Gardening

The resources available at the Canton Public Library about gardening and related topics are many. The following is a selection based on usefulness or recent acquisition. The websites, books, videos and magazines that follow will be of interest, whether you are planning a garden for the first time or looking for a specialized guide to one group of plants.

Books

The American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Gardening by Christopher Brickell: Comprehensive guide for amateur or professional. Includes step-by-step photographic sequences of cultivation techniques for plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables.

The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants by Christopher Brickell: Well illustrated reference in dictionary format.

The American Rose Society Encyclopedia of Roses by Charles and Brigid Quest-Ritson: History of the rose, origins of different varieties, and information on care and cultivation. Richly illustrated reference for this popular garden plant.

Annuals and Tender Plants for North American Gardens: Appearance, climate preference, value and more for 600 species. An authoritative quick reference.

Annuals for Every Purpose by Larry Hodgson: Choose the right plants for your conditions, your garden, and your taste.

Annuals for Michigan by Nancy Szerlag: Popular title by Michigan author.

Armitage’s Garden Annuals: A Color Encyclopedia by Allan M. Armitage: Selection of proven specimens, an evaluation of their gardenworthiness and sheer beauty.

Christopher Lloyd’s Garden Flowers, Perennial, Bulbs, Grasses and Ferns by Christopher Lloyd: Summary of a lifetime’s gardening experience with perennial plants,
including bulbs, corms, ferns and grasses.

The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: Sedges, Rushes, Cattails and Selected Bamboos by Rick Darke: Ways to maximize the array of textures, forms and sizes that grasses provide.

Container Gardening by Paul Williams: Imaginative and creative ideas for innovative gardeners.

Gardening on Pavement, Tables and Hard Surfaces by George Schenk: Describes how to grow garden plants directly on hard surfaces with step by step instructions.

Perennial All-Stars by Jeff Cox: Showcases 150 plants that require the least care and live up to the catalog descriptions.

Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell: Design and planting of a perennial garden to bloom from spring to fall.

Perennials for Michigan by Nancy Szerlag: Selecting, planting and caring for perennials in Michigan.

Perennials for Shade: Easy Plants for More Beautiful Gardens: A Taylor’s 50 Best series which provides a description of shade perennials and suggests how and where to plant them.

Rock Garden Design and Construction by the North American Rock Garden Society: Practical information on this popular style of gardening for diverse conditions.

CD-ROMs

3D Landscape: Create realistic views of your dream landscape--design made easy.

Sunset Garden Problem Solver: Pinpoint pest problems, create a personal garden calendar and watch video tips from experts.

Magazines

Fine Gardening: Inspiring gardening methods and design ideas from avid, experienced gardeners.

Horticulture: Every issue contains a rich assortment of technique pieces, profiles of plants and people, and discussions of distinctive design.

Organic Gardening: Safe and healthy lawns, fragrant flowers and bountiful fruits and vegetables.

Herb Companion: Practical horticultural information, original recipes using herbs and step-by-step directions for herbal craft projects.

Herbs for Health: The role of herbs in various healing arts, scientific research, consumer guides and medicinal recipes.

House & Garden: Includes gardening stories, landscaping features, and tips and products for gardening year round.

Successful Farming: Information that addresses the needs of families that make farming and ranching their primary livelihood.

Videos

Roses for the Garden: Visits to celebrated rose gardens with leading rose authorities. Videocassette.

How to Design a Flower Garden: Shows how to design and refine your flower garden. Videocassette.

Perennial Gardening: Design your own perennial island. Videocassette.

Websites

WebGarden: Ohio State University's collection of resources for beginning and advanced gardeners.

Home Gardening: For both flowers and vegetables, you'll find growing guides on this Cornell University webpage. It also offers tips for lawn care, including a calendar to help decide when it's best to reseed, fertilize and aerate.

The Garden Gate: Online publications, indoor plants and garden links around the world.

GardenNet: Contact information for mail order catalogs, companies, associations, plants and gardens.

National Gardening Association: Well-organized site with a wealth of information on everything from perennials to soil testing.

GardenGuides: Basic fact sheets on annuals, perennials, vegetables, bulbs or herbs. Searchable database of articles.

GardenWeb: Forum for gardeners worldwide.

All-America Rose Selections: Highlights include a list of award-winning roses, temperature zone maps, database of rose gardens, gardening tips, plus history and symbolism of roses.

Botanique: Portal to Gardens, Arboreta and Nature Site: A directory of more than 2,400 botanical gardens, preserves, parks and other nature sites in the U.S. and Canada.

Gardens for Every Body: The University of Missouri has prepared a helpful webpage for people who like to garden but are coping with disabilities and physical limitations.