Perennial Ground Covers [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by David MacKenzie (Author) "There are two classes of benefits to using ground covers the material and the environmental..." (more)
Key Phrases: North America, United States, New Zealand (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"If I need to plant a large section of groundcover among Japanese maples and I want something more interesting than the old standbys, I can pick up Perennial Ground Covers, by David MacKenzie, page through excellent pictures, and find a plant that I had forgotten or never thought would work."
—Donna Williamson, HortResources newsletter, January 2004 (HortResources )

"Makes finding original groundcovers for large areas with contrast in leaf shape and sizes that go along with companion planting for your landscape easier ... excellent for the amateur or the experienced gardener."
—National Gardener, August 2002 (National Gardener )

If I need to plant a large section of groundcover among Japanese maples and I want something more interesting than the old standbys, I can pick up Perennial Ground Covers, by David MacKenzie, page through excellent pictures, and find a plant that I had forgotten or never thought would work. Donna Williamson, HortResources newsletter, January 2004 (HortResources )

Makes finding original groundcovers for large areas with contrast in leaf shape and sizes that go along with companion planting for your landscape easier ... excellent for the amateur or the experienced gardener. National Gardener, August 2002 (National Gardener )

Product Description
Ground covers take on new meaning in this enlightening book designed to make gardeners' work easier. Hostas, stonecrops, smaller rhododendrons, prayer plants, pyracanthas, box huckleberry, hellebores, daylilies, grasses, alpine willows, and unsupported climbing vines are just some of MacKenzie's imaginative suggestions. Even Gunnera manicata, a 6-foot-tall, 8-foot-wide plant, is suggested for some situations!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 452 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press, Incorporated (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881925578
• ISBN-13: 978-0881925579
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #731,149 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent title from Timber Press, April 5, 2000

By	Dave Norden (Raleigh, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Perennial Ground Covers (Hardcover)

Perennial Ground Covers is a great example of the high standards of Timber Press publishing of horticultural subjects. MacKenzie does an overall exceptional job at breaking down hundreds of species of both traditional and non-traditional groundcovers. Many of the plants included here are clever and reasonable additions to those that would normally be considered groundcovers, while some step over a few bounds, with no harm done nonetheless, to be included in this group. This reference book is best for those with just a little more than basic plant knowledge, but can be just as helpful for the beginner. It is refreshing in its approach that does not baby the reader as it does not assume they know nothing about plants at all. The breakdown of this book consists of an introduction, including an explanation on nomenclature, a section of plates of each groundcover included in the book, a non-picture section of species in alphabetical order, and an outstanding appendix of characteristics in table form for all of the plants included. One main drawback of the book is a lack of family names of species that have descriptions. This is where a grouping by relationship or by environmental conditions would be better than an alphabetical listing. I appreciate that the pictures were kept together in a separate section, rather than including them alongside each description. This makes for easier use for reference. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a reference for both groundcovers and perennials as two individual groups of plants.