Oklahoma Gardener's Guide (Paperback)

by Steve Dobbs (Author) "GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING IN OKLAHOMA are alive and well, despite the state's popular image as a flat, treeless dust bowl..." (more)
Key Phrases: existing lower branches, organic backfill, reapply mulch, United States, Rocky Mountain, April Zones (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Steve Dobbs, a horticulturist, garden writer, and lecturer, was the host and producer of Oklahoma Gardening from 1990 to 1995.  The show was selected by the Garden Writers Association of America as the Best TV Gardening Program in the Nation in 1992.  Arranged according to plant size and permanence in the landscape, The Oklahoma Gardener's Guide highlights the plants that are most suitable to Oklahoma's four ecoregions.  Besides the USDA Cold-Hardiness Zone Map, Steve includes an annual precipitation map, spring and fall freeze maps, and a frost-free map which provides the mean length of the frost-free period in weeks for the state.  Steve discusses over 170 selections, including trees, woody shrubs, groundcovers, vines, roses, perennials, ornamental grasses, annuals, and turfgrass that are adaptable to all four regions.  He also explores Oklahoma natives as ornamentals and devotes an entire chapter to the plants that are specific to the western region.  Oklahoma gardeners will learn specific techniques useful for maintaining their local environment, maximizing their garden's beauty potential, and appreciating the wide diversity offered by the state's unique and varied climate.

About the Author
Dobbs is an award-winning horticulturist, garden writer, and lecturer. Since his graduation from Oklahoma State University and the University of Arkansas in horticulture, he has worked in the retail and wholesale trade, and in landscape design, installation, and maintenance, as well as in education as an Extension Horticulturist in both Oklahoma and Florida. He and his wife, Jo Alice, own and operate Morning Star Farms new Vian in eastern Oklahoma. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Cool Springs Press (July 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888608560
• ISBN-13: 978-1888608564
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #397,249 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference for the novice, February 12, 2001

By A Customer

I just moved into my first house with a yard and now have to figure out how to take care of it. This book was heavily recommended by the local nurseries, friends and the county extension office. I now know why. It has nice, although small, color pictures of all the plants the author highlights. I really appreciate the author's willingness to speak his mind about certain plants and techniques. It's also very good that the book is specific to Oklahoma since many books spend time on plants that just can not handle red clay, 110 degree summers, drought, 10 degree winters and steady 25 mph winds - and that's just the months of September and October!

The book is a great reference although I ended up reading it cover to cover. It's very easy even for me to understand. It has a fine index for finding things later. The only complaint, and it is minor, is the size of the photographs. They are only thumbnail sized and kind of tough to see. But, I have other books that give me good pictures for cross-reference.

This book together with Heat Zone Gardening are my main references.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars AKA: The Idiot's Guide To Oklahoma Gardening., April 11, 2000

By A Customer

If you live in or around the prairie areas of Oklahoma, you probably know about the diverse conditions we have and how difficult your gardening can be. Well, here's the answer. Given to me by my landscaping brother at Christmas, the Oklahoma Gardener's Guide : The What, Where, When, How & Why of Ornamental Gardening in Oklahoma has been very helpful to me, a novice gardener at best. Full of ideas about trees, shrubs, vines and flowers, it helped me decide what would work in my landscape. "A-Ha" was my expression as I quickly discovered why things I had tried in the past had failed. Easy to understand and accompanied by full-color thumbnail pictures, it gave me a blueprint to go by. I even carried my bookmarked copy to the nursery when I picked out new spring plants and trees. The bottom line... it works. Now I'm planting with success. This Oklahoma author has done his homework. You should benefit from it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book!, June 26, 2007

By	J. Edeburn (Claremore, OK USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Oklahoma Gardener's Guide: Revised Edition (Paperback)

Great book for us that are new to the wonders of gardeing in Oklahoma. There are tips on plants that can handle windy conditions, drought and blistering sun but will come back after the blizzards of winter.
I also like the symbols that tell the plants attributes such as fragrance, attracts bees or birds or butterflies, native plants, etc.
This book goes with me on plant shopping trips.