The year's best garden books

Gardeners living east of the Mississippi will never again consider a shady yard "a problem" after reading The American Woodland Garden (Timber Press, $49.95). Combining philosophy, how-to, and hundreds of drop-dead-gorgeous photographs, writer/photographer Rick Darke captures "the spirit of the deciduous forest" and explains ecologic-ally responsible gardening in a woodland setting.

Need a reference book on perennial flowers that requirelittle or no sun? Look no further than An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials, by W. George Schmid (Timber Press, $49.95). Anyone with a wooded lot will find it well worth its hefty price tag. Mr. Schmid's knowledge is truly encyclopedic - and based on 30 years' experience - but his common-sense attitude will win him friends, too. When asked which plants will grow in shade and which won't, he replies: Successful gardeners spend a lot of time listening to what their plants tell them.

When choosing how-to gardening books, you'll generally find that a quality regional guide is more accurate than one that's aimed at a national audience. For instance, Sunset and Southern Living magazines have excellent books for gardeners in the West and South. Cool Springs Press offers gardening guides for individual states.

Two recommended books from New England authors are Notes From the Garden, by Henry Homeyer (University Press of New England, $24.95) and The Woodchuck's Guide to Gardening, by Ron Krupp (Whetstone Books, $15.95). Both contain interesting interviews and observations by committed organic gardeners.

I'm not sure who's buying books on flower arranging, but the category is definitely blooming, if three new books are any indication. Maybe it's because of the gorgeous color photos, which, even in the middle of winter, make you itch to find your metal frog or that chunk of Oasis (floral foam, to the uninitiated) and head to the nearest florist for some alstromeria or branches covered with holly berries.

A Master Guide to the Art of Floral Design, by Alisa A. deJong-Stout with Hannah Sigur (Timber Press, $39.95), devotes about half of its pages to explaining the basics of flower arranging without becoming too simplistic. Then comes a photo gallery of beautiful arrangements, which gives examples of how the principles can be applied. My favorite: a very simple wreath of violets. What an appealing use of a plant that many gardeners consider a weed.

As you might expect, Flowers the White House Way, by Dottie Temple and Stan Fiengold (Simon & Schuster, $40), is as well-populated with former first families as with roses and tulips. But it's fun to see how 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been decorated in various seasons.

In Ikebana (Rizzoli, $40), Diane Norman and Michelle Cornell introduce readers to the ancient art of Japanese flower arranging and illustrate how its sophisticated sense of simplicity complements practically any style of home.

Page: 1 | 2