Product Description

With colorful photographs of more than 400 plants, this comprehensive treatment of the selection and care of seaside plants will be welcomed eagerly by gardeners from Virginia to south Texas.

As more and more of the nation's population moves to waterfront property, and as coastal construction surges, legions of business and residential owners have discovered the challenges of coastal gardening. Plants that might thrive inland often decline and eventually die. Though salinity is the most common and most hostile environmental stress, gardeners also battle poor soil, drought and downpours, high winds, humidity, and heat, not to mention occasionally freezing temperatures.

Robert J. Black and Edward F. Gilman tell gardeners how to conquer these hurdles and establish aesthetic and functional plants that can adapt to a coastal site. Beginning with basic gardening precepts, they present step-by-step information on specific plants, planting, best landscape uses, cultural needs, and plant maintenance. They address watering, fertilization, pruning, and other care concerns of salt tolerant plants.

This guidebook will be indispensable for all southern coastal homeowners, landscape architects, landscape designers and installers, landscape maintenance personnel, retail nursery personnel, extension agents, and for inland gardeners who face problems that result from salt water intrusion. Compact and handy, it will help them plan, plant, and maintain a beautiful seaside landscape.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1082630 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
"...thoroughly describes the characteristics and landscape uses of about 450 plants." -- Lakeland Ledger, April 29, 2005

"...valuable to both novice and experienced gardeners." -- Lakeland Ledger, April 29, 2005

...an outstanding plant materials reference...the authors' expert advice will prove invaluable for coastal homeowners... -- New Orleans Times - Picayune

A godsend to new gardeners. -- Naples Daily News, 9/30/2005

Excellent discussion, illustrations and photos. -- Master Gardener: Newsletter for St. Johns Master Gardeners, June 2005

People with vacation/retirement homes on the coast...this handy paperback should help [you] adapt to a very different environment. -- Anniston Star, July 17, 2004

This one is worth having. -- Naples Daily News, 9/30/2005

About the Author
Robert J. Black is professor emeritus of environmental horticulture at the University of Florida. Edward F. Gilman is professor of environmental horticulture at the University of Florida.