|
Winners
Four gardening books published in 2007 have
been awarded the American Horticultural Society’s 2008 Book Award.
The winning books, listed below, were selected by the AHS Book Award
Committee chaired by Susan C. Eubank, a horticultural librarian for the
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California,
chaired the 2008 committee. Other committee members were Gene Bussell, a
garden editor for Southern Living magazine in Birmingham, Alabama;
Thomas Cooper of Watertown, Massachusetts, former editor of Horticulture
and The Gardener magazine; Doreen Howard of Roscoe, Illinois, a former
garden editor for Woman’s Day who writes for various garden
publications; Marty Ross, a regional contributor for Better Homes &
Gardens and writer for Universal Press Syndicate who lives in Kansas
City, Missouri, and in Hayes, Virginia; Marcia Tatroe of Centennial,
Colorado, a writer for the Denver Post and Sunset magazine; and Marty
Wingate of Seattle, Washington, a garden columnist for the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer.
 Foliage
by Nancy J. Ondra. Storey Publishing, North Adams, Massachusetts.
“This outstanding book is like
opening a new box of paints,” says Marcia Tatroe, “providing both
inspiration and practical advice on using foliage plants.” With more
cultivars with colorful leaves becoming available, author Nancy J. Ondra
“encourages readers to think conceptually about foliage,” says Tom
Cooper. “Rob Cardillo’s magnificent photographs show just how
exciting leaves can be,” adds Marty Ross.
 A Natural History of North
American Trees
by Donald Culross Peattie. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, New York.
This condensed version of two
volumes originally published in the 1950s “keeps alive a tradition of
high-quality writing and great horticulture,” says Tom Cooper,
and brings the late Donald Culross Peattie’s lyrical essays to a new
generation. “It’s like being taken on a trip to visit these trees,” says
Marcia Tatroe. “The black-and-white drawings of each tree are
amazingly evocative,” says Marty Wingate. “A must for every
horticultural library,” says Doreen Howard.
 Perennial Vegetables
by Eric Toensmeier. Chelsea Green Publishing Company, White River
Junction, Vermont.
Full of surprising edible
possibilities, this book “promotes fresh thinking as to what a vegetable
garden can be,” says Doreen Howard. “This topic is presented in a
thorough and engaging way,” says Susan Eubank. “It teaches
responsible gardening practices without preaching,” adds Marty Ross.
Gene Bussell notes that the book’s production “reflects Chelsea
Green’s earth-friendly policy,” while maintaining an overall high
quality.
 Viburnums
by Michael Dirr. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.
In the first book dedicated
entirely to this versatile genus of landscape trees and shrubs, “Michael
Dirr has distilled his great knowledge of viburnums into a handsome
reference full of careful observations and the unrestrained opinions
that gardeners rely on him for,” says Marty Ross. “This book is
useful, inspiring, and nicely done, with lots of good color photographs
taken by Dirr as well as several beautiful illustrations by his wife,
Bonnie,” adds Marty Wingate.
Citation of Special Merit
The AHS Book Award is typically
given to publishers for a single book published in a specific year.
However, two AHS Citations of Special Merit are being awarded in
recognition of a series or regularly revised reference that has become
an invaluable addition to horticultural literature.
Brooklyn
Botanic Garden’s All-Region Guide series
Published under the auspices of
the Brooklyn Botanic Garden since 1945, this collection of horticultural
handbooks currently includes more than 180 volumes offering practical
ideas and inspiration for North American gardeners.
Sunset’s Western Garden Book
n 2007, Sunset released the eighth
edition of the Western Garden Book. Because this “bible” for western
gardeners maintains up-to-date information built on a foundation of
earlier editions, the Book Award Committee chose to recognize the entire
body of work rather than a single edition.
7931 East
Boulevard Drive - Alexandria VA 22308
(V) 703.768.5700 - Toll Free: 1.800.777.7931
(F) 703.768.8700 - Publications Fax: 703.768.7533
Copyright © 1998-2008 American
Horticultural Society. All rights reserved.
Requests for permission may be submitted to
webmaster@ahs.org. |
