Borderline Hardy In 5b

Bruce Partridge, who was there almost from the start, tells the unlikely story of the creation and success of Pleasant Valley Nurseries. PVN was an Antigonish, NS treasure for almost forty years, and helped change the style and possibilities of landscaping and gardening in norther Nova Scotia. "Borderline Hardy in 5b" presents the narrative of how PVN started from an impractical dream, through all the struggles and unexpected triumphs of landscaping, contract work, greenhouse development, and tree nurseries. The stories are both funny and insightful. The second half of the book is a collection of essays on gardening, with practical advice anybody with a plot of land and a dream of growing things will benefit from reading. Bob Osborne of Corn Hill Nursery writes, "These kernels of information come from someone who has learned from years of experience and can be trusted as most reliable. An easy-to-read journey into an iconic business whose legacy will continue to be felt far into the future."

This book is a quick and easy-to-use reference guide for choosing plant material for landscape designs. This reference manual includes comprehensive lists with search criteria for each of the major plant groups, including trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials, vines, grasses, and ferns. These plant groups contain hundreds of specific species, varieties, and cultivars that are readily available in the marketplace from the major production nurseries. Landscape architects, designers, contractors, or anyone who designs with plants, can easily choose plants that will work on their site. The book is technical enough for the professional, yet simple enough to be used by the layperson. Both botanical and common names are used and an extensive amount of cultural and environmental information is presented. While many other books of this kind give only basic information such as sun/shade, height/width, there are so many as 30 specific categories for each plant group. The categories cover such important criteria as light and soil requirements, zone hardiness, height and width, pest and disease susceptibility, urban tolerance, and tolerance to salt and drought. The lists also include many criteria often overlooked such as growth rates, overall messiness, root systems, minimal fall clean up, maintenance levels, soil PH and landscape value/use, and many visual characteristics such as texture, foliage color and fall colors, bloom colors and seasons, shapes and forms, attractive bark and foliage and more. There is also a candid Pros & Cons section covering some realistic considerations for each of the plant species groups.

New England Gardener’s Handbook is written by popular gardening experts who include their collective wisdom in one complete guide for New England gardeners. In addition to the hundreds of hardy plants in eleven different plant categories, there are monthly to-do calendars assisting gardeners with the proper care and timing for everything from planting to pruning. Full-color photos for each plant and helpful illustrations and charts make this an easy-to-use resource for all New England gardeners with expert advice for home gardeners in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

A complete guide to chooosing and growing the very best bed and border annuals, perennials and bulbs and roses.

Choosing the best plants for your garden, with an A-Z directory and cultivation notes.