Gardening is more than plopping plants in a plot of dirt. Gardening is a form of self-expression and involves a learning process. Gaining knowledge is important for keeping your garden healthy and beautiful, and for trying something new. The Book Worm highlights horticultural and design books that I have found helpful in both my professional and casual gardening career, and that I believe will be helpful for you as well.
The Complete Houseplant Book: The Essential Guide to Successful Indoor Gardening
by Peter McHoy
The Complete Houseplant Book: The Essential Guide to Successful Indoor Gardening
by Peter McHoy
Although I'm good with caring for plants outside, I have something of a black thumb when it comes to houseplants. This book may be the thing I need to keep my African violet alive. The Complete Houseplant Book is divided into several sections: a general introduction to the various categories of houseplants, how to provide the right environment for your houseplants and general care, how to use different techniques to propagate your houseplants, a trouble-shooting guide complete with before and after pictures, how to display your houseplants and which plants work well in different rooms, and an A-Z directory. The author primarily uses the botanical names, which can get a little overwhelming. Thankfully there is always a photo so you can see that Aechmea is what we know as a bromeliad. There is also a handy index of common plant names. This book is loaded with photos and offers really neat tricks, such as how to hold on to a cactus while re-potting it or how to make sure your plants stay watered while you're out of town. I think this will be my "essential guide to successful indoor gardening", and has already introduced me to some great options for houseplants.
The Garden in Autumn by Ethne Clarke.
Autumn is more than maple leaves and cutting down tired perennials. The Garden in Autumn delves into the many trees, shrubs, flowers and even bulbs that are at their best in autumn. The majority of the book descusses the design aspects involved in incorporating autumnal plants in a garden. The final chapter is a collection if individual plants that are at their peak in autumn. I am disappointed, however, that the author does not give the USDA zones. Many of the plants discussed in this book are not hardy north of Zone 5, and several plants I had never heard of before. To me, this seems like a gross oversight for someone who is an internationally-sought horticultural speaker and writer. That personal note aside, the photography is fantastic and definitely creates a desire to search out plants for my own autumn garden.
Better Homes and Gardens - Garden Color by Kathleen Pyle (not credited).
This book has been indispensable to me in the designing process. The chapter on colors and their companions details each color, gives examples of companion colors and explains how each color evokes and emotion. For instance, the color orange stimulates the appetite, so it would be most effective around a dining patio or lining the sidewalk to a restaurant. Different color schemes and themes are also discussed, with explanations of how to blend certain colors together. There is also a chapter highlighting gardens that bring all the discussed elements together into a successful and harmonious color palette. Loaded with photos, this book offers wonderful suggestions and ideas for the best color combinations.
Month-by-Month Gardening in Minnesota by Melinda Myers.
Indispensable for the DIY Minnesota gardener and great quick reference for the professional. The book is divided into plant categories eg Bulbs, Houseplants, Roses, Perennials, Shrubs, etc. Within each category is a description of how to care for the specific plants for every month of the year. When is it time to prune my lilacs? How do I tip my rose? How do I repot my philodendron? When do I start growing lettuce? All specifically catered toward Minnesota's seasons.
Ortho's Home Gardener's Problem Solver by Michael McKinley (not credited).
A great resource for identifying the most common insects, diseases, and other common problems on lawns, trees, shrubs, perennials, fruit trees, etc. Provides descriptions of plant damage or insect observed (pictures!), indicates what part of the country it is likely to occur, supplies causes of infestation or damage, and offers options for treatment. Although not a complete source of everything that could go wrong with your landscape, it will definitely point you in the right direction for identification and solutions.
The Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens by Rusty Schmidt, Dan Shaw, & David Dods.
Since approximately 2005, "rain garden" has been the buzz word in the gardening world. Cities are paying to install rain gardens in residential neighborhoods, corporations are planning rain gardens into their new campuses to deal with the run-off from the vast parking lots, home owners may have finally found the solution for the low spot in their yard. This book explains the theory behind the rain garden, describes how to choose the best location, how to prepare the site and install the garden, and provides an extensive list of plants best suited for a rain garden. It also provides examples of garden shapes and planting diagrams. Best of all, it is specifically geared toward the Upper Midwest (USDA Zones 3, 4, and 5).
