Perennials for Every Purpose: Choose the Right Plants for Your Conditions, Your Garden, and Your Taste (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book) (Paperback)

by Larry Hodgson (Author) "Don't let the thought of perennial gardening scare you!..." (more)
Key Phrases: everblooming perennials, seasonal hedge, midsummer meltdown, Plant Hardiness Zones, Light Preference, Soil Preference (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Perennials for Every Purpose is the next best thing to having a friendly expert whispering in your ear as you plan, plant, and perfect your perennial garden. This book is a treasure!"-- Susan McClure, author of Easy-Care Perennial Gardens and The Free-Spirited Garden

"This book is packed with lots of useful information for the beginning gardener, and it's a great refresher for the experienced gardener as well. Perennials for Every Purpose is certainly a welcome addition to my perennials library!"-- Frederick McGourty, owner of Hillside Gardens in Norfolk, Connecticut, and coauthor of Perennials: How to Select, Grow and Enjoy

"In this solid perennials encyclopedia, Larry Hodgson gives personal, hands-on advice to flower gardeners everywhere. You'll find his excellent mix of widely popular perennial standouts and very desirable, lesser-known flowers a great source of inspiration when working in your perennial border. I especially appreciate the 'Good Neighbors' information provided with each plant. It's invaluable when selecting companion plantings."-- Jacqueline Heriteau, author of the American Horticultural Society Flower Finder
-- Review

Review

"Perennials for Every Purpose is the next best thing to having a friendly expert whispering in your ear as you plan, plant, and perfect your perennial garden. This book is a treasure!"--Susan McClure, author of Easy-Care Perennial Gardens and The Free-Spirited Garden

"This book is packed with lots of useful information for the beginning gardener, and it's a great refresher for the experienced gardener as well. Perennials for Every Purpose is certainly a welcome addition to my perennials library!"--Frederick McGourty, owner of Hillside Gardens in Norfolk, Connecticut, and coauthor of Perennials: How to Select, Grow and Enjoy

"In this solid perennials encyclopedia, Larry Hodgson gives personal, hands-on advice to flower gardeners everywhere. You'll find his excellent mix of widely popular perennial standouts and very desirable, lesser-known flowers a great source of inspiration when working in your perennial border. I especially appreciate the 'Good Neighbors' information provided with each plant. It's invaluable when selecting companion plantings."--Jacqueline Heriteau, author of the American Horticultural Society Flower Finder

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Paperback: 512 pages Publisher: Rodale Books (March 5, 2003) Language: English ISBN-10: 0875968937 ISBN-13: 978-0875968933 Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #13 in  Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > Flowers > Perennials #75 in  Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > Landscape #87 in  Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > Organic

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Don't let the thought of perennial gardening scare you! Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
everblooming perennials, seasonal hedge, midsummer meltdown, mulch abundantly, common pasque flower, hardy ice plant, bottomless bucket sunk, bigleaf ligularia, cut flower garden, white gaura, hardiness zones, individual listings, foxglove penstemon, fabulous foliage, creeping sedums, root barrier, wall rock cress, hakone grass, mass planting, bloom time, blue corydalis, garden phlox, flax lilies, white false indigo, great bellflower

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Plant Hardiness Zones, Light Preference, Soil Preference, Bloom Color, Plant Profile, Garden Uses, Larry's Garden Notes, Kissing Cousins, North America, Larry's Favorite, Length of Foliage Season, New England, New Zealand, South Africa, Keeping Plants Alive, Mother Nature, New York, Deep South, More Recommended Bellflowers Campanula, Northern Hemisphere

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 20 books:

• Perennial Gardener by Frederick McGourty in Back Matter
• Herbaceous Ornamental Plants by Steven Still in Back Matter
• Water Gardens by Jacqueline Heriteau in Back Matter
• Perennial Ground Covers by David MacKenzie in Back Matter
• The Garden Book by Rh Value Publishing in Back Matter

See all 20 books this book cites

 

4 books cite this book:

