Product Description

Conifers for Gardens is intended to take away the element of uncertainty when you're choosing a plant that may alter your yard for years to come. Profusely illustrated with more than 1,500 crisp photographs and brimming with concise descriptions of both species and their numerous cultivars, this meticulously researched reference provides information - including size, appearance, hardiness, preferred growing conditions and susceptibility to pests and diseases - for almost every hardy conifer you're likely to encounter in the trade, whether it's a tried-and-true favorite or a connoisseur's treasure. So if you've ever been torn between, say, 'Golden Mop', 'Lemon Thread', and 'Sungold' sawara-cypresses, relax - choosing and identifying conifers just got a whole lot easier.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35740 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 448 pages

From Booklist
Novice gardeners and savvy designers alike often learn by error when planting conifers. Time passes, and a young specimen may reveal itself as inappropriate for the site for various reasons. Devotee Bitner presents an encyclopedic reference for guidance in selecting coniferous plants to beautify small gardens or thrive in any given landscape. Botanical background is provided along with design advice for everything from topiary to an inviting allée, a forested backdrop to a sequestered nook. To illustrate the breathtaking range of species and cultivated varieties of shrubs and trees—conifers in their myriad shapes and sizes—1,200 photographs accompany entries describing the hardiness and character of exotic Araucaria and Ginkgo, yew and spruce, cypress and false cypress, firs, cedars, pines, and numerous types of junipers. The enlightening counsel provides detailed plant profiles and cultivation requirements that help demystify conifer selection. Bitner is equally adept at explaining how to identify unusual deciduous species, or specimens in their habitat, pointing out form, foliage, cones, and bark. An excellent resource. Joyce, Alice
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Richard L. Bitner is a writer and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous national and regional magazines. He studied horticulture at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, where for many years he has been an instructor in the Continuing Education and Professional Gardener Training programs. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society's Gold Medal Plant Award Committee. He lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

Lots of info
I am a professional gardener. This book is very helpful and useful and it has lots of pictures. The only thing that I might say is missing is that not every variety shown has mature height and width, and it doesn't always say what the light requirements are. But, it still gives me varieties that look like what I might need for a given property, and if it doesn't give all the information I need, I just look up the variety from another source. Overall, it is a good "idea" book.

Review of Conifers for Gardens, Bitner
I was somewhat disappointed that many significant conifers had been left out of this "encyclopedia", making it difficult to do the research I need.
The photographs are of higher quality than an older 2-volume Conifers: The Illustrated Encyclopedia by van Gelderen and van Hoey Smith.

Very good Conifers book
I have never read a very good book about conifers, with nice photos, like this.