Perennials for Every Purpose: Choose the Plants for Your Conditions, Your Garden, and Your Taste

There just isn't anything to dislike about this book or it's author. The book contains a vast spectrum of useful information for the novice & veteran gardener alike. Mr. Hodgson is very transparent on his views about 100's of perennials & specific cultivars. He doesn't paint a pretty picture when there's not one to paint. He's honest & up front about the woes of various plants & the nightmares they can haunt us unsuspecting gardeners with. He also shares a wealth of positive examples about those that are a great pleasure to grow in any garden & encourages the reader to find a place in our yard for those special ones. The authors down to earth approach is a pleasure to experience & he certainly has a gift for sharing his many years of travels around the world & testing thousands of plants. This is the kind of book that should be in every gardeners library as this kind of information is altogether valuable & beneficial at all levels. My only disappointment with this book...was that it wasn't much longer to include another few thousand perennials & the authors advice on them. The author has so much to impart...the reader will be delighted in their purchase of this book. A wise investment indeed!!!!

If you are confused and overwhelmed by the large number of perennials available to you, then you might want to take this book along with you on your next trip to the nursery. The first part of the book covers the basics such as getting started, creating a design, growing perennials and keeping them healthy. The last section of the book profiles perennials that can be used in specific situations, such as dry, wet, sunny or shady areas. Each plant profile includes a photograph, a sidebar listing plant characteristics, and suggestions for companion plantings. Also, the top varities for each plant are listed. Seven garden designs are included if you don't want to design your garden yourself. A very informative and helpful book!

Although I have many books on gardening and perennials, this one is my absolute favorite. It's a wonderful resource for selecting, planting, and propagating hundreds of different perennials. Each plant is fully described on two pages with gorgeous photography. I especially like the "Plant Profile" section which offers a thumbnail description of color, size, hardiness, and several other factors. This enables the reader to instantly determine whether a particular plant will work in a given space. I also like the author's notes on "Problems and Solutions" for each plant. His blunt, honest, and humorous comments have saved me from planting beautiful, but migraine-inducing, flowers. A great reference and fun to read.

This book is well organized, has very helpful tips, and an interesting selection of plants, not just the old stand-bys. A worthwhile buy, even if you already have many other books on the subject.

Perennials for Every Purpose is the best perennial gardening book that I've read. It is so well organized that finding information on a huge variety of plants is very easy. The author's frank and helpful articles let the reader know all the ins and outs of each plant type. It is divided into sections referring to plants for sun, shade, spring-, summer-, fall-, and ever-blooming characteristics as well as many others. If you're looking for the perfect perennial for your specific need, the is the perfect book for you. Enjoy and happy gardening.