A lot of books to help with gardening design are out there. Here are the top five books I have found on gardening design, a short summary of the books, and where you can buy them online.
The American Horticultural Society’s A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
The overwhelmingly most popular book involving gardening and gardening design seems to be TheAmerican Horticultural Society’s A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. I tried to find a review that ranked it low and could not find one. The only complaint I found was that the plants are listed by Latin names. If you have access to the Internet this can easily be remedied by using Wikipedia or possibly search engines. The American Horticultural Society’s A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants lists pretty much any plant you can think of to grow. It provides much detailed information including maps for temperature zones, 6,000 photographs of beautiful flowers, and different flower combinations to provide for beautiful looks. Because of the size of this book (1092 pages) , I would anticipate a heavier shipping charge than most books from Half.com. Currently the lowest available price is $10.00 ranging up to a $139 book that is a first edition on Half.com.
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials C. Colston Burrell, Ellen Phillips
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials is a good book for beginning gardeners. The book details soil, climate, planting, and has information on dividing perennials. There is information in the book on non-toxic and pest control. Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials has an emphasis on garden design and has sample designs that differentiate between sun or shade loving plants. This book has information on creating beautiful flower combinations and lush, healthy gardens. Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials is currently listed at between .75 cents and $12.55 on Half.com
The New Low -Maintenance Garden: How to Have a Beautiful, Productive Garden and the Time to Enjoy It Valerie Easton and Jaqueline M. Koch
Admittedly, I have not been able to look this book over very well as it is a new release. The fact that the book includes designs with lower maintenance in mind makes it very appealing to the busy gardener. This book focuses on unlearning bad habits and creating new ones. It simplifies the routine of work in the garden and shows you how to work with natural plants that grow well in your area. I love the fact that it is not solely flowers included but also fruits, herbs, and vegetables. The book includes beautiful photos that embody the techniques taught in the book. The New Maintenance Garden: How to Have a Beautiful, Productive Garden and the Time to Enjoy It is currently priced at between $11.77 and $23.34 on Half.com
Annuals and Perennials Southern Living
Annuals and Perennials shows how to use flowers in beautiful landscapes. The book highlights seventy-five popular annual and perennials. Annuals and Perennials(Southern Living) includes tips for planting and care as well as troubleshooting problems. This book gives specifics about each plant including how much light is needed, how much moisture is needed in the soil, the temperature the plants thrive at, and if the plants are prone to a disease or insect problem. It is a book that is very nice for beginners. It can be found on Half.com priced between .75 cents and $34.88
Perennial Garden Design Michael King
Perennial Garden Design is a good introduction book for beginners who want to follow design rules. It is also an excellent book for professionals. This book shows how to create garden schemes with perennials and teaches the reader the best perennials for year-round planting and color effect. Perennial Garden Design shows how to use perennials in different styles of gardens. The book has wonderful photography and provides a lot of help with compatible perennials. Perennial Garden Design is currently priced at between $2.46 and $63.26 on Half.com