Armitage's Garden Annuals

A Color Encyclopedia

Horticulturists, students, and dedicated home gardeners will be familiar with Armitage's authority on this topic from his more technical Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half-Hardy Perennials. That volume was singled out as a winner of the Choice Academic Book Award, the American Horticultural Society Book Award, and the Garden Writers of America Golden Globe Award. While this new offering is a perfect pictorial companion to the Manual, it also stands alone with its personal commentary and inspiring advice on the most interesting, important, or overlooked plants. Armitage selects proven specimens from nearly 200 genera of plants and evaluates their garden-worthiness and sheer beauty. With humor, authority, and a wealth of practical experience, Armitage offers invaluable insights into those plants that truly earn their keep — and a few that do not! He has illustrated the entries with more than 1300 stunning color photos, rounded out by more than two dozen helpful lists of plants suitable for particular situations or uses, including plants for cool-summer areas, plants for dry situations, edible plants, container plants, shade plants, vines, and flowers for cutting.

Media reviews of this book:

"A perfect edition to round out your horticulture library..down-to-earth..the latest in garden annuals along with those long considered the best for the annual garden."

—Joanne S. Carpender, National Gardener, August 2004

"A comprehensive and boldly colorful resource for anyone looking for just the right annual for their garden...beautiful photos and to-the-point text are perfectly balanced."

—San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles, July 2004

"Nobody knows annuals better than Allan Armitage."

—George Weigel, People Places Plants, Summer 2004

"You will take this 367 page encyclopedia off the shelf in March and keep it on your desk or workbench until at least the end of May; it's a must-have in the reference section of your books on flowers. "

—Joel M. Lerner, Washington Post, April 24, 2004

"A glib tone is the endearing imprimatur of the author."

—Diane M. Calabrese, American Reference Books Annual, 2005

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Customer reviews of this book:

"Lots of beautiful pictures! This book includes a little humor — makes it more of a pleasure to read."

—Rhonda S. from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, October 31, 2005

"Just the right balance of information and images."

—David K. from Grand Rapids, Michigan, April 13, 2005

"Good content. Paper, print, and illustrations are attractive and easy to read."

—Marjorie R. from Washington, D.C., January 29, 2005

"Very helpful to a beginning gardener — took away the guesswork."

—C. M. from Palmetto, Georgia, August 3, 2004