Need some favorite garden books for winter reading

[H.Addicted]

Hi everyone!
I hope this is the right forum to post this question! We are still in our beautiful fall weather, but living in Zone 4 Minnesota I know winter will be here before I know it! I've started making a list of gardening books to request from our library, and I would be interested in what is your favorite gardening book-either "how-to" or "general" or writings pertaining to gardening. Thanks for your help!
Brenda

[Old earth dog]

The American Horticultural Society "Encyclopedia of Gardening"
The American Horticultural Society "Encyclopedia of Garden Plants"
"Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" by Michael A. Dirr
Plant Propagation-principles and practices by Hudson T. Hartmann, Dale E Kester, Fred T. Davies, JR.
Thes are a few of my favs. I could go on forever.

[Mary Ann]

Check out Tracy DeSabato-Aust's "The Well Tended Perennial Garden".

[ICGardner]

I second the book Mary Ann suggested! It is VERY useful throughout the growing season!

[bloomsaplenty]

Lone Pine Publishers has a series of garden books for Minnesota and Wisconsin gardeners: Annuals for Minnesota and Wisconsin; Gardening Month by Month in M/W; Perennials for M/W; Tree and Shrub Gardening for M/W. Hope your library can locate one or all of these for you. Great color plates, and growing info for plants that will thrive in your locale.

[Gardendollee]

I really enjoy reading and rereading the pair of books Continuous Color and Continuous Bloom by Pam Duthie. I also love Tracy DeSabato Aust's The Well-Designed Mixed Garden. Beautiful book!

[H.Addicted]

Thanks everyone for your garden book suggestions. I've copied them all down and will head for the library when I get the chance! I'll think of you every time I open a book this winter!!
Brenda

[oldcoot]

If you like Lilies, you have no better choice than Edward A. Mc Rae's book by that same name "LILIES" A guide for growers. It is the authority on growing Lilies of all kinds. OC's copy is dog-eared. It is the kind of book you will really enjoy..

Happy reading.............

That Old Coot named John

[doublemom2]

ANY book by Ken Druse is worth reading He has a fantastic propagation book with wonderful photos, and it reads more like a novel than a "how to" book. He also wrote "The Collector's Garden", "The Natural Shade Garden", and a few more. Not only is the writing wonderful, the photographs are stunning.

Give his books a try, I think you'll like them!

Andi

[bloomsaplenty]

Glad to learn of this book - I have a lily loving gardener on my Christmas gift list. Thanks for the post, Old Coot.

[janet]

Ditto the Ken Druse books Andi mentioned. I also have two stand-bys that I keep re-reading for basic design concepts and ideas. Both are by Jeff Cox.

The Perennial Garden, Color Harmonies through the Seasons

Landscaping with Nature, Using Nature's Designs to Plan your Yard

[Linda P]

I'll give another nod to any book by Ken Druse. Do you have Diana Grenfell's new Color Encyclopedia of Hosta? The pictures in that one will green up your winter.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Perennials for American Gardens: Ruth Rogers Clausen and Nicolas H. Ekstrom
Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials: Ellen Phillips & C. Colston Burrell
The American Garden Guides Perennial Gardening from the New York Botanical Garden, by Michael Ruggiero with Ruth Rogers Clausen
Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell
Happy reading!
Linda P

[doublemom2]

I like looking through "The Collector's Garden" by Dan Hinkley... that's one of those "wishful thinking" books that I drool over also.

Andi