(Most of the books listed here can be purchased on-line at Amazon.com.)
Annuals
All About Annuals
Ann Lovejoy, 1999, Ortho Books
Graham Rice, 1999, Timber Press
An expert's choice of the best traditional varieties of annuals, along with the finest of modern introductions and some less familiar plants which deserve to be grown more widely. Beautiful and readable, this book also aims to equip readers to make their own decisions about planting annuals. Going systematically through the alphabet, he points out particular opportunities to experiment as well as warning of possible pitfalls. He explains what makes annuals work well together, in sun or shade, in borders, bedding schemes, and containers; and he gives comprehensive instruction on raising annuals, planting, and care.
Elvin McDonald, 1997, Random House
A listing of the one hundred finest annual plants--ranging from Abelmoschus to Zinnia--for a successful garden. Each listing is accompanied by detailed descriptions, advice on cultivation and care, a year-round checklist, purchasing sources, and other handy tips.
Botany
Diana Wells, 1997, Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill, NC
An intriguing look at how much was endured and sacrificed by the early botanists to procure the plants we now have and maybe take for granted. The stories of various flowers reveal the influences art, history and mythology had on those who gave plants names. The origins, migration, hybridization and folklore are presented with fascinating obscure stories, and interesting observations of reasons why flowers were carried to, named and accepted in various countries.
Bulbs
Marty Ross, 1999, Ortho Books
This book includes information on the nature and origin of bulbs, designing gardens using spring, summer, and fall bulbs, buying, planting and growing bulbs, as well as a directory of bulbs. There are also complete instructions for forcing bulbs along with ideas for combining these forced bulbs into arrangements. Easy to use with beautiful photographs.
Exotic Plants
Rebbeca Tyson Northen, 1990 (4th edition), Prentice Hall
Over the past forty years this book has become the best-known and most authoritative work in its field. This completely revised and updated edition includes vast numbers of species descriptions (650 of the more than 30,000 species of orchid), beautiful color photos (although more than half are disappointingly in B&W), and complete information on general culture as well as exhaustive details of specific cultural requirements for many varieties. Plus there is a lot more than the average hobbyist needs just to grow a few plants (but is still rather interesting): discussions of orchid natural history, genetics, hybridization, and propagation by seed germination and cloning (micropropagation).
Gardening
– General
Michael Weishan, 1999, Ballantine Books
This book is particularly targeted toward owners of Colonial- or Victorian-style homes for recreating historical-style gardens of early America by taking the environment of the garden into account, including the structures on the property, to create a unified, holistic presentation. The author's mission is to resurrect the styles of the 18th and 19th century, when settlers in the New World were trying to distinguish their landscapes from the British style so beloved by gardeners today. It includes an exhaustive historic plant list, dating the introduction of various species back to the 1700s.
Cliff Johnson, 1999, Cliff Johnson Marketing
Johnson, a journalist, marketing consultant and University of Minnesota Master Gardener, has interwoven gardening tips from his own life experience and from authorities throughout Minnesota. He combines useful information with horticultural travelogues from trips to Greece, Turkey, Egypt and other destinations. From giant pumpkins, to new suggestions for shade trees, here is down-to-earth, reliable gardening advice for contending with the Upper Midwest's weather extremes and other environmental stresses.
Herbs
Maggie Oster, 1999, Ortho Books
This book covers the gamut from cultivating herbs to using them for cooking, skin care, fragrance, and health. You'll learn the basics of growing, harvesting, and storing herbs and pick up tips for designing herb gardens or tucking herbs into spots throughout your landscape. Tempting recipes for herbal vinegars, cordials, jellies, cheeses, and other foods fintroduce you to the culinary world of homegrown herbs. You'll also find complete instructions for making skin cleansers, poultices, shampoos, potpourris, nosegays, and many other herbal items. The comprehensive encyclopedia of 155 herbs categorizes each herb by its uses and provides detailed growing instructions.
Rosemary Divock, 1996, Palmer Publications
This book includes a lot of information about herbs that grow in the Midwest, plus tips on gardening naturally and interesting factoids on herbs throughout history. One drawback is limited specific information on each plant.
Houseplants
Kate Jerome, 1999, Ortho Books
Learn to select, grow, and use houseplants--everything it takes to ensure your plants thrive and remain as beautiful as the day you brought them home. This book contains a selection guide for choosing plants that thrive in your home, solutions to common houseplant problems, and pests and propagation techniques to help you share your indoor plants.
