Gardening Books

Which gardening books did you have to purchase for your own collection? The ones below aren't my most used ones but since joining Dave's I certainly have developed an interest in knowing more about plants from different zones.........esp. those ones that live in *much* warmer climes. ;)





This message was edited Oct 15, 2005 9:47 PM

Of course I know you have many more gardening books than that Pam. Your addictions have run too long and too deep for just a few.

You asked for it so I'll show you some of mine. I HAD to have them all. Some were better purchases than others, but for a time, if I saw it I had to have it, because I couldn't get enough information......way back before DG and Google.

So here begins the "I'll show you mine if you show me yours".

My top shelf, with a few of my favourites missing because they were in the library (bathroom) or beside the bed(under)

These should be in with my favourites.

Then there's the second shelf with the not so favourite or only occasionally useful.

Everyone who gardens in our climate should read this one, although he does cover plants that aren't hardy here. Gardeners are still growing some of the same cultivars/varieties he mentions in this old book. I really enjoy reading it again and again.

:D I'll be studying your pics very intently Brenda! :D I do see one or two (or more;) that I have on my shelves........but some that I don't.

Which ones have you found most useful?

I don't have Mr. Buckley's book so will be checking the library shelves on Monday.

First I really used Lois Hole's a lot, especially the Perennials. Then I got the Taylor's guides and again the Perennials one is the one I find the most useful. Jelitto is great for reference to find info on a species. Patrick Lima's books are another couple that I like to read over in the winter, and they are good for growing info on some plants.

I have a real nice book on Hostas that I enjoy too. Came home from the RU as a real nice gift from another prairie gardener. I don't have too many that are plant specific.

DH gifted me with many of Hole's and Taylor's books over the years but I'm unfamilar with Patrick Lima's works.

Checked Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/104-9946439-6672731
I think I'll be checking out his books as well. :)

Seems to be a bug in the link but there's more than one way........

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1. The Organic Home Garden: How to Grow Fruits & Vegetables Naturally
by Patrick Lima, John Scanlan (Photographer) (Paperback - February 2004)
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2. The Organic Home Garden: How to Grow Fruits & Vegetables Naturally
by Patrick Lima, John Scanlan (Photographer) (Paperback - February 2004)
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3. Field of dreams: Patrick Lima and John Scanlan have turned their vision of a garden into lush reality. : An article from: Gardening Life [HTML]
by Patrick Lima (Digital - June 22, 1999)
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4. The Art of Perennial Gardening: Creative Ways With Hardy Flowers
by Patrick Lima, John Scanlan (Photographer) (Paperback - March 1998)
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5. The Art of Perennial Gardening: Creative Ways With Hardy Flowers
by Patrick Lima, John Scanlan (Photographer) (Paperback - March 1998)
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6. The Natural Food Garden : Growing Vegetables and Fruits Chemical-Free
by Patrick Lima (Paperback - April 25, 1992)
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7. Herbs: The Complete Gardener's Guide
by Patrick Lima, Turid Forsyth (Hardcover - September 2001)
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8. The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden
by Patrick Lima (Paperback - December 1987)
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9. Kitchen Garden
by Patrick Lima
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10. The Harrowsmith herb handbook
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This message was edited Oct 16, 2005 7:51 PM

This message was edited Oct 16, 2005 7:52 PM

I've just got the Harrowsmith one and The Art of Perennial Gardening.

I forgot about my wild flower books. I keep them in a magazine rack in the living room. Looks llike we have some of the same books. I see a couple of familiar ones, and now a couple more that I want.

Which ones of Lima's do you have?

Hmm.... how good is that Sunset Western Garden. I think I almost bought that one a couple of years back.

Patrick Lima's - I have "The Art of Perennial Gardening: Creative Ways With Hardy Flowers" and "The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden" I believe.



This message was edited Oct 16, 2005 9:00 PM

This message was edited Oct 16, 2005 9:01 PM

It was published in California and covers mainly the far west.....California, Alaska, Hawaii and southwestern Canada. I find I use it most when interested in some of the plants I see the California members posting. More detail is given that what the PlantFiles has and helps me decide whether I should keep drooling over that particular hot zone plant or not.

That's probably why I didn't get it then. I'm not as addicted to out of zone plants as you are. Not yet at least......

I'll be looking for those two! I'd love to have my perennial beds look somewhat (in my dreams) close to yours.

I must admit I love the book sales bins at Walmart and Safeway. I find many hot zone/tropical plant books there and a *very* reasonable prices.

Just a warning, there are lots of addictions out there in the perennials too. Lilies, Irises, Hostas, daylilies....

