American Horticultural Society
The American Gardener
January/February 2005 Recommended Garden Books

Because the AHS Horticultural Book Service was discontinued as of June 30, 2000 no further phone or mail orders are filled. However, AHS members are still be able to order books at a discount by linking to Amazon.com through the Society's Web site. Through this partnership with Amazon.com, AHS members can receive better discounts on most titles, faster delivery, greater inventory, and improved access to hard-to-find books. The books listed here have not been critically evaluated; they have been chosen for description based on unusual subject matter or substantive content. 

The following books are our current recommended garden books from the January/February 2005 issue of The American Gardener. To read the review just click on the book title. You can then order the book directly from Amazon.com by clicking on "Buy this book!" that follows each review.

BOOK REVIEWS
Recommendations for Your Gardening Library

• American Azaleas
• IPM for Gardeners: A Guide to Integrated Pest Management
• Botanica North America: The Illustrated Guide to Our Native Plants, Their Botany, History, and the Way They Have Shaped Our World
• The Cloud Garden: A True Story of Adventure, Survival, and Extreme Horticulture

GARDENER’S BOOKS
Books for Young Gardeners

• The Essential Guide to Gardening Techniques
• Cass Turnbull’s Guide to Pruning: What, When, Where & How to Prune for a More Beautiful Garden
• Pruning Trees, Shrubs & Vines
• Essential Tools: Equipment and Supplies for Home Gardeners
• Outdoor Projects: Step-By-Step

BOOK REVIEWS
Recommendations for Your Gardening Library

American Azaleas.
L. Clarence Towe. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2004. 188 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $39.95. Buy This Book

I have researched, grown, propagated, written, and spoken about North American native azaleas professionally for nearly three decades. During that time, I think I have read most of what has been written on the subject. L. Clarence Towe’s book, American Azaleas, taught me things I did not yet know.

The reader does not have to be botanically adept to understand this book and the technical information is current and useful. Towe’s species descriptions—a subject that can be quite confusing—are the most straightforward and most complete that I have seen in any book. His taxonomic groupings make excellent sense and his explanations of how to tell the species apart are clear and concise.

“Rhodoholics” and novices alike will appreciate the chapter on where to find these native plants growing in the wild and which ones are likely to be naturally occurring hybrids. The sections on landscaping with azaleas, azalea culture, and propagation contain good information. The section on hybridization is the best and most succinct handling of the subject I have seen. Towe’s discussion on human-directed evolution of these species offers interesting fodder for even the most knowledgeable azalea enthusiast. The book includes valuable resources such as a list of existing cultivars as well as sources of plants.

Towe’s relaxed and often humorous style makes for easy reading. An acknowledged azaleaphile for more than 25 years, he writes from both his experience and that of others. He obviously knows the giants and legends in this field personally such as Dr. August (Augie) Kehr, a renowned plant breeder, and Tom Dodd, III (also known as T3), notorious in rhododendron and nursery circles. His priceless anecdotes reflect their idiosyncrasies down to Augie’s “curtain-back” propagation and T3’s references to the Civil War as “the recent unpleasantness.” Such insights are rare and to be savored, as is American Azaleas.

Dick Bir

Dick Bir is the author of Growing and Propagating Showy Native Woody Plants. He recently retired after exactly 25 years on the horticulture faculty at North Carolina State University.

IPM for Gardeners: A Guide to Integrated Pest Management.
Raymond A. Cloyd, Philip L. Nixon, and Nancy R. Pataky. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon, 2004. 204 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $27.95. Buy This Book

Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a buzzword in the horticultural world, involves studying not only the pest, but also signs and symptoms of the pest. It is a landscape maintenance philosophy and practice that enhances plant health while reducing pesticide use. This book describes how to manage garden pests at home using the same IPM techniques that professionals do.

The authors, all professors at the University of Illinois, explain scientific principles in a succinct yet academic style. While the technical information may seem daunting at first, the authors do an excellent job of defining terms—in fact, the appendices include a glossary. The book clearly conveys the core IPM approach, which is to minimize pest problems “by assessing the needs of plants, pests, and organisms in the landscape.” The focus is on pest prevention, early diagnosis, monitoring (“scouting”), and a combination of control strategies.

Beginning with the premise that “healthy plant growth…is one deterrent to plant problems,” the authors address genetics, nutrition, water, and environmental stress. Nearly 150 color plates reinforce pest and symptom recognition. Armed with this knowledge, the reader becomes a “better judge on whether the potential damage justifies management.” As the authors note, sometimes “doing nothing” is a viable control option.

The second half of the book discusses the major pest control strategies used in IPM: cultural, physical, biological, and chemical. The authors advocate the use of pest-resistant varieties, proper plant placement, sanitation, and promoting naturally occurring beneficial organisms. Handy sidebars explain specific tactics for managing various pests and problems.

This book describes how to care for the landscape in a holistic fashion, with reduced impact on the environment. It will empower any gardener who desires to use IPM techniques successfully at home.