Barbara Pleasant, 2005, Storey Publishing
A comprehensive yet straightforward and easy-to-follow encyclopedia covering more than 160 houseplants, each with a color photo. The introduction discusses the history, uses, and benefits that houseplants bestow. The next two sections are plant directories offering in-depth plant profiles of flowering and foliage houseplants. The third section is an extensive A-Z of care basics, from acclimatization to watering.
Insects Landscaping
Jo Kellum, 1999, Ortho Books
Includes major categories: Getting the most out our landscape; Landscape solutions; Thinking on paper; Hardscape design; Planning for site preparation; Planting design; Planning for easy maintenance. Easy to use, with inspirational photos.
Chuck Crandall and Barbara Crandall, 1999, Ortho Books
Includes information on creating your perfect landscape. Seven different sites (location types) are highlighted, with photographs of finished landscapes. Directions for drawing the plans – and lists of plants that will thrive in your area – help you to create the ideal landscape.
Philip Giroux, Ed., 1999, IDG Books
Transform your ordinary yard or untamed wilderness into your own personal paradise and a sanctuary for the senses – and you don't have to be a professional landscaper to do it. This user-friendly book walks you step-by-step through the entire process – from deciding how you want your landscape to function to designing a layout, choosing plants and materials, managing contractors, or doing the work yourself. Plus, find out how to build decks, fences, and pathways, and how to solve problems like poor drainage, steep slopes, and erosion. Eight pages of colorful photos and 16 professional landscape designs will leave you inspired and ready to dig in and get started on your own design.
Sally Roth, 1997, Rodale Press
This warm, quietly compelling guide for naturalizing the garden draws on the author's decades of organic gardening experience, personal experiences, and a belief in working in concert with Mother Nature to restore native ecosystems. Best-of lists for everything from grasses for prairie gardens to flowers for a night garden to plants to soften a pool's edge always stress the overarching importance of flora-fauna harmony. Real-life examples, garden plans, and over 250 color photos fill chapters on woodland gardens, shade gardens, wildflower meadows, prairie gardens, and songbird gardens.
Lawns
Warren Schultz, 1999, Ortho Books
This book shows you how to take care of your lawn in an environmentally friendly manner without spending hours manicuring the grass. Once you understand how grass grows--and All About Lawns explains how--you'll learn to apply that information to mowing, fertilizing, and watering. Topics include installing a new lawn, assessing the condition of an existing lawn, and deciding on a course of action if repairs are called for. The book provides complete how-to instructions for repairing a lawn, from patching it to starting over. A gallery of pests helps you identify weeds, insects, and diseases that commonly afflict lawns, and suggests appropriate cultural, organic, and chemical controls.
Northern Gardening
Pamela Wolfe, 1993, Chicago Review Press
Laara Duggan, 1996, Chicago Review Press
Written by an Iowa State University Extension Certified Master Gardener on what really grows and what doesn't in gardens in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. Based on both research and her personal gardening journals documenting experiences with Iowa's weather extremes, this well written book includes a bit of garden lore, an easy-to-follow chart for designing a colorful garden and tips for seasonal chores.
Laara Duggan, 1998, Chicago Review Press
This book follows her previous title on flowers tough enough to survive and prosper in Cedar Falls, Iowa, but expands to include vegetables, shrubs, and trees for spectacular low-maintenance gardens season after season.
See "Perennials" below.
See "Trees & Shrubs" below.
Leon Snyder, 1991, University of Minnesota Press
Leon Snyder, 1985, University of Minnesota Press
See "Herbs" above.
See "Perennials" below.
See "Roses" below.
Marlyn Sachtjen, Chicago Review Press
Pamela Wolfe, 1992, Chicago Review Press
This book shows off special gardens in the Midwest. The text accompanying the beautiful photos has practical advice from each gardener as well the author.
Leon C. Snyder, University of Minnesota Libraries
Neil Moran, 1996, Lake Superior Press
This book on gardening in the northern areas (states that border Canada) was written because the author saw a need to offer advice on all aspects of gardening for people who garden in this difficult climate.
John and Evelyn Moyle
A guide for the Minnesota region.
see "Ornamental Grasses" below
Sara Williams and Edgar Troop
Covers 190 perennial species suitable for the Upper Midwest.
B. Rosie Lerner and Beverly S. Netzhammer, 1994, Purdue University Press
For a folksy approach to garden matters, this calendar of activities fills the bill. The authors offer a no-nonsense point of view when explaining such gardening basics as amending soil, dividing perennials, or starting a new lawn. Beginners and those gardeners with some prior experience should find a helpful ally here, with general tips on everything from houseplant culture during winter's doldrums to suggestions for keeping raccoons away from the sweet corn. Gift and home decor ideas include recipes for potpourri and instructions for pressing flowers and creating simple holiday decorations from garden cuttings.
