Description:
There's no perennial question too basic to ask this book. Maybe you've gardened here and there, but are looking to add a new flowerbed. Or maybe you're tired of the plants you've got that are looking so... tired. In Perennials for Dummies, you can start fresh, with proper plant choices and correct care, and have a lush and blooming garden sooner than you might expect. Choosing the right plants can be annoying if you don't really know what zone means, and the first section of this book is devoted to explaining not just the meaning of zone, but also specific growing conditions for precise regions. High-altitude desert, subtropical swamp, or Pacific Coast--each is detailed with helpful information. The section on planning for your style and color choices is also helpful, and geared toward attractive and low-maintenance choices. The big downside to this book is its lack of pictures. There are lots of line drawings, but they tend to show particular stages of a process rather than each step. Color photos are limited to one section, and since the plant photos are separate from the descriptions, they don't add much value to the book. With bullet-point lists, icons for highlighting categories like "ecofriendly" or "time-saving," and simple tables and charts, how-to photos aren't essential. For folks who learn best with straightforward reading, the presentation won't be an issue, but if pictorial aids are what you need for learning, look elsewhere. --Jill Lightner
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