Perennials for Illinois

I really like all the "Illinois" books by this pair of authors, but I sure wish they gave the botanical names for the plants! They only use common names, and unless you're looking for the specific common name the authors use, it's hard to locate the page for a plant. I don't think it would have hurt to include the genus, species and family names somehwere on each plant's page. After all, the botanical name is the only true name for any plant.

Besides the color pictures on every page of this book, there is an extremely useful table at the back that lists all the plants in the book, their color, their height, when they bloom, their height, the amount of light they need, the soil conditions, USDA zone # and page number in the book.So if you need to find a plant for a certain part of your garden with certain characteristics, simply scan the the handy table then look it up on the page # to see the color picture and a concise description of: when to plant, how to grow it, planting tips, and problems/pests to be concerned about.

I purchased this book for my public library and it has been very popular. This is a fantastic gardening resource for all green thumbs in Illinois because all the information is specific to growing in Illinois. Wonderful color pictures on every page. I can't wait to purchase Aldrich's other books! Highly recommended.

I picked up a copy of this book at Chicago Flower and Garden show recently, and found it written to reach not only the master gardener, but also the novice or inspired homeowner wishing to fill their gardens with perennials native to the area. The photos are clear and precise, making identification easy for the untrained eye. The book provides accurate information for growing conditions in Illinois. I will recommend this book to my college interns and fellow members of several garden clubs as well as homeowners I design perennial gardens for.Highly recommended.