Annuals with Style: Design Ideas from Classic to Cutting Edge

Where perennials and shrubs provide static and permanent elements in your garden, annuals are a fluid element that you can change from year to year. This book gives you all the backround you need to get started with an attractive Annual garden.It is divided into three parts: garden design; making them grow; and an illustrated guide to many common annuals. The design section details the process of selecting plants, not only for color, but compatability with their location and neighboring plants. The second section will help cure your "brown thumb" if you have difficulty keeping things alive. You will learn how to properly feed and water your plants. The last section has color photos and great detail about each plant presented; Latin name, sowing, growing and care are here.This book is not only useful for researching and designing your garden, it is beautifully illustrated with rich color photographs throughout. There are also some color diagrams where appropriate.Write your name in this book and chain it to your coffee table. After seeing your results the first season, the neighbors may be tempted to carry it off for their own use!

You may not look at annuals the same way again after reading this excellent book. It is full of ideas on how to use them in your garden and should offer any gardener bored with those boring old marigolds some inspiration! You can tell that the authors are passionate about their subject but the photographs alone could make this a book worth purchasing. Simply magnificient photography! A beautiful book and one of the best I have ever seen on annuals.

This book is not just about annuals, though it is definitely the best book about annuals. There are so many great design ideas in this book, including using annuals in a "mixed border," (perennial garden). There is an excellent section on container gardening with lots of professional tips. Some of the topics are just excellent: "using color," "harmony and contrast," "color and variegated foliage," etc. This is the only book I have read that deals with design issues in such a clear and creative way. Anyone can make a beautiful garden after reading these great design tips. The section on propagation is also excellent. Growing from seed and making cuttings are covered in every detail with great step by step pictures. There is also a step by step formula to determine how many plants you need for an area. The last section of the book is an alphabetical listing of each annual, listing its use, culture, and professional tips. You will find out the best and newest varieties here. The writing is filled with the enthusiasm of these authors. There is so much good information in this book, I wish every gardener would read it, including the people who think they just like perennials!

There are literally hundreds of books on various types of plants (perennials, annuals, trees, ...), not to mention an endless array of books on garden design. So, how does one begin to differentiate the great ones from the okay ones?One of my litmus tests for a really great gardening book is whether or not it motivates me to try something new. Michael Riggerio and Tom Christoper's Annuals With Style not only motivated me to get planters for my deck, but converted me from an annual atheist to a devote believer in the power of annuals to make the ordinary garden extraordinary.I'd expect nothing less from a book Michael Riggerio co-authored. Having worked at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) since the age of 14, he is now NYBG's Head Curator. He also teaches an array of courses at NYBG's School of Professional Horticulture. While few horticulturist's resume come close to his, the secret of his book and his own professional success lies in one word, which I have heard used over and over again to describe this remarkable individual. That word is "passion". Michael Riggerio's passion for plants is manifested through out Annuals With Style. The book has hundreds of beautiful pictures, most of which he took throughout his career. (He never goes anywhere without his camera. You never know when you will see an interesting plant!) It also gives the reader practical, clear instructions on how to lay out a bed or border, as well as how to calculate the number of plants needed to make the most intricate designs. (Following the book's guidance, I designed a giant clock made out of annual flowers, just like the one I saw in Europe many years ago!) The plant descriptions go way beyond the basic growing zones, size, shape, color and required sun light. Detailed oriented individuals and horticulturists will appreciate the extra tid-bits of information, such as each plant's family and origins.

although it certainly could be used as one. Instead, it is a very comprehensive guide to annuals and garden design. Beautifully illustrated with thorough information about any annual you are likely to be interested in. It has very helpful tips on everything from the planning to the planting as well as the care of your plants. A worthwhile addition to any gardening library or a wonderful book to start one.