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Essential Perennials
The Complete Reference to 2700 Perennials for the Home Garden
By Ruth Rogers Clausen, Thomas Christopher
Photographs by Alan L. Detrick
Essential Perennials focuses on what every gardener needs to know to choose from the thousands of perennials available, and care for the ones you already have. This A-to-Z guide is packed with more than 2,700 plants, with each entry listing flower color, bloom time, foliage characteristics, size, and light and temperature requirements. Each profile is supported by stunning color photography that showcases the flower and foliage that make each plant unique.
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Meet the Authors

Ruth Rogers Clausen
More about the author
Thomas Christopher
More about the author
Alan L. Detrick
More about the authorReview quotes
“A beautifully illustrated ‘spam filter’ for perennial-growers.” —Library Journal
“Enthusiastically recommended for both academic and public libraries and is an essential purchase for libraries where there is an interest in gardening.” —Booklist
“This is a valuable reference book that deserves a spot on your garden bookshelf.” —Country Gardens
“Useful and well written. . . . Will point you in the right direction—toward a home and garden that brings years of pleasure.” —Garden Rant
“Will incite further plant lust.” —The American Gardener
“One thing about Essential Perennials is that it’s essential—maybe even mandatory—for every designer to have a copy.” —Garden Design Online
“The format is clear, it’s easy to navigate around, and there’s plenty of interesting and helpful detail interspersed with colour photos. . . . The authors write with authority yet accessibility, and their expertise leaps off the page, letting the reader know they’re in good hands and can trust the information provided.” —The English Garden
“The photographs are beautiful in this volume, and the entries are quite thorough.” —The News Gazette
“A gorgeous book and a comprehensive A to Z guide for choosing, planting, tending, and enjoying perennials.” —The Manhattan Mercury
“A welcome addition to my bookshelf and it should be for yours too. Its wide-ranging and inclusive listing gives equal time to native woodlanders, ephemerals, exotic introductions, as well as time-honored favorites and takes the confusion out of the ever-growing world of perennials.” —The Ottawa Citizen
“Enthusiastically recommended for both academic and public libraries and is an essential purchase for libraries where there is an interest in gardening.” —Booklist
“This is a valuable reference book that deserves a spot on your garden bookshelf.” —Country Gardens
“Useful and well written. . . . Will point you in the right direction—toward a home and garden that brings years of pleasure.” —Garden Rant
“Will incite further plant lust.” —The American Gardener
“One thing about Essential Perennials is that it’s essential—maybe even mandatory—for every designer to have a copy.” —Garden Design Online
“The format is clear, it’s easy to navigate around, and there’s plenty of interesting and helpful detail interspersed with colour photos. . . . The authors write with authority yet accessibility, and their expertise leaps off the page, letting the reader know they’re in good hands and can trust the information provided.” —The English Garden
“The photographs are beautiful in this volume, and the entries are quite thorough.” —The News Gazette
“A gorgeous book and a comprehensive A to Z guide for choosing, planting, tending, and enjoying perennials.” —The Manhattan Mercury
“A welcome addition to my bookshelf and it should be for yours too. Its wide-ranging and inclusive listing gives equal time to native woodlanders, ephemerals, exotic introductions, as well as time-honored favorites and takes the confusion out of the ever-growing world of perennials.” —The Ottawa Citizen
Product Details
- January 07, 2015
- 9781604696721