Graham Rice, a popular garden writer, wrote Discovering Annuals just for the gardener who wants to be a bit adventuresome. Published in 1999 by Timber Press, this book will lead you into discovering new annuals not commonly found at your local garden center. Rice assumes that you will grow plants from seed since many more varieties are available from mail order seed companies than we will ever find in our local garden centers.
According to botanists, annuals are plants that germinate, flowers, and produces seed in a single season. Rice also included biennials (those that take two years), and tender perennials that flower in a short time and die out when hit by fall's frosts. Rice explains the current resurgence of interest in annuals by discussing the effect of change on our lives today. He observes that in this time of rapid change, we strive to find some stability by looking in the past for ideas.
Gardeners are also making more connections with the past -- investigating the origins of plants, reintroducing lost plants and in particular looking back to heritage gardens and even to England for old varieties, searching out old types for reintroduction, rediscovering native annual species, and wherever possible, rescuing lost plants. (Page 9)
In the section called "Catch the Wave," Rice thoroughly explores the different uses of annuals. This is followed by a detailed discussion of various plants. Some of the plants are know to every gardener, however, Rice emphasizes those varieties with more elegance. These tend to be the "old fashioned" varieties rather than the "modern varieties." Many of the species discussed are known by all gardeners: Ageratum, Hollyhocks, Snapdragons, Impatiens, Black-eyed Susans. Others, such as Honeywort (Cerinthe), Glory Flower (Eccremocarpus), and Painted Tongue (Salpiglossis) are new to me. Information on the best varieties and suggestions for companion plants are given for each species. Lavish color photographs appear throughout this book.
The last section of the book, called "Practicalities," discusses everything you need to know about growing plants from seed--whether started inside a greenhouse or in your basement, or outside in the garden. Information on pests and diseases is also provided. A comprehensive list of mail-order seed suppliers (including a web address when available) completes this book.
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