A shortcut to Perfect Planting: Spectacular ideas for every season - Hardcover

A plantperson's dream, a novice gardener's welcome guide, this is a lavishly illustrated, well-written book to planting for interest through the seasons. From bleakest winter through to scorching summer days, Rob Cassy picks a connoisseurs selection of perennials, bulbs, shrubs and trees to enliven each season with that something just a little bit more special. All readily available they tend to be ignored as "difficult" or unknown, nearly always contrary to reality. Mixed in are stalwart favourites such as buddleja, snowdrops and clematis but it is the more unusual - akebia, fritillaria, stachyurus and chimonanthus - that open the eyes wide. Add just one of these and garden visitors will regard you as an accomplished plantsmen when in reality all you've done is dare to buy something slightly different. Written with sound professionalism and accompanied by background information on each genus, it is an attractive, comprehensive guide to the best on offer for all months of the year. With cultivation details and notes of particular likes and dislikes, this is a book that rightly deserves a place on every gardener's bookcase. - Lucy Watson

Organized by season, these 100 plants selected by Rob Cassy, aim to give year-round pleasure, and transform your garden at a stroke. As the seasons change, so your garden assumes different personalities. Spring is fresh and full of promise; summer is rich, colourful and generous; autumn is mellow and subtle; winter has a haunting sophistication. The four main chapters are divided by season and each is prefaced by a character sketch of the season and a summary of its style. Within each season the plants are listed alphabetically by their botanical name whilst cultivation notes are given which stand apart from the main text in expert advice boxes. All the featured plants will grow in a wide range of weather conditions whilst both the Latin and common plant names are given.