Another really good one I have is my Iris book that Ginny got for me. It should be in the first picture, but maybe it's in the library. There are a couple of good Lily ones too that I borrowed form the library that I will buy now, and I have Ed McRae's book. I said I didn't have any plant specific ones. I guess I lied. It's starting to kick in now.....

Must admit I grinned when I read about the first plant specific one you listed. ;)

p.s. thank you for the chuckle! re:

OK I dare you. Then I can show you the desk and shelves in my plant room.

I've got John P. Peat's The Daylily: a Guide For Gardeners in my lap right now. Not his most comprehensive work but ooooooooooooooh the pictures!!!

Which lily ones do you like? And which one did Ginny give you?

Now to search out which ones Ed McRae authored.

LOLOLOL.......give me a day............... or two......................... (or three;).

Yep, me too. I'd have to find my library record or ask Ginny about the Lily ones, cause it's not coming to me tonight. The Iris one is "The Gardener's Iris Book" by William Shear.

My lily book is "Lilies A Guide for Growers and Collectors" by Edward Austin McRae. Totally the best.

I'll be checking the city's library shelves in the morning for those........and will be putting in a purchase order if we don't! :)

Imma betting Ginny (Inanda) will come up with it *really* quick.

I wish there were more plant specific books out there.........do you have many by Timber Press?
I droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool ALL over their catalogue.

This message was edited Oct 16, 2005 8:54 PM

Sounds familiar, but I'd have to check. Maybe it's just books I have borrowed. Is there an online catalogue I can check?

Edited my post.......Timber Press: http://www.timberpress.com/index.cfm

Ah, that's better. Thanks. I'm off to check it out and then off to restore my strength for tomorrow's frantic gardening. Boy that sounds cheezy.

:) Nighty night and hopefully a few more will post their favs!

Top of my list is now this one: http://www.timberpress.com/books/isbn.cfm/0-88192-732-5
Tempting Tropicals
New!
175 Irresistible Indoor Plants
By Ellen Zachos

Original and unique, this guide to luscious, choice indoor plants will convert anyone to a passion for gardening indoors. The possibilities presented are dazzling — lush flowering vines or petite carnivorous plants, intoxicating fragrant jasmine or spiky sculptural succulents. Included are chapters on sustenance, container choices, light, water and temperature requirements, propagation, pests and diseases, even how to summer plants outdoors and travel with them on holidays. Over 200 gorgeous color photographs round out the detailed descriptions of 175 choice plants native to both tropical and temperate regions. In her entertaining style, plant fanatic Ellen Zachos invites everyone, from the horticulturally clueless to the avidly addicted, to share her passion for exotic and unusual indoor plants.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah the pics alone will make me swoon!

Keep bumping this guys. No time while weather is good. (ish),

My best ref. books are:
Hortus Third,
Encyclopaedia of Gardening by Sanders
Encyclopaedia of Gardening by Whitehead
Taylor's Encyclopedia of Gardening
Readers Digest Illustrated Guide to Gardening in Canada

In no particular order.

then, all the iris books, lily books and general books.

Re Echoes Library, I could live there and read, for quite a few days. Garden/flower/car books/mags in pretty library.

Out to enjoy weather. Today's job, wire over martagons to deter bushy-tailed rats.

Inanda

My mainstay list is divided into read and research/consult

The read section is first and foremost
Graham S Thomas;
The GST Rose Book,
Plants for Groundcover;
Perennial Garden Plants
The Rock Garden and Its Plants
Ornamental Shrubs, climbers and Bamboos
Trees in The Landscape
The Garden Through the Year
The Art of Planting

the research group is led by the Random House Book of.. by Phillips & Rix

The Random House Book of Perenials,
TRHBO shrubs
TRHBO annuals
TRHBO bulbs
TRHBO roses

I also use the Cavendish series and the Taylor ones -- both good for height and spread.

Andrew Lawson has my favourite book on colour; while with Tony Lord he has produced the fabulous Encyclopedia of Plant Combinations. Tony Lord has a nifty book called Best Borders that I turn to when feeling dry as well.

Then there are the books of Piet Oudolf, only one of which own (have to remedy that!) Gardening with Grasses . I want Designing with Plants and also Dream Plants for the Natural Garden co written with Henk Gerritson.

I have too many books. Wouldn't part with one. almost forgot Botanica rose book. Have to have, though so heavy it breaks my arm everytime I use it.
M

I see a number of excellent books listed above that Dave's Plantfiles administrators use for verifying entries. Also a number I would love to have on my bookshelves (but are within reach of the reference desk ;).

