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I can say I sat on the dock for a weekend and read this book from beginning to end. It is called "planted" and is by Andy Sturgeon. It has beautiful pictures and he covers quite a few unique plants. He's really funny too. He has a section called "botanical pariahs" and he talks about all the plants he hates...like Leyland cypress. It's a good read.
Anything by Judith Adam. The New City Gardener published by Firefly in 1999. It has great info for gardens in the city.
I have many garden books I've been collecting through the years. One good idea is also to subscribe to some magazines. For Montreal, if you read French, I would suggest "Fleurs, Plantes et Jardins".
For books, I often get some at Winners (cheap)... be careful though sometime the quality of the information is not all good.
My few preferred books are:
Perennial Garden by Patrick Lima
Guide des fleurs pour les jardins du Québec by Benoit Prieur
Taylor's Guide to Perennials
Canadian Garden Design by Mark Cullen
The Canadian Gardener's Guide to Foliage and Garden Design by Marjorie Harris
and;
The Well-Tended Perennial Gardn by Tracy DiSabato-Aust.
To have a luxurious garden, the importance is in your soil. Invest in having the best you can. The rest will be pure fun and excitement.
You can often buy used books on amazon.ca
Most garden info does no change so even one published years ago are good. You can save some money on the book for more plants :)
Pictures are good. If only these confounded books would come with a complimentary gardener. In lieu of that pictures are very, very good. I'll check it out.
Hi there ...here's a really good book to try(I've learned a ton of info from gardening books) "Landscape Planning - practical techniques for the home gardener" by Judith Adam ISBN number 1-55209-618-1, printed in Canada by Firefly Books it pretty much tells you everything you need for a great garden including great pictures and lists of plants to try in any situation. You could find it at any big bookstore, it was published in 2002.
If only you looked like Michael Hutchense did and made housecalls - all would be well.
Thanks for the laugh...Wendy
PS- those hounds just want to sing too - they know a good thing when they hear it.
I'll check Steve out. In the meantime this is just for you... I'd sing along but it's late & I'd only start the dogs a howling. Night.
'Mystify'
All veils and misty
Streets of blue
Almond looks
That chill divine
Some silken moment
Goes on forever
And we're leaving broken hearts behind
Mystify / Mystify me / Mystify / Mystify me
I need perfection
Some twisted selection
That tangles me
To keep me alive
In all that exists
None have your beauty
I see your face
I will survive
Mystify / Mystify me / Mystify / Mystify me
Eternally wild with the power
To make every moment come alive
All those stars that shine upon you
Will kiss you every night
All veils and misty
Streets of blue
Almond looks
That chill divine
Some silken moment
Goes on forever
And we're leaving
Yeah we're leaving broken hearts behind
Mystify / Mystify me / Mystify / Mystify me
You're eternally wild with the power
To make every moment come alive
All those stars that shine upon you
And they'll kiss you every night
Mystify / Mystify me / Mystify / Mystify me
Mystify / Mystify me /Mystify
Hey, Soon-to-be non-black-thumbed chick....
I really can't help it - the chorus to that song goes through my brain when I think your "name". I hunted for the CD - my eldest had shanghaied it for his collection. It's INXS "Kick" and the song is called [appropriately enough] Mystify. You gotta check it out so you can be tormented like the rest of us.
I agree whole-heartedly about book-learnin'. Websites are great, but you can't curl up on the couch on a wintery evening with your desktop [as I wrote this I remembered about those people with laptops - it'll still never be the same] There's just something about a well worn, dog-eared and dirt-smudged gardening book. It's condition alone should tell you how informative it is.
I was reading my Vancouver Sun the other day and their Garden guy, Steve Wysall, had a bunch of suggestions for great garden reading. You may want to go through their website to get the whole list. His e-mail address is on there and most of the reporters are good at getting back to you with info. I always enjoy his column and usually trust his opinion.
You're the second person this week to mention that INXS song. Where was I in the 80's - I don't know it at all.
I'm a firm believer that books can teach me how to do anything. Plants all over the planet will be less afeared of my blackthumb next spring. Thanks for your help,
Mystified
Mystified [I can't help but think of that old INXS song. Man, am I old] Mixing plants and song lyrics can only be a good thing.
I read Buttercup's post "Anybody know... great landscaping books" first. You might want to check my suggestions - I don't like to repeat myself and am sure others don't need me carrying on more than necessary :-].
Rodale Press, Dorling/ Kindersly and Right Plant, Right Place are all very appropriate for the novice gardener.
Finding the proper books makes gardening so much more rewarding. Rather than looking like every other place in the neighborhood, you can discover things that appeal to your own sense of fun.
Some of those book clubs have good selections at not bad prices. If your choice actually sucks, you can always return it.
for your favorites Foxxy & MollyZone5. I'm headed to Chapters to delve deeper into the worlds of Mark Cullen & Jerry Baker.
Norm, Your 'Encyclopedia of Gardening' sounds a bit intimidating to a black thumbed gardener like me, but I have faith.
If anyone else has a favorite book that inspires them .. I need all the help I can get.
Thanks everyone,
Mystified
"Canadian Encyclopedia of Gardening" Editors, Christopher Brickell, and Trevor Cole. It is everything you could ever want to know...with great pictures, design ideas, landscaping- how-to's . I have many others but this is a great reference book to have. I have read this from cover to cover (800 pages) several times, I am sure. :)
Yes I also like Mark Cullen.Jerry Baker is another,The Impatient Gardener is a great book, very informative,I myself will be looking for any more books he might have.
Oh yes they are beginner books. The one by Mark Cullen explains things in everyday english LOL. He makes uggestions for shade or sun part of your garden. He suggests trees and perennials, roses and annuals, what ones to buy for best success in zone 5. I am in Montreal area too. He talk about the grass, when to fertilize etc etc. It called "The new grreener thumb" by MArk Cullen. He has several books out. Amazon Canada has a nice selection of used gardening books. This one says $33.00 . I paid $14.00 I think.
Are these books for experts or can the true beginner wade through successfully??
Since we bought the house all we've done is change the sod in the back yard. BUT... I have a dream. Visions of sweet smelling plants that I don't kill, more privacy from the neighbours & a lilac tree or two.
A friend of the family has had the lushest, most amazing garden I've ever seen deep in the depths of Toronto. A city garden can be wonderful. All I'm lacking is the knowledge & agreen thumb.
Mark Cullen garden books and Lois Hole also.
I think I prefer Mark myself. He may have a web site where you can order and sometimes Amazon.ca has used books of his.
They are both Canadian and the books are geared to our garden zones and what will grow successfully here.