Neglected and little-read books

What book in your collection do you treasure, is little-known, and wish more people knew about it? One of mine that comes to mind is Wildflowers Along the Way by the Environment Clearinghouse of Schenectady. More of a brochure than a full book, I like that the information presented is simple and not overly wordy. I know enough about a lot of different plants at this point and don't need the mind numbing how-to-grow minutiae that fills a lot of other books. It's obvious the knowledge is first-hand gained and the line drawings are elegant. This is the first book I have found to identify a plant growing near me - Lycopodium or ground pine. Knowing I have a plant with such an ancient lineage makes me feel good. And there is information about Dandelions that I never knew.

I'm sure one of my favorites, Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs, would not be considered little-known, but I thought I would mention it anyway. It is often hard to pick a good gardening book because they all have beautiful pictures of plants. The right photo could probably tempt me to plant poison ivy! (Easy to grow, low maintenance, etc.) But Dirr is wonderfully opinionated and not shy about sharing his views. For example, when he writes about a particular variety of white pine tree (pendula) he says," Pendula is a flailing, arching, pendulous, irregular form...Use as an accent plant; one is acceptable, two represent bad taste, and three disgrace."
I actually planted one of these in my front yard. But not two!

I recommend Inheriting Paradise: Meditations on Gardening, which is a lovely little book. It is deceptively small - don't try to read it quickly as some thought is involved.

I also loved Epitaph for a Peach, which is technically not gardening but rather farming.

The big Michael Dirr book ( the one without the pictures) has become my bible for almost any question I have about trees and shrubs for temperate climates. He must be an amazing man to have put together so much useful information. I hope he will do another edition soon. His book on Hydrangeas is also excellent.

Russell Page wrote a book in the sixties - {Education of a Gardener that is invaluable for anyone designing a garden. While he writes primarily about large gardens he designed for people with plenty of money to spend, the principles he defines work anywhere and for everyone who wants to create a garden picture - of flowers, vegetables, trees, etc. He designed the Pepsico Garden in Purchase NY which is a must see - especially now that it has matured.