• Annuals for Every Purpose: Choose the Right Plants for Your Conditions, Your Garden, and Your Taste (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book) by Larry Hodgson in Back Matter, and Back Cover
• Month-By-Month Gardening in Tennessee and Kentucky: What To Do Each Month To Have a Beautiful Garden All Year (Month-By-Month Gardening in Tennessee & Kentucky) by Judy Lowe in Back Matter
• Lasagna Gardening with Herbs: Enjoy Fresh Flavor, Fragrance, and Beauty with No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding! by Patricia Lanza in Back Matter
• Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces: A Layering System for Big Results in Small Gardens and Containers (Rodale Organic Gardening Book) by Patricia Lanza in Back Matter

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Books on Related Topics (learn more)

The Well-Designed Mixed Garden by Tracy Disabato-Aust

Discusses:

• garden size
• switch grass
• perennial garden

Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell

Discusses:

• planting perennials
• perennial garden
• perennial bed

Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust

Discusses:

• planting perennials
• garden size
• perennial garden

Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials by Ellen Phillips

Discusses:

• perennial garden
• plant list
• perennial bed

Perennial All-Stars by Jeff Cox

Discusses:

• switch grass
• perennial garden
• perennial bed

The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer by Stephanie Cohen

Discusses:

• switch grass
• perennial garden
• perennial bed

The Well-Designed Mixed Garden by Tracy Disabato-Aust Discusses: garden size switch grass perennial garden Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell Discusses: planting perennials perennial garden perennial bed Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust Discusses: planting perennials garden size perennial garden Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials by Ellen Phillips Discusses: perennial garden plant list perennial bed Loading...

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	67% buy the item featured on this page: Perennials for Every Purpose: Choose the Right Plants for Your Conditions, Your Garden, and Your Taste (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book) 5.0 out of 5 stars (10) $16.49
	10% buy Perennial Combinations: Stunning Combinations That Make Your Garden Look Fantastic Right from the Start (Rodale Garden Book) 4.6 out of 5 stars (23) $15.61
	8% buy The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting and Pruning Techniques 4.9 out of 5 stars (46) $23.07
	8% buy Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials: 10th Anniversary Revised and Expanded Edition 4.7 out of 5 stars (18) $16.47

