Perennials

Perennials play a central role in today's gardens, contributing both colorful flowers and, in many cases, handsome foliage. Choosing specific plants, however, can be daunting. Is this plant hardy in my area? How big does it get? When does it bloom? How much sun does it need? What kind of soil does it prefer? What are its water requirements? What are the best varieties? Perennials answers these questions and many others for more than 2700 species and cultivars in 250 genera, making it one of the most comprehensive guides available.

Concise introductory chapters discuss the characteristics of the most important perennial plant families; plants that lend themselves to special kinds of gardens; and general perennial maintenance. The heart of the book is the A-Z encyclopedia. For each genus, the authors give the plant's scientific and common names, origins, preferred growing conditions, and light requirements. They also offer hard-earned advice on management techniques, propagation, pests and diseases, and companion plants. Individual species and cultivars are listed in easy-to-use charts that include height and spread, hardiness zones, foliage and flower characteristics, and other helpful comments. The informative text is enlivened throughout by Lynne Harrison's sumptuous photographs.