting in my kitchen, next to my cookbooks, where it can be easily grabbed when a flash of gardening inspiration hits.) The only reason I replaced it was to get the updated information in the newer edition. This book is without a doubt the gold standard of garden books.

This is my second copy of the Sunset Western Garden Book. The old copy is tattered and currently in my trunk. That way I am sure to have a reliable reference when I have the urge to purchase a plant. I have only come across one plant that wasn't listed. (Sunset, why did you dis the Dombeya?)
Lots of great photos and tips. It has everything from anatomy to xylem and zones.
It's not just a reference book but an education in gardening.

This book does not contain all of the plants for sale in the world, but every plant in the book IS available from nurseries in the west. Having worked at a prominent nursery in San Diego CA, I can tell you that it is the first book we consult for information on plants.

It is an all-inclusive book, with guides for planting situations, many cross-indexes, basic gardening practices, etc. Under "Grapes", there is an entire page (p.370) devoted to trellises and the training of grape vines. The drawings and discussion are the best I've ever seen.

THIS BOOK HAS EVERYTHING. GREAT PICTURES AND LOTS OF PLANT AND PLANTING INFORMATION. SUNSET PUB. HAS DONE IT AGAIN. I STILL HAVE MY OLD SUNSET WESTERN GARDEN BOOK AND IT'S MORE THAN 20 YRS OLD. IF YOU NEED TO ADD A BOOK TO YOUR LIBRARY, THIS IS THE ONE. - DAVID H./CALIF. DESIGNER

This book has extensive information on planting zones, far beyond what I have seen elsewhere. The section on plants is illustrated and extensive. I live in a zone area called 1A, and was at a complete loss as to what to plant. While I feel the zones are not totally accurate (we grow apple and cherry trees here beautifully), this will become one of my basic references. What can one expect from Sunset Magazine? Delightful cookbooks and excellent garden advice!

The "bible" for gardeners. The most used reference book in our house. Can't function without it. Gets better with each new edition.