Agaves of Continental North America by Howard Scott Gentry - If you have more than a passing interest in this genus of anti-social plants, you must own this treatise on the genus. Yes, it is 670 pages of nearly everything imaginable about agaves. (Univ. of Arizona Press, ISBN 0-8165-0775- 9)

Agaves, Yuccas, and Related Plants...A Gardener's Guide by Mary and Gary Irish - This 2000 Timber Press publication has long been awaited by those of us who prefer an anti-social landscape, as well as those who live in a climate whose rainfall is less that ideal. You will find a wealth of information compiled here for the first time in a single book...a must for the serious plant collector!

American Treasures, Trilliums in Woodland Gardens by Don and Rob Jacobs is another wonderful treatment of trilliums. While not as technical as Case's book, it offers a wealth of information and photographs (D. Jacobs Published ISBN 0-9658353-0-8)

Armitage's Garden Perennials, A Color Encyclopedia by Allan Armitage - This new Timber Press book is loaded with color photos and Allan's delightful opinionated writing style. ISBN 0-88192-435-0

Aroids by Deni Bown - A great compendium on the wonderful world of aroids. Although it has been out of print 1/00 for a while, there is a new edition in the works. (Timber Press ISBN 0- 88192-092-4)

Bananas You Can Grow by Glenn Stokes and Jim Waddick - Finally a useful and informative book on growing bananas for the home garden. Plant nerds Waddick and Stokes combine their talents on this "must read" from the tropical plant afficinodo! ISBN 0-9678540-1-6 by Stokes Tropicals Publishing Co.

A Book of Salvias by Betsy Clebsch - For the salvia afficionado, this book is a must. It might even make a saliva collector out of the most unsuspecting of gardeners. Because the author is from California, the actual winter tolerance for the plants is usually much greater than is indicated (Timber Press 0-88192-369-9)

The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, etal by Rick Darke - This 1999 Timber Press publication is the long awaited compilation of photos and text by grass guru Rick Darke, formerly of Longwood Gardens. If you haven't thought of using grasses, or you are a grass fan, this is a must. ISBN 0-88192.464-4

Daffodils for American Gardens by Brent and Becky Heath - A long overdue treatment of one of our favorite flowers with good information and plenty of photos. This is a must for every garden shelf. (Elliott & Clark, ISBN 1-880216-33-7)

Euphorbias, A Gardeners' Guide by Roger Turner - I had long hoped that someone would write a book on the euphorbias, and this was a great effort. The photos are great, as is both the scientific and down to earth gardening info. (Batsford publishers, ISBN 0-7134-7071-2)

The Explorers Garden, Rare and Unusual Perennials by Daniel Hinkley - Another Timber Press gem from our friend on the West Coast, plantsman extraordinare Dan Hinkley of Heronswood Nursery. If you are looking for something new, information gleaned from Dan's travels around the world fill the pages in his delightful writing style. ISBN 0-88192-426-1

Ferns for American Gardens by John Mickel - I love this book...the first to include gardening and hardiness information in an informative fern book. Did I mention great photos also...a must for fern lovers. (Macmillan Publishing, ISBN 0-02-584491-1)

Garden Bulbs for the South by Scott Ogden - This is one of the most used books in my library, both for the wealth of here-to-fore unavailable information and the author's great writing style (Taylor Publishing, ISBN 0-87833-861-6)

Gardener's Guide to Growing Hostas by Diana Grenfell - For most hosta enthusiasts, this is probably the best book on the market about hostas. Although the author is English, she has traveled widely in the US observing plants here. The information and photos are exceptional (David & Charles publishers, ISBN 0-7153-0432-1)

The Genus Hosta by George Schmid - This masterpiece on the genus hosta not only straightens out some of the taxonomic nightmares, but catalogs all known cultivars, traces the origins of hostas species, and literally covers everything about this popular group of plants. The 450+ pages is certainly the most technical book on the subject, and is certainly not for beginners (Timber Press, ISBN 0-88192-201-3)

Growing and Propagating Wild Flowers by Harry Phillips - Based on experiences when Harry was working at the NC Botanical Garden, this great book is perfect for the gardener looking to propagate their own wildflowers (University of NC Press, ISBN 0-8078-4131-5)

Hardy Geraniums by Peter Yeo - If you have ever had any questions regarding hardy geraniums, they will be answered after reading this book. About the only thing missing in this complete masterpiece is color photos, although line drawings are a bit of a help in identification. (Timber Press, ISBN 0-88192-019-3).

