Product Description

The indispensable new reference book for every gardener

With their immense diversity of color, shape, size, scent, flowers and berries, shrubs provide the gardener with an inexhaustible range of plants to suit every site, whatever its aspect or soil.

Here is a uniquely comprehensive guide to more than 1900 shrubs, in stunning full-color photographs, many showing specimens growing in gardens or in the wild. The plants are arranged according to their flowering season, from winter through to autumn, and the authoritative text describes each plant's origin, important characteristics and the growing conditions that suit it.

Also included is a list of gardens open to the public and a guide to nurseries.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #130173 in Books
• Published on: 1989-03-11
• Released on: 1989-03-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback

From Library Journal
Ideal for plant identification and selection, this terrific series features immaculate photography (one picture for virtually every entry) and clear, concise text that discusses the physical attributes, native area, and hardiness of each plant.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap
The indispensable new reference book for every gardener

With their immense diversity of color, shape, size, scent, flowers and berries, shrubs provide the gardener with an inexhaustible range of plants to suit every site, whatever its aspect or soil.

Here is a uniquely comprehensive guide to more than 1900 shrubs, in stunning full-color photographs, many showing specimens growing in gardens or in the wild. The plants are arranged according to their flowering season, from winter through to autumn, and the authoritative text describes each plant's origin, important characteristics and the growing conditions that suit it.

Also included is a list of gardens open to the public and a guide to nurseries.

Customer Reviews

Beautiful book with British bias
This is a beautifully produced reference book with extensive color photos. Its size gives it the illusion of being comprehensive. However, it only includes plants that will grow "somewhere in the British Isles". It omits a number of species which are U.S. natives (e.g., no Rhododendron catawbiensis, although the author offers a whole section on Asian rhododendrons). It also misses species cultivated in the Southern US (e.g., no gardenias). List of cultivars circa 1989 is getting dated. I would also hope that the next edition would alphabetize the order in which species are presented within the sections. If you don't mind its limitations, it's a bargain; buy it for the photos.

This book took my breath away, I could not put it down!
This volume is the most gorgeous and comprehensive overview of shrubs I have seen to date. The information contained, although not exhaustive, is concise and useful. The breadth of plants covered is truly amazing and the photography excellent. The only disappointment is lack of information on how to obtain these plants. I reach for this book so often, it seems to live on my desktop (Along with the other Random House Plant Books), not the reference shelf!

Photos great
Perhaps this is aimed at a novice landscaper or plant enthusiast, but as I botanist....I LOVE it. The photos are great and unrivaled. There are photos for identifying plants in any season (leaves, bark, flower, fruit). There is also a companion in my collection for TREES. I recommend them both for the same reasons. Some times a botanical key is not enough to jog my memory.