Garden Perennials for the Coastal South

I was predisposed to like this book because it was written by a Carolina Master Gardener. My instincts were correct. I like this book.It is well organized with over 1,000 plants and cultivars and has more than 200 excellent color photographs of plants and beautiful landscape designs.It even has sections on plant care, propagation, diseases and pests. And it’s written in basic Master Gardener-eze. That is, a no nonsense approach to evaluating the attributes and faults of each plant. I love the chapter on “The Best and Worst Plants for Coastal Gardens”.There are chapters on Vines, Ferns, Bulbs, Ornamental Grasses, Companion Plants, Seasonal Plants, Plants for Sub-Tropical gardens (perfect for Beaufort County) and so much more, as well as loads of gardening tips. And even though the book is mostly about perennials, it has a great selection of recommended annuals.This book will not bore you with heavy and useless information. It’s written for gardeners after all, not botanists or scholars. And while most books about southern gardening include mountains and hot dry regions, this book is written for gardeners in the hot and humid climate that is the signature of the Lowcountry.It would make a great gift for your favorite gardener…..yourself!

I got this book from the library and after reading it cover to cover, I bought a copy. I am a Master Gardener, but I'm just returning to the coastal south from the west. There are so many plants that just will not grow here that it seems a shame to waste time, effort, and money on those that won't. This book 'tells it like it is' with a list of "Don't even think about growing that". But then there's the list of all the wonderful things that grow and grow well here with very little effort, with details about their needs. On top of all the great information, the book is pretty enough for a coffee table. My only little complaint is the section on annuals. Since the title says perennials, I think it's misplaced effort. It's certainly correct information, but the author could have put the pages to use with more perennials, after all, there are so many.Update: Having had the book now for months, I must say that I keep referring to it. This one will be a reference book for many years. Well worth the cost.

Bought for my daughter who is newly into potted flowers and plants. She has really come along as almost an expert. This book helped. I have seen it, lately. All water stained and dirty. She loves it.

We just moved to a North Carolina coastal community and are clueless as what to plant. Great no-nonsense book with nice pictures and descriptions. Highly recommend for all coastal gardeners!

Really good book for the coastal gardener. What I was looking for as a guide to plants for sandy conditions.

This book is almost perfect, only had an inscription in the front cover, which to my happy surprise was by the author! Better than expected, very happy with this purchase.

I challenge anyone to find a more complete book on this subject matter. The only thing it lacks is photos of the extensive plants listed in the addendum, but in this world of on line searches one only needs to enter the botanical name provided and photos and articles pop up. This is an excellent primary source for southern coastal gardeners.

I have many garden books and this is absolutely the best one for the coastal south region. I bought one for myself several years ago and just purchased one for a gift. I have recommended this book several times to other gardeners in this area. It is beautifully presented with many colorful pictures and the research on plants that will tolerate and thrive in the coastal south is invaluable. Didi/ Savannah, Georgia