The Gardening Which? Guide to Successful Shrubs
is the ideal reference book for every gardener wanting to know absolutely anything about shrubs. There are so many on the market nowadays, but often the information provided with them is less than helpful. It is of the utmost importance, therefore, to have a comprehensive aid for reference; something to consult to ensure costly mistakes are not made. How long have you deliberated over the choice of the shrub, what it will look like, its size and shape in five years, in 10 years and when it is fully mature?
Where is best to plant it? Will it withstand the UK's weather? Will it survive in any type of soil? And if not, what can be done? Will the plant look good in a container, or is it best grown somewhere else? Will it flower, and if so, when? Will pruning be necessary? Which variety is the best to buy?
First of all, it is necessary to become familiar with the opening section, "How This Book Works"; two pages crammed full of information in many appealing, eye- catching forms making reference quick, simple and enjoyable. Having done this, the rest is easy! Next follow sections on shrub care, using shrubs and buying shrubs. An alphabetically arranged section follows, from Abelia to Zaufchenaria (yes, there really is one beginning with a Z, but not, unfortunately, with Q or X!) Each plant is beautifully illustrated with wonderful colour photographs which really show them in their true light. The book concludes with a section entitled "Shrub Selector" showing, among other things, shrubs for boggy soils, vandal- resistant shrubs and those for when heavy, industrial pollution is present.
If the book has whetted your appetite, and you would like to see the shrubs actually growing, it's possible to arrange a visit to the Gardening Which? Demonstration Garden in Middlesex.
Other titles in this series include The Gardening Which? Guide to Successful Pruning, The Gardening Which? Guide to Successful Propagation, The Gardening Which? Guide to Successful Perennials, The Gardening Which? Guide to Patio and Container Plants, and The Gardening Which? Guide to Small Gardens. --Susan Naylor
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Garden centres offer a wide selection of shrubs, but the information supplied with them is often scanty. It's easy to buy the wrong plant for the wrong situation. This guide provides information needed before buying a shrub: how big the plant will really grow; what soil it likes; whether it will flourish in shady conditions; how to prune it; what to look for to ensure the plant you buy is a healthy one; and what the different varieties look like. The book offers help in planning a border, or a whole garden, from scratch, and creating a scheme that has something of interest all year round. It contains a system of symbols and colour coding for identification of shrubs and their salient features.