Reviews for

Perennials for the Southwest

Plants That Flourish in Arid Gardens

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Media reviews of this book:

"A perfect reference for transplanted gardeners looking for substitutes for their roses and campanulas, and for seasoned natives who need some delicate-leaved things to balance all those agaves and aloes."

—Sara Begg, Horticulture, December 2006

"Full of the kind of seasoned, practical information that comes from two decades of firsthand experience."

—Sharon Cohoon, Sunset, July 2006

"For southwestern gardeners, this book is indispensible; for the rest of us, it's a vacation to a beautiful and exotic landscape."

—American Gardener, May/June 2006

"With her deep Southwestern plant knowledge, personal anecdotes, and wry sense of humor, Irish is becoming the doyenne of Southwest garden writing. Full of both common and rare perennials for our region with photographs, Perennials for the Southwest gives both beginners and seasoned plant geeks reasons to keep reading."

—Scott Calhoun, Country Gardens, Fall 2006

"Gives simple-to-understand design principles, covering subjects such as scale, outdoor rooms, color usage, and important concepts on successful blending of succulents with perennials for dynamic textures."

—Judy Wigand, San Diego Union-Tribune, August 23, 2006

"Mary's plant descriptions are lively and very useful ... her new book is a must read for desert gardeners and arm chair gardeners alike."

—M. Norem, Desert Plants, June 2006

"This is the definitive guide for gardeners who want to create lush, colorful gardens with plants proven to thrive in an arid setting. ... Written in a clear, reader-friendly style and illustrated with sparkling color photographs, this book is a must for every gardener."

—Sadie Jo Smokey, Arizona Republic, April 22, 2006

"The book is designed to help you meet the challenge of choosing plants, knowing how to use them effectively and caring for them. It provides inspired, practical information on how to design dry climate gardens as well as everything you need to know about soil, planting, watering, feeding, propagating, and pests and diseases."

—Carolyn Muse Grant, Southern Nevada Home & Garden, April 2006

"The photos that illustrate each species ... are clear and seductive, giving each plant its chance to win our hearts. ... The book would be worth its weight in penstemon seeds if only for the list of 23 botanical Web sites, all vetted by Irish for accuracy and relevance."

—Stuart Kellogg, Victorville Daily Press, March 31, 2006

Customer reviews of this book:

"Mary Irish is amazing! This book is a wealth of information."

—Jennifer S. from Pheonix, Arizona, February 12, 2007

"A beautiful book full of information for the lay gardener."

—Joan G. from Santa Fe, New Mexico, January 12, 2007

"A much needed subject! Irish just keeps getting better!"

—Nina K. from Tucson, Arizona, October 9, 2006

"Extremely comprehensive and informative. A great addition to my garden library!"

—James W. from Surprise, Arizona, July 17, 2006

"Finally, something for our area! Thanks!"

—Amy B. from Mesa, Arizona, July 7, 2006

"A birthday present I really love! So many answers to my many questions on flowers and more."

—Ann C. from Scottsdale, Arizona, June 12, 2006

"Concise and easy to read, with great detail!"

—B. J. from Lucerne Valley, California, May 31, 2006

"A great book!"

—Rachel G. from Tucson, Arizona, May 5, 2006