Richard L. Bitner

Conifers for Gardens: an Illustrated Encyclopedia

      Timber Press (OR). New Conifers are often the first choice for gardeners, designers, and other professionals who are looking for a striking specimen or a low-maintenance, permanent addition to the landscape. But with the bewildering number of choices offered by nurseries and garden centers, it's hard to know which plant will provide the qualities you're looking for. Not only do conifers come in a huge array of forms and foliage colors, they also differ vastly in size: you don't want to come home with a future forest giant when what you had in mind was a miniature for the rock garden. "Conifers for Gardens" is intended to take away the element of uncertainty when you're choosing a plant that may alter your yard for years to come. Profusely illustrated with more than 1500 crisp photographs and brimming with concise descriptions of species and their numerous cultivars, this meticulously researched reference provides information— including size, appearance, hardiness, preferred growing conditions, and suceptibility to pests and diseases— for almost every hardy conifer you're likely to encounter at the nursery. The introduction offers general information on conifer botany and nomenclature and using conifers in the landscape. The appendix includes useful lists of plants for specific purposes, where to see conifers, specialty nurseries, and conifer societies. ISBN10: 0881928305.