American Horticultural Society Great Plant Guide: Revised and Updated

I have a ton of plant books. This one is by far the most comprehensive for plant identification and is very compact. Does not have extensive details on care but has great pictures and identifying features of each specimen.

`Great Plants Guide' by the American Horticultural Society is a slightly overweight `pocket sized' guide to buying and raising outdoor garden plants. Regardless of the subject, I am always just a bit suspicious of `pocket guides' to very broad subjects. And, as this book brags about covering 3000 recommended plants, this is pretty broad. I looked up each flowering plant I have in my garden and was just a bit disturbed to see that three major perennials popular in the northeastern United States are missing from this book! I could find no articles on pansies, petunias, or marigolds, although my other favorites, dahlias, chrysanthemums, and day lillies (hemerocallis). The great families of tulips, daffodills, and hyacinths are also well represented. What was even more annoying is that in the lists of types of plants by use in the back of the book, petunias are mentioned favorably as a good species for hanging baskets. While one gets the sense that the book is weighted heavily towards perennials, we do find a smallish section devoted to Impatiens. As this book is published by DK (Dorling Kindersley) which has several other larger format titles in conjunction with the American Horticultural Society, I strongly suggest that this book was digested from a larger book to give the appearance of working as a fielf guide. What seems odd, however, is the presence in this volume of material specifically meant to be read in March in the comfort of your easy chair, as you look over plant catalogues and plan you award winning flower beds for the coming spring. That is, it is material on techniques which have no role in you strolls down the aisles of your favorite nursery, as you look for a perennial to fill in that hole at the northeastern corner of your house. Were I to consider buying this book again, I would probably take a pass in favor of a good book on perennials plus a good book on annuals, except that it seems few books deal with the lowly pansy and petunia, let alone the cliched marigold. This volume may be good if you don't to actually read big, atlas sized hulking books on 7245 different garden species, but I do suggest you check out the field before laying out any loot for this little guide. I am happy that other reviewers have had good luck with this book, but I repeat my suggestion to shop around before laying out any money for this book.

My mum put this book in my easter basket this year. I wanted a smaller plant guide to take with me when I buy plants. I got so much use out of it, keeping it in my bag usually. It's the perfect book for that purpose, bringing along to nurseries and the like. It is very convenient and gives just the basic facts you need to know about a plant, whether it is suitable for your climate zone, or what size it can grow to. It even included flowering shrubs and trees. Also showed many different cultivars of particular plants. There are some plants that I did not find in this book, but most plants that are not in the book, you won't find at a nursery anyway. You should have a bigger plant encyclopedia if you're really interested in this, but even owning a fullsize one (like I do), you will still get tons of use out of this bringing it along when buying plants or going to plant shows. Unfortunately I lost my book... left it at the nursery, but I am certainly going to buy another one. I highly recommend, just hang on to yours... also I would like to thank my mum for her thoughtfulness, and apologise for my carelessness.

Whether you are trying to identify a plant or are considering new plants for the next year, this guide has 3000 plants that are recommended by the American Horticultural Society. The fun and unassuming format is easy to read and you can learn quite a bit by just reading a few pages now and then to see plants you might be interested in for the future. The Planting Guide is pretty amazing. First you have over 50 situation to consider. If you are looking for spring color, you can turn to pg. 578 or if your soil is more sandy, turn to pg. 627. You then find a list of plants and a page number to read more information on your selection. Two maps of the United states produced by the Department of Agriculture shows on average the annual minimum temperatures and the average number of days per year above 86 degrees. Nice Index, colorful pictures and a book you can take outside and read in the sun. ~The Rebecca Review