Product Description

From selecting the right plants for your particular garden to utilizing their architectural qualities to best effect, this practical guide covers everything needed to grow, maintain, and propagate the versatile shrub. Eye-opening color photographs help show how to make the most of shrubs’ different forms, shapes, and hues. A fully-illustrated directory lists popular species from 70 genera.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2540444 in Books
• Published on: 2003-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

From Booklist
Sawford compiles a fine introduction to indispensable shrubs, those major players in gardens great and small. Useful lists highlight species of plants that promise seasonal exhibitions, along with a number of shrubs that flower throughout the year, and others recognized for scent, spectacular foliage, or sculptural branching habits that are revealed in the depth of winter. Gardeners will find the handsomely illustrated guide most helpful in matching plants to soil type, as well as space allotment. Basic advice on pests and diseases accompanies tips on general maintenance and care, such as ways to protect young shrubs from damaging winds. The main section contains a directory arranged by genus. While a huge number of Acer species count among the maples, Rhododendron, and Rosa, only one species is highlighted for the showy Garrya elliptica. In general, Sawford recommends a number of outstanding cultivars, giving special consideration to selections that thrive with moderate attention. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Beginners to gardening can easily be overwhelmed by the choice of shrubs on offer and often fall foul of the old adage "forsythia, and ribes and you can't go wrong". Unfortunately they both flower at the same time and in most eyes are not a pleasant sight with the yellow flowers of the forsythia clashing hideously with the almost fluorescent pink of the ribes! Experienced garden writer and photographer Eric Sawford attempts to right this situation with his colourful, comprehensive guide to the most common garden shrubs available today. Clearly written, he offers cultivation advice, pruning details and propagation techniques and, in a straightforward, matter of fact way, he dispels all the myths of "difficult" shrubs such as daphne and tree paeonias and introduces the reader instead to their various charms. Providing not only form and structure to a garden but flowers, fruits, height and foliar interest, shrubs are the backbone of every garden and this book should ensure their importance is passed on to all those just discovering the wonderful world of gardening. - Lucy Watson

About the Author
Eric Sawford has over 30 years' experience in all aspects of gardening, from plants, seeds and gardening products to garden machinery and plant photography.