Herbaceous Perennial Plants, Second Edition by Allan Armitage - This has become one of my favorite perennial books....a dramatic improvement over the lackluster first editions. There is no other book with as much info on individual cultivars as this 1100 page giant. The author's voice make reading quite fun, despite an overabundance of errors due to a lack of good editing. (Stipes Publishing, ISBN 0-87563-723-X)

The Hosta Handbook by Mark Zilis - Finally, the long awaited Hosta encyclopedia from hosta guru Mark Zilis has arrived. This spiral bound 600 page reference lists virtually every hosta in the trade in the year 2000, with their foliage pattern, flower, genetic history, and often their mature size. For the serious hosta grower, this should be your bible. Published by Q&Z Nursery, Rochelle IL, ISBN 0-9679440-0-7.

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Mike Dirr - This is the woody plantsman's bible, with 1100 + pages detailing virtually every cultivar of woody plant that is available, and most from first hand experience. The author's opinionated style of writing makes this a no-nonsense masterpiece. (Stipes Press, ISBN 0-87563-795-7)

Perennials, Volume 1 & 2 by Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix - This is still unequaled for not only the number of unusual perennials covered but the tremendous wealth of photos that are unrivaled in a perennial book. Despite the number of new books, this is always a source of great information.(Random House, ISBN #1 0-679-73797-9 and #2 ISBN 0-679-73798-7)

Perennial Garden Plants by Graham Stuart Thomas - This is still one of the best perennials books around, albeit with an English slant. The author's writing style and opinions are unequaled in modern writing. (Timber Press, ISBN 0-88192-167-X)

Perennials for American Gardens by Ruth Clausen and Nick Ekstrom - A 600+ page encyclopedia covering a wealth of perennials. The information is very accurate, along with great photos. Despite the amount of new perennials since it's 1989 publication date, this is still one of the best perennials books (Random House, ISBN 0-394-55740-9)

Rock Garden Plants, A Color Encyclopedia by Baldassare Mineo - This Timber Press release from on of the great "names" in horticulture. The owner of Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery fills the pages with a tremendous array of text and photos...a must read for any aspiring rock gardener! ISBN 0-88192-432-6

Sedum, Cultivated Stonecrops by Ray Stephenson - A complete treatment on the world of sedums, yes 335 pages on sedums. Although a bit scientific in parts, it is very useful for serious gardeners. (Timber Press, ISBN 0-88192-238-2)

Shocking Beauty by Thomas Hobbs - For gardeners who enjoy shocking, over-the-top gardening with bold, tropical looking plants, this book is a must. The luscious photos from Tom's dazzling garden in Vancouver, are enough reason to buy the book for inspiration and ideas. Published by Raincoast Publishing of Vancouver, Canada.

Sunbelt Gardening, Success in Hot-Weather Climates by Tom Peace - This 2000 release has a lot of great ideas for plants and design in hot climates. Plant nerd Tom Peace authored this based on his extensive knowledge of gardening in both Texas and Colorado...a must! Fulcrum Books, Golden Co

Time Tested Plants, Thirty Years in a Four-Season Garden by Pam Harper - On of our gardening mentors, Pam Harper has just completed a tremendous garden diary of her favorite performers from her Virginia garden. Both her writing style and tremendous depth of plant knowledge make this a real treasure. Timber Press ISBN 0-88192-486-5

Trilliums by Fred and Roberta Case - This is the ultimate treatment of trilliums for which everyone has waited. The quality and quantity of information and photos is superb. (Timber Press 0-88192-374-5)

Useful Wild Plants of Texas, Volume 1 by Scooter Cheatham - Volume 1 has been published, and it truly a masterpiece unlike many that we have seen in modern times. Beginning with A, this compendium will cover every plant growing in the Southeast US, Southwest US, and Northern Mexico which has any economic use. The 500+ pages in volume #1, complete with photos and distribution maps represents a lifetime of work...I can't wait for volume #2. (Useful Wild Plants publishers, ISBN 1-887292-01-2)

The Well Tended Garden by Tracy Disabato-Aust - Horticulture's mile-a minute superwoman Tracy D-A has assembled a book to help you keep your perennials in shape and looking good throughout the season. This is a well needed book that will give you plenty to do in your spare time. Timber Press ISBN 0-88192-414-8

The Woodland Garden by Jack Elliott - A little known, but superb book on the lesser known plants for the woodland garden. The amount of good, usable information in this book is unrivaled. (Alpine Garden Society, ISBN 0-900048-68-9)