The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques
by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
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Book Summary Information
Author: Tracy DiSabato-AustEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Illustrated
Published: 1998-02-01
ISBN: 0881924148
Number of pages: 269
Publisher: Timber Press, Incorporated
Book Reviews of The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques
Book Review: Very good book with practical suggestions....
Summary: 4 Stars
Tracy DiSabato-Aust's THE WELL TENDED PERENNIAL GARDEN covers a subject dear to the heart of most gardeners. Perennials are wonderful plants that come in all sizes, shapes, colors, floral displays, and height and can be used in borders, containers, planters and hanging pots. DiSabato mostly looks at perennials as bedding material-examples grown in long borders, or in clustered garden settings near door entrances or patio seating areas.
I found this book much more refined and useful than the author's book on garden design using perennials, trees and shrubs. For one thing she eschews overly complicated designs while portraying results the average gardener might accomplish. The plant arrangements are relatively straightforward and involve specimens easily found in garden catalogs or local nurseries. One photo depicts an autumn arrangement of several varieties of Chrysanthemum, Virginia Sweetspire (Itea) and Fothergilla in a perennial shot "to die for" (she slipped a few shrubs into this book).
The author includes a good check list of perennial attributes one might observe, such as hardiness, tolerance, staking requirements and tendancy to be invasive, and then she discusses staking, deadheading and other tasks associated with the well-tended perennial garden. DiSabato does not seem overly concerned that some of the perennials she includes in her annotated list, such as Arum lillies, may become noxious invasive weeds in some parts of the country (such as the South), but she does suggest some species varieties instead of others for good solid reasons (i.e. Arabis Procurrens instead of Arabis Caucasica).
She covers pests and diseases of perennials in some detail, but I always find these `pest and pestilence' chapters an unnecessary downer. You can worry yourself silly about what might happen. In my experience, plants like children can resist many ailments if they are kept healthy, so I find it far more important to attend to their nutrition and other basic needs and forget the poisons. To her credit DiSabato agrees. She suggests prevention is the best cure and recommends staying away from `chemicals' (a curious term as all living things are composed of chemicals, but you get the idea). A good book for the gardener beginning to grow perennials.
Summary of The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques
Timber Press's all-time bestseller! Tracy DiSabato-Aust has devoted years of study to creating showplace gardens with minimal maintenance. Her methods of pruning and shaping perennials, thoroughly explained and illustrated here, produce more flowers, encourage lush new growth, discourage pests, stagger bloom times, and maintain vigorous health. Readers have given us rave reviews of this book since publication.Gardening & Horticulture Books
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