Deborah Smith-Fiola

An IPM consultant in Maryland, Deborah Smith-Fiola has worked in the landscape industry for 15 years. She is the author of Pest Resistant Ornamental Plants.

Botanica North America: The Illustrated Guide to Our Native Plants, Their Botany, History, and the Way They Have Shaped Our World.
Marjorie Harris. HarperCollins Publishers Inc., New York, New York, 2003. 665 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $59.95. Buy This Book

Those who are fascinated by the historical and ethnobotanical uses of native plants will enjoy this well-researched encyclopedic tome, which covers more than 400 North American plants. In the introduction, author Marjorie Harris avoids any possible confusion by explaining that she is defining a native plant as one “documented to have been in North America before European contact—about a.d. 1450.”

The book is organized into sections by 10 major North American plant communities, including “Eastern Forests,” “Swamps and Wetlands,” “The Prairie,” and “The Desert.” A chapter on “The Three Sisters: Agriculture”covers crops domesticated by Native Americans.

Each region’s ecologically and historically significant native plants are described in detail. Individual entries include the plant’s botanical information, ethnobotanical lore, natural history, and uses today. Harris integrates passages from other works—even poetry—to highlight important facts and show historical perspective. More than 250 color photographs depict many of the described plants growing in their native habitat.

Although its size and weight make for cumbersome bedtime reading, this informative book is worth adding to the reference library for naturalists and gardeners interested in the history and lore connected with native plants.

Bruce K. Riggs

Bruce K. Riggs is president of the Mountain Top Arboretum in Tannersville, New York, and a volunteer judge for America in Bloom.

GARDENER’S BOOKS
Tools and Techniques

Most gardeners know what to do with tools such as trowels, hoses, and pruners—or at least think they know. The techniques used when wielding these and other tools can greatly affect the success of a garden. Here are a few books designed to acquaint gardeners with a variety of tools and the techniques for maximizing their usefulness.

As Susan Berry points out in her book, The Essential Guide to Gardening Techniques (Thunder Bay Press, 2002, hardcover, $24.98), gardeners have a lot to figure out, such as “coming to grips with Latin plant names, discovering the best plants to choose for different types of soil and situations, and learning the seasonal maintenance requirements of the garden.” That’s why Berry created this comprehensive reference—to “make these tasks both pleasurable and inspirational, as well as simple to master.” Easy-to-understand instructions, colorful photos, and helpful illustrations guide readers through everything from pollination and propagation to performing a soil test and planning a garden. There’s even a plant directory, which lists both botanical and common names, sizes, cultural requirements, and includes a brief description of each plant. Buy This Book

One technique that deserves more in-depth study is pruning. When it comes to whacking up their woodies, many gardeners—even those with experience—could benefit from Cass Turnbull’s Guide to Pruning: What, When, Where & How to Prune for a More Beautiful Garden (Sasquatch Books, 2004, softcover, $17.95). The author is the founder of PlantAmnesty, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek organization whose mission is to reduce and prevent “plant abuses” such as tree topping and other forms of “mal-pruning”—a term she coined for badly done pruning. This well-written book explains all you ever wanted to know about pruning and includes helpful diagrams to illustrate various techniques. Part I covers the basics, while Part II offers a plant-by-plant guide to proper pruning. Buy This Book

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) also offers some helpful advice on pruning in their handbook, Pruning Trees, Shrubs & Vines by Karan Davis Cutler (BBG, 2003, softcover, $9.95). “Even if you’re not interested in becoming a pruning virtuoso, you don’t want to be a botanical butcher,” writes Cutler. This slim volume covers the basics of “making the cut,” instructing readers how to do more good than harm. Buy This Book

Speaking of pruning, many cutting implements exist to accomplish this task. To help gardeners decide which to choose, there’s Essential Tools: Equipment and Supplies for Home Gardeners (BBG, 2002, softcover, $9.95). Since the word “tool” can have a broad definition, you’ll find practical information not only on tools like pruners, but also on ornaments, clothing, books, and plenty of other not-so-obvious items. There’s even an interesting section in which several well-known gardeners divulge the six tools they couldn’t live without and why. Both books are available on the Brooklyn Botanical Garden Web site at http://www.bbg.org, or by calling (718) 623-7826. Buy This Book

For the do-it-yourselfer, there’s Outdoor Projects: Step-By-Step by Penny Swift and Janek Szymanowski (The Lyons Press, 2003, softcover, $19.95). This book explains the techniques for building a variety of garden features with stone, wood, and brick. According to the authors, “the options are endless and the materials diverse.” Regardless of your skill level in carpentry and masonry, there’s a project here to suit you. Clearly written step-by-step instructions accompanied by color photographs guide you in creating everything from a stone slab patio and simple bog garden to a trellis arbor and treehouse. Each project includes a list of the tools and materials needed to get the job done. Handy tips that help save time and ensure success are included with most projects. Buy This Book

Viveka Neveln, Assistant Editor