Armitage's Garden Perennials

A Color Encyclopedia

Armitage's Garden Perennials is the most comprehensive single-volume photographic resource on perennial plants. It describes and illustrates the choice of perennials in 136 genera from Acanthus to Zauschneria.

The book's greatest strengths are the quality of its more than 1400 photographs, all taken by the author, and the exhaustive information on the most interesting, important, or overlooked perennial plants. Based on his own extensive experience — he has gardened in climates as dissimilar as Quebec and Georgia and studied plants on three continents — Armitage makes a discerning selection of the best cultivars, from classics to cutting-edge recent introductions.

The text is concise and delightful, like a private tutorial with a master teacher. The reader will have no doubt about which plants the author most admires ("What else do you know that is big, bold, and beautiful and wants to be planted in a bog?") and which fall short ("Variegated coral bells like 'Snowstorm' ought to be trashed. I am constantly told how wonderful they are. I don't listen. To each his own.")

The encyclopedia is rounded out by more than a dozen extensive lists of plants suitable for particular situations or uses, including plants for wet places, for drought tolerance, and for fragrance or color. It is a noteworthy addition to Timber Press's acclaimed series of pictorial encyclopedias that includes Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs and Rick Darke's Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes.

Media reviews of this book:

"Has beautiful color photos with descriptions."

—Joel M. Lerner, Washington Post, May 3, 2003

"Sleek 'pictorial encyclopedia' ... A delight is the light-hearted humor that bubbles throughout. "

—Carol Bishop Miller, Horticulture, April 2001

"Armitage loves to spin a story. He tells the truth about perennials from his own rich experiences ... With his humorous asides, you will quickly recognize a kindred spirit who wants to grow every plant yet confesses that he has killed his fair share, just like the rest of us."

—Barbara Blossom Ashmun, Fine Gardening, March/April 2001

"User-friendly and fun to read, yet still vastly knowledgeable."

—Carol Stocker, Boston Globe, February 22, 2001

"The book is the next best thing to having your own personal garden consultant standing by 24/7."

—Country Living Gardener, July/August 2000

Customer reviews of this book:

"Informative, with beautiful photos. A great reference."

—Ellyn M. from Brooklyn, Michigan, July 22, 2005

"This book is beyond wonderful as is anything by Dirr or Armitage!"

—Lori M. from Willis, Virginia, June 16, 2005

"Out of all the books I have in my large gardening library, this one is the most complete perennial directory. I love it!"

—Jan M. from Portage, Wisconsin, March 26, 2005

"Well-designed with good information. Easy to use and understand overall."

—Andy K. from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, March 21, 2005

"Excellent book — informative text and lovely, clear photos."

—Diana K. from Kennesaw, Georgia, March 16, 2005

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An excerpt from this book:

Turns out some of these plants grew wild outside Roman stadiums, used for athletic events, like Christians vs. Lions, and garlands of them were used to crown the champion (usually a lion), hence the common name. Several fine annual species are offered, such as the little-known Lychnis x arkwrightii (better known in the hybrid 'Vesuvius') and the wild, ragged L. floscucli, ragged robin, and its white variant 'Alba'. Without doubt, two species of Lychnis and their selections reign supreme in American gardens. A native of Eastern Europe, Lychnis chalcedonica, the Maltese cross, has been a garden favorite for many years ...

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