I just found out today that the local horticultural society has donated $500.00 towards the purchase of new gardening books. Now to see which of the above are on our shelves......and which ones aren't. :) edited to say I started this thread for other reasons but now am very grateful for the above listed books!!!


Thanks everyone and if you think of others please don't hesitate about adding more to this thread. Ü



This message was edited Oct 17, 2005 10:02 PM

One of my favs is a book I received from a very kind member here : Making More Plants by Ken Druse. A few of the others are pictured below.

Well your lists have got me doing searches and shopping for books. It all started with you Pam, when I went to look for Timber Press. I didn't get any there but bought three on eBay today.

The Perennial Garden by Jeff Cox, Marilyn Cox
Lilies for American Gardens by George L. Slate (1939 )
The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers

This was sooo much FUN!

:) For some reason your choices don't surprise me! ;)

I hit a different type of sale......well after sale actually. The library had its book sale on Saturday and I went through what was left today. My find was an old book called House Plants for Five Exposures by George Taloumis. The pics are pretty boring (black & white....it was copyrighted in 1973), but it covers many of the older house plant species (some of which are becoming popular again). It isn't one I'd suggest going out of your way to purchase since it is very out-of-date.

I haven't ordered from Timber Press yet either but I did submit a number of ordering suggestions. :)

This message was edited Oct 19, 2005 5:28 AM

Just to make sure this thread doesn't get lost,
Growing Llilies by Derek Fox - now in PB
Victoria Matthews
Richard Bird (not the Enbridge Bird)
Jan de Graaf of Oregon Flower Farm fame
Redoute amazing pictures = huge coffee table type book
Carl Feldmaier
Dr. Wallace - Notes on Lilies - 1879 very interesting.
Pam McGeorge - OK for newbies. Has a good appendix by Lynnette Westfall of Valley K on cold zone growing.
George Slate

Ruth Stout - no till gardening - glad to see a Ruth Stout on your shelf Echoes,
Gardening Poetry - Arkell

Depending what you can find on Abe, Lilypon, you might want to keep Richard Bird & Victora Matthews as Ref. They keep walking from my library.

I'm waiting for the definitve book on Martagons, being written as we speak.

Iris books for another time.
Best one is def. WOI -(World of Iris in the iri world)
Cave is a good one too.

E. H. Wilson and Haw are two authors I'm aways looking for.

Inanda

.

For reference, my fav is Herbaceous Perennial Plants by Alan Armitage.
For design, my favs are all Pamela Harpers; and Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell (tons of gorgeous pictures)

One book I was really disappointed in was Design in the Plant Collector's Garden by Roger Turner. For me, he came across a bit arrogant - I'm a hosta lover and here's what he said about them:
"One wonderful hosta is a major statement. Two major statements is an embarrassment, like two presidential candidates on one platform. As for carpets of hostas, these make those of us with small gardens feel quite ill..." Hmm.

The book that started it all for me was The Weekend Garden Guide by Susan A. Roth; as well as The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden, Flowers For Three Seasons by Patrick Lima. I visited their garden on Bruce Penninsula a few years ago and it was very beautiful and inspiring.

I'd like to get the Hosta Encyclopedia and Shocking Beauty. I usually ask for a book for Christmas.

Here's my garden bookshelves.

Ü Thank you so very, very much Inanda, Sanannie (and all of the above again)! Ü I'll be busy at work again on Friday and Saturday studying your lists and bookshelves intently (and seeing if CBIP still has them in print). For myself I'll prolly be visiting ebay and making up a wish list for Santa. ;)

Sanannie I too would wonder about Taylor's statement for I have seen many gardens here, FULL of hostas, that I think look awesome. Mr. Thomas Hobbs, the author of Shocking Beauty is also very opinionated but his pictures are truly drop dead gorgeous and inspiring (Santa I really, really, really want a water lily pond with deep blue tiles ;).

I totally forgot the Darling Mr. Hobbs. His nursery is truly TDF.
Inanda who really does sometimes wonder why she is in Winnipeg

Actually I do know why. Friends and only tiny slugs.

not to confuse the former with the latter, hey, Inanda???

Lynn, it's good to see you in fine form. Notice inanda didn't answer you.
Sanannie, thanks for adding a few more to my list that I had forgotten about. Some I borrowed from the library and hated to send them back. I would say Turner was full of it and I don't mean Hostas. Just because you can sell books eh......

edited for silly mistake

This message was edited Oct 23, 2005 3:52 PM