Ruth Rogers Clausen

This is my most used gardening book. It has more Perennials than most and covers many different varieties of each. I take it with me when I go to buy plants to make sure that I'm picking plants that will work where I plan to put them. The advice on sun, height, zone, care, etc. has been more accurate than the little markers at the garden center. Plus it ads things like how well the stems of a particular variety handle themselves, self-sowing tendencies, how invasive they really are, and how show more the plant ages over time.

A bonus feature is how rare a plant is. After reading about a plant and falling in love with it, I don't have to be disappointed that I can't find it (but at least I can start keeping an eye out for it in some out of the way nurseries).

The only thing I dislike is even though it's got a ton of photo's many of them aren't very good at highlighting the plants.

Still, I've often wished someone would publish something so definitive and thorough for annuals. show less

All the veteran gardener needs from this is the contents page.

TBRO, nature