These plant profiles originally appeared in Garden Illustrated, an award winning British magazine. In every issue, a garden expert takes an in-depth look at one particular plant or genera. For this book, the editor selected twenty-five of these profiles. This feature in the magazine continues to be a favorite among readers.
These profiles are arranged by themes, such as early spring bloomers, summer stars, and bold, beautiful ones that really stand out in the garden. Each profile is written by a leading expert. For example, Beth Chatto wrote several, while Noel Kingsbury wrote about the bee balms.
Among the herbs profiled are lady's mantle, black horehound, bee balms, and the lungworts.
In addition, the appendix contains some very useful information, including a genus-by-genus list of suppliers along with lists of public gardens where one can see collections of that particular plant. Addresses and contact information are provided for each garden.
Though the magazine may have been originally written for a British audience, the book provides the appropriate zone for North American gardens along with a copy of the USDA hardiness zone map.
The book is lushly illustrated with breathtaking color photos for which the magazine is so well known.
These profiles give us leisurely, critical looks at the plants in a way that no garden encyclopedia can ever do. For example, let's look at the one on lungworts as a representative sample. Joe Sharman, the author, discusses 38 different kinds, and tells how he developed an ongoing interest in them. He gives some background on their origins, and describes a wide selection of different ones. He discusses how they are best used in the landscape, their cultural requirements, and propagation tips. By the time you've read all that, you can pretty much tell whether this is a species that you should try.
Throughout the book, a number of herbs are profiled. For example, the authors discuss 26 kinds of lavenders, and 17 kinds of bee balms.
The detailed index makes it easy to locate the plant you're looking for. It features a listing for each cultivar or variety discussed in the text.
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