Perennials play a central role in today's gardens. Choosing specific plants, however, can be daunting. Is this plant hardy in my area? How big does it get? When does it bloom? Perennials: A Gardener's Reference answers these and many other questions for more than 2,700 species and cultivars in 250 genera, making it one of the most comprehensive guides available. The informative text is enlivened throughout by the authors' wide-ranging experience with perennials and by Lynne Harrison's sumptuous photographs. Whether you're a beginning gardener, a seasoned expert, or a green-industry professional, Perennials: A Gardener's Reference will be the book you turn to again and again for essential information about these supremely beautiful and useful plants. The gardening world is constantly being invigorated by plant introductions, and the Pacific Northwest is arguably one of the premier horticultural landscapes. Hailing from Seattle, the expert authors are perfectly placed to guide novices, professionals, and hopeless hortoholics looking for hot new plants. This appealing compendium of nearly 3,000 plant entries offers engrossing, high-spirited commentary to help in selecting and caring for vast arrays of species and cultivated varieties. Background information accompanies cultural advice, helping to take the mystery out of cultivating herbaceous blooming beauties, semievergreen selections rising from rhizomes, vigorous ground covers, and dramatic foliage specimens. And easy-to-follow charts aid in the understanding of Anemones and other such large genera. Common names, plant sources, and recommended reading complete entries from Acaena to Zantedeschia, making this exceptional resource a must-have for library collections. Alice Joyce Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Salient details on selecting, planting, and nurturing more than 2700 species and cultivars of herbaceous perennials are packed into this richly illustrated volume of gardening wisdom. . . . Gardeners are certain to find this an invaluable source. An essential reference tool; recommended for all public libraries.” — Library Journal “Use this book to identify new and outstanding performers. Then just Google their names to find mail order sources. It’s never been so easy to get the best garden plants!” — Boston Globe “For the serious and experienced gardener—the kind who can handle a book organized by plant families and botanical names.” — The Chicago Tribune “Of course it is a perfect fit for gardeners of the maritime Northwest, but the on-the-job commentaries make this book useful to gardeners in almost any temperate climate.” — Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin “Supersedes all other books on the subject currently residing on the shelf. The practical hands-on advice is inspiring and refreshing.” — Pacific Horticulture “A well-illustrated, extensive encyclopedia of herbaceous perennials that can be successfully grown in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere in the continental U.S.” — Choice “A tome of a hardback, packed with charts, photos, and detailed techniques, a reference you’ll turn to again and again throughout the seasons.” — The Seattle Times “The most encompassing and practical directory of perennials. . . . With descriptions of over 2,700 species and cultivars, this exhaustive work will be useful for both beginning gardeners and weathered experts.” — Garden Compass “If you like to go to the garden center with a good idea about which plants will do best in your garden, this volume on herbaceous perennials—it includes 2,700 plants in 250 genera—is one that belongs up there with Michael Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape Plants.” — People Places Plants “I highly recommend this book to every gardener who ever thought of buying a perennial plant—because if we all followed the advice found on these pages, every garden would be beautifully maintained and blooming year-round.” — Seattle Post-Intelligencer “Seattle-based gardeners Carter, Carrie Becker, and Bob Lilly have co-authored a practical A–Z guide to perennials that gardeners will find both stimulating and easy to use.” — SciTech Book News “An accessible, information-packed treasury of garden-worthy plants. . . . This book is an appealing new acquaintance which appears quite likely to grow into a very best friend.” — BookPage Susan Carter is a garden and landscape designer. She has been involved with many horticultural organizations including Master Gardener's, the Northwest Perennial Alliance, the Northwest Horticultural Society, and the Association for Women in Landscaping. Susan has 25 years of experience in many areas of horticulture, professional training in landscape design, and a timeless desire to know everything there is to know about plants. She lives in Seattle, Washington. Carrie Becker has gardened for more than 40 years. She has been a professional gardener, landscape designer, and consultant for over 25 years.