J. Robert Smith and Beatrice S. Smith, University of Wisconsin Press
See "Wildflowers & Other Native Plants" below.
See "Trees & Shrubs" below.
Melinda Meyers
Charlotte Frieze, 1997, Fireside/Simon&Schuster
For gardeners who live with a short growing season and variable temperatures, this comprehensive guide shows you how to plan your garden, put the right plants in the right place, and care for them according to their climatic needs. Topics include how to zero in on your particular microclimate; best bets for your zone garden annuals, perennials, roses, bulbs, and shrubs; surefire garden plans for seashore gardens, drought-tolerant gardens, shade gardens, and more; when to plant in your zone and when your flowers will bloom; and how to extend the growing season.
Miscellaneous
Barbara Pearlman, 1999, Taylor Publishing, Dallas, TX
Gardening calls for warm ups and stretches just as an athlete would prepare for running or biking. This book describes the mechanics of the body and the best way to spare trauma to muscles and joints. Her advice includes enjoying your garden and reducing the compulsion to make it perfect! Read through this thoughtful guide to understand more fully the total commitment of mind and body to the gardening tasks we all enjoy and undertake as an accepted part of our best loved activity. (review by Donna Fisker, Madison Area MG - a wounded gardener)
Ana Nez Heatherley, 1998, Lyons Press
This guide to traditional herbal medicine includes information for both the beginner and the seasoned herbalist, focusing on the medicinal plants used by Native Americans, the science surrounding them, and tips, photos and maps for finding, identifying and preparing them.
Ornamental Grasses
by Rick Darke
A result of 20 years of international research and photography, this thorough investigation into the plants that have changed the look of American gardens features over 500 full color images of garden-worthy grasses, sedges, rushes, restios, cat-tails and bamboos. It is intended for gardeners in a wide range of situations and climates, and draws from the experience and creativity of great gardens and gardeners around the world. Six chapters of a general nature (botany, anatomy, classification, native habitats, designing with grasses, and growing and propagating) preceed the 170-page, illustrated alphabetical encyclopedia, with horticultural advice added to the botanical descriptions for over 400 species/varieties.
John Greenlee, 1992, Rodale Press
A friendly, yet exhaustive and descriptive work, with clear, concise information on grasses, sedges, rushes, etc. This is a good reference book for the novice and professional alike, providing climate information, decent photography throughout and even a list of mail order suppliers.
Michael King and Piet Oudolf, 1998, Timber Press
Ornamental grasses are only a part of the landscape, and this book address both grasses and the other types of plants that work well with them, from a landscape design frame of reference – how to work grasses into your garden. The 161 color photos and thorough coverage of ornamental grasses and their companions make this the most complete package you could buy for incorporating these graceful, ornamental features into your design.
However, this is not a great reference book about grasses; even though it does contain good basic knowledge of grasses for the novice, about a quarter of the text covers perennial flowers. Many of the photos show grasses in the landscape rather than a single clear crisp grass variety. And the species references are rather limited.
M. Meyer, D. B. White, and H. Pellet, University of Minnesota Publ. #573
Includes hardiness maps, grasses for different landscape needs, culture and maintenance with photos and drawings. Excellent reference for our hardiness zones.
Roger Holmes and Frances Tenenbaum, Eds., 1997, Houghton-Mifflin
Ornamental grasses are at home in a mixed border or as striking individual specimens. They adapt to a wide range of climates and soils, need little or no maintenance, and resist most pests and diseases. This book offers both an introduction and a very practical guide to ornamental grasses with dozens of ideas for landscaping and portraits of the best grasses for any site. Small enough to tuck into pocket or purse, the 310-page paperback is ideal for taking along to nurseries and gardens, to assist with identification and plant selection. With 165 color photos.
Perennials
Ann Lovejoy, 1999, Ortho Books
Joan Severa, 1999, Trails Media Group
This beautiful book will appeal to the novice as well as the advanced gardener. The friendly, chatty, yet knowledgeable, tone of the book comfortably conveys information on the chronology of creating a garden, the basics, and the plants themselves in well organized chapters. Clear and evocative pictures enhance the text. She goes through her garden development step by step, so that if one were creating a garden, one could depend on the book to guide one through the entire process.