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews 5 star:  (10) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 5.0 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 20 of 20 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide for choosing perennials, April 19, 2005 By  W. Oliver "scudder" (Alabama) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)       If you are confused and overwhelmed by the large number of perennials available to you, then you might want to take this book along with you on your next trip to the nursery. The first part of the book covers the basics such as getting started, creating a design, growing perennials and keeping them healthy. The last section of the book profiles perennials that can be used in specific situations, such as dry, wet, sunny or shady areas. Each plant profile includes a photograph, a sidebar listing plant characteristics, and suggestions for companion plantings. Also, the top varities for each plant are listed. Seven garden designs are included if you don't want to design your garden yourself. A very informative and helpful book! 9 of 9 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Beginner Gardeners, February 2, 2007 By  M. Buel (Bettendorf, IA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I'm a Master Gardener who bought this book for my newly married 26 year old daughter who is planning her first garden. This book has great pictures of PLANTS--not just the flowers on them--as well as garden plans for small doable gardens--9 x 7--as well as larger undertakings. The descriptions of each plant are well done and the book is fun to browse. Good investment for any gardener! 9 of 10 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific reference, May 22, 2006 By  Jay Keefer "J-Keefe" (WIlliamsport PA) - See all my reviews A great reference that I turn to time and time again. And frequently peruse leisurely at bedtime. Especially nice for wintertime dreaming of next season's garden! There are only a few paragraphs per plant (facing pages, large-ish print), plus a table; but the info is presented concisely enough that I get what I need most of the time. If not, I move on to other resources. Author's style is very readable, pleasant and good-natured. The only downside is that more photos would have made a better reference (although probably a more expensive one). One picture -- which could be a flower close-up or a wider shot -- really isn't sufficient if the reader is not familiar with the plant. Oh, and too often the table information will say "varies by species" (or "cultivar") for entries like size, etc. I think that could have been handled better. But having said those things, I have to reiterate that I love this book (and its partner, "Annuals for Every Purpose"). So much so that I felt compelled to write this review/recommendation when the title crossed my browsing path... and despite shopping at Amazon for years, I've never done so before. Enjoy and happy gardening!		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book! This is a wonderful book. Perennials can be overwelming. This book helps simplify it. A must for the perennial gardener. Published 1 month ago by Edwin S. Pink 5.0 out of 5 stars Perennials for Every Purpose This is an excellent book. It is very thorough and an excellent reference source. I'd recommend it to any gardener! Published 2 months ago by Debsgarden 5.0 out of 5 stars A great stand-by reference for everyone Even if you are just dabbling in perennial gardening, you will find this book simply delightful. I myself have been a perennial gardener for many years, and I also work in the... Read more Published 6 months ago by Lisa A. D. Tyler 5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you ever wanted to know about Perennials This is the perfect book for perennial lovers and specifically requested by our daughter. She'll love getting it for Christmas! Published 8 months ago by me carolyn 5.0 out of 5 stars Perennials for Every Purpose Perennials for Every Purpose is truly an encyclopedia of perennials catagorized in groups such as Everblooming, Sunshine, etc. Quick and informative reading. Read more Published 12 months ago by Mickelina Roy 5.0 out of 5 stars Just not long enough! There just isn't anything to dislike about this book or it's author. The book contains a vast spectrum of useful information for the novice & veteran gardener alike... Read more Published on May 9, 2007 by Kathleen A. Peck 5.0 out of 5 stars Features plants with handy at-a-glance plant profiles There are perennials for virtually any purpose in the garden, and Larry Hodgson's Perennials For Every Purpose features plants with handy at-a-glance plant profiles to help choose... Read more Published on December 13, 2003 by Midwest Book Review Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (March 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875968937
• ISBN-13: 978-0875968933
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #13 in	Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > Flowers > Perennials
  #75 in	Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > Landscape
  #87 in	Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > Organic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide for choosing perennials, April 19, 2005

By	W. Oliver "scudder" (Alabama) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

If you are confused and overwhelmed by the large number of perennials available to you, then you might want to take this book along with you on your next trip to the nursery.

The first part of the book covers the basics such as getting started, creating a design, growing perennials and keeping them healthy. The last section of the book profiles perennials that can be used in specific situations, such as dry, wet, sunny or shady areas. Each plant profile includes a photograph, a sidebar listing plant characteristics, and suggestions for companion plantings. Also, the top varities for each plant are listed. Seven garden designs are included if you don't want to design your garden yourself. A very informative and helpful book!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Beginner Gardeners, February 2, 2007

By	M. Buel (Bettendorf, IA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a Master Gardener who bought this book for my newly married 26 year old daughter who is planning her first garden. This book has great pictures of PLANTS--not just the flowers on them--as well as garden plans for small doable gardens--9 x 7--as well as larger undertakings. The descriptions of each plant are well done and the book is fun to browse. Good investment for any gardener!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific reference, May 22, 2006

By	Jay Keefer "J-Keefe" (WIlliamsport PA) - See all my reviews

A great reference that I turn to time and time again. And frequently peruse leisurely at bedtime. Especially nice for wintertime dreaming of next season's garden!

There are only a few paragraphs per plant (facing pages, large-ish print), plus a table; but the info is presented concisely enough that I get what I need most of the time. If not, I move on to other resources.

Author's style is very readable, pleasant and good-natured.

The only downside is that more photos would have made a better reference (although probably a more expensive one). One picture -- which could be a flower close-up or a wider shot -- really isn't sufficient if the reader is not familiar with the plant.

Oh, and too often the table information will say "varies by species" (or "cultivar") for entries like size, etc. I think that could have been handled better.

But having said those things, I have to reiterate that I love this book (and its partner, "Annuals for Every Purpose"). So much so that I felt compelled to write this review/recommendation when the title crossed my browsing path... and despite shopping at Amazon for years, I've never done so before.

Enjoy and happy gardening!