Mike Heger and John Whitman, 1999, NTC/Contemporary Publishing
Cold climates, so the authors define, are regions in which winter temperatures can fall below 20 degrees – which doesn't seem all that cold by Wisconsin standards – so take their advice with that in mind. Fifty of the most popular perennial groups and listed, within these groups, 1,700 wild and cultivated varieties best suited to "cold" climates. In-depth profiles of each plant group provide descriptions and specific growing details on each variety. There is also a chapter on the basics of growing perennials, discussing site preparation, buying potted perennials, mulching, fertilizing, weeding, staking, deadheading, pruning, winter protection, and problems such as diseases and insects.
Tracy DiSabato-Aust, 1998, Timber Press
This book is written in plain, easy-to-understand language and organized into three sections. The first, Basic Perennial Garden Planting and Maintenance, covers garden design, pests and diseases, division and renovation. Section two, Pruning Perennials, sets her book apart from others, with rarely-seen advice on pruning perennials to delay bloom time, alter their appearance, or improve health. The last section, Encyclopedia of Perennials, focuses on pruning and maintenance practices. Practical appendices include a month-by-month calendar of pruning and maintenance tasks and a list of perennials arranged in 35 categories related to their specific pruning and maintenance requirements. Line drawings and color photos enhance the text.
Tommy Cairns, 1999, Ortho Books
This book is essential as the foundation for any collection of rose books. The novice will have the mystery of growing good roses finally revealed. Clear diagrams detailing soil and site preparations, disease and pest identification, nutrient deficiency, pruning techniques and pruning problems make this book invaluable for every rose grower. There is also a good overview of rose forms with helpful suggestions on incorporating roses into your landscape, as well as insightful suggestions on designing the rose garden that best fits your needs. The book also contains a better than average rose selection guide (including regional suitability) which should be valuable to less experience rosarians.
Mary Tonetti Dorra, 1999, Clarkson Potter
The author captures the special beauty of 24 rose gardens devoted exclusively, or nearly exclusively, to America's most beloved flower. Traveling from Maine to the Pacific Northwest, from Florida to California, Dorra not only discovered a variety of rose garden designs, but also a myriad of approaches to cultivation, depending on climate, garden size, location, and, of course, the gardener's favorite roses. With more than 250 color illustrations, this book offers both intimate views of individual roses as well as bird's-eye views of overall garden designs. Tips from the owners, caretakers, and designers bring to life the fun, challenge, and joy that these gardens inspire. The garden plans and as thorough source list are a great starting point for new garden planners and an excellent reference for veterans.
Jerry Olson and John Whitman, 1999, NTC/Contemporary Publishing
Robert Osborne, 1995, Storey Books
This beautifully illustrated book describes 50 "tough" varieties that will produce a profusion of blooms with minimal input in cold climates. Well-organized lists and charts supply information on fragrance, disease-resistance, and catalog suppliers. The cultural information is geared toward shrub roses rather than the more tender hybrid teas.
Douglas Green, 1997, Houghton Mifflin Co.
Supposedly you can grow roses almost anywhere with this special 'deep planting method' developed by the author through a decade of trial and error at his nursery in Ontario, Canada. No hilling or special winter protection is necessary, even for hybrid teas, as long as the plants are both planted and fertilized properly (he says ignore either and success drops). Another purported benefit is that plants remain disease and pest free without pesticides. Other chapters cover pruning, watering, mulches, etc. Full color photos throughout.
Shade Plants
Linden Hawthorne, 1999, DK Publishing
One of a new series of practical guides that present the practical know-how of the American Horticultural Society in compact, attractive publications that address specific gardening topics. New photography, fresh ideas, straightforward text, and the finest horticultural information will inspire confidence and ensure success. Includes more than 250 color photos and clearly explained projects for the less experienced or busy gardener.
Harriet Klamroth Morse, 1982, Timber Press
For two generations, gardeners who have faced the challenges of growing an interesting variety of plants in shady conditions have turned to this classic little book for suggestions and solutions.
Kenneth Druse, 1992, Clarkson Potter
A guide to using natural shade to create beautiful gardens covers all types of shade--wet or dry, partial or dense--suggesting plants for every situation, from rock, to water, to woodland, to container. Druse himself gardens in the shadow of a Brooklyn brownstone, so his advice is by no means limited to gardeners with woodland acreage. An addendum at the back of the book sorts the herbaceous perennials by color. The 420 full-color photographs illustrate the creative use of form, texture and color, as well as seasonal variations, in actual plantings.
Trees
& Shrubs
See "Northern Gardening" above.
Michael A. Dirr, 1997, Timber Press
Dirr, a horticulture professor at the University of Georgia, has spent more than 25 years photographing trees and shrubs. For this volume, 1,600 of his color photographs were used to illustrate 500 species of U.S. northern trees and shrubs, suitable for zones 3 to 8 of the USDA Hardiness Zone Map. This book provides both beautiful photos of mature specimens, showing the shape and texture, as well as limited relevant information on plant habit and culture. His descriptions (and opinions) are written in plain but colorful language. This would be a good companion to Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, which lists most of the cultivars available and the growing characteristics of each, but no color photos.
Michael A. Dirr, 1998, Stipes Publishing
This book is the standard reference of every landscape professional, and is the single-greatest source of information on landscape plants for the serious gardener. It will help you select, culture and successfully grow the correct plants for your area. Includes extensive descriptions, listing of the most common varieties available for each species, and information on hardiness, general maintenance, planting procedures, pests.
Leon Snyder, 2000, University of Minnesota Press
A classic guide to growing woody plants in a northern climate, in a new easy-to-use edition. Originally published in 1980, the new edition combines the technical information that made the first so valuable to the professional horticulturalist with a new, practical approach that makes it essential for the average northern gardener. Sections on how to plan a garden are followed by advice on how to best plant and maintain trees and shrubs. The largest section of this new edition is an easy-to-use guide to the many varieties of trees, shrubs, and vines that will grow in the north that includes the origins of various plants, how they can best be maintained, where and how they will grow, whether they will produce fruit or flowers, and how they will respond to changes in weather. Illustrations include contemporary and historical line drawings, as well as one hundred full-color photographs that demonstrate the beauty of these plants in full bloom. Quotations from famous horticultural and natural history writers link today's gardeners with fellow gardening enthusiasts across the centuries.
Vegetable
Gardening
Mary Tonetti Dorra, 1997, Clarkson Potter
This book takes you into a bucolic fantasy of enthralling design and impressive maintenance. These gardens were created to feed the eye as well as the stomach. Richly illustrated with 250 full-color photographs, a celebration of ornamental vegetable gardens across the country presents a range of innovative designs, as well as tips on seed selection, cultivation, landscape design, and using produce. The two dozen gardens range from magnificent to manageable, and cover all the geographic areas of the United States.
Water Gardening
Veronica Lorson Fowler and Jamie Beyer, 1999, Ortho Books
Includes planning your garden pool, materials and supplies, building a garden pool, planting and stocking and maintaining your garden pool. Complete step-by-step instructions for installing pools, streams, waterfalls, bog gardens, fountains, and lighting will help you achieve professional results. Excellent photos; an easy to use reference.
Wildflowers
& Other Native Plants
Lorraine Johnson, 1999, Firefly Books
In this book native plants are those that grew here before European settlement and "easy-to-grow" means plants that require very little maintenance, such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, pruning, etc. The common and botanical name, height, and blooming period of each plant is given, along with its soil, sun, shade, and moisture requirements. Other data includes each plant's native habitat and range (Northeast, prairies, or Northwest), description, propagation, good companions, and related species. Each listing includes a color photograph. A really useful feature is the charts in the back that show groups of plants suited for various growing conditions.
Marian S. Edsall, 1985, University of Wisconsin Press
Useful to an out-of-state traveler, but not as complete as many wildflower guides, this book includes good photographs and information for fast identification of familiar plants. Interesting information about the species makes it more interesting than the usual botanical guides.
Peter Loewer, 1997, Better Homes and Gardens Books
A comprehensive guide to creating a garden where wildflowers and native plants will flourish offers in-depth coverage of planting and maintenance while presenting additional tips on how to save time and overcome common problems.
Wildlife Gardening
Sally Roth, Rodale Press
This reader-friendly, comprehensive, A-to-Z guide will help serious and casual gardeners alike choose the specific plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees for attracting some of the best-loved backyard birds, including bluebirds, warblers, goldfinches, and cardinals. Readers will discover top plants for birds, profiles of more than fifty common backyard birds, special bird feeding and planting tips to attract specific birds. Instructions for building bird baths, water pools, shelters, and other bird attractions are included.
Craig Tufts and H. Peter Loewer, 1995, Rodale Press
This book discusses gardening for birds, butterflies, and nightlife in a variety of habitats – woodland, meadow and prairie, and water gardens – and profiles 15 diverse wildlife gardens. Includes a Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program application for certification, a list of plants unsuitable for wildlife gardens, resources, recommended reading, and a plant hardiness zone map. Printed on slick stock and illustrated with numerous color photos.
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