Dirrs Hardy Trees and Shrubs

Description

This bestselling encyclopedia, illustrated with brilliant photographs, describes the best woody plants adapted to cooler climates, showing both habit and details of more than 500 species, and includes some 700 additional cultivars and varieties. Brief cultural information is supplied for each plant, as well as Dirr's perceptive comments and opinions.

A professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia, Michael A. Dirr is a legend in the horticultural world and has tremendous energy for teaching about plants, writing about plants, and especially for growing plants. Michael worked at a nursery and garden center to pay his way through university while earning his bachelor and master of science degrees at Ohio State. He went on to earn a doctorate in plant physiology at the University of Massachusetts and began his teaching career in 1972 as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois. Michael has published more then 300 scientific and popular papers and articles. His teaching, lectures, seminars, garden study tours, and plant introduction programs have contributed enormously to greater horticultural awareness, and his book Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs is one of Timber's bestselling titles. He has received numerous awards and honors during his career, most recently the Liberty Hyde Bailey Medal from the American Horticulture Society. Today, he travels widely to lecture, teach, and form new opinions of plants.

Stunning color photographs document this famous plantsman's recommendations. American Bookseller 19970801 Though my shelves sag under the weight of books about trees and shrubs, there's still space for a pictoral encyclopedia that does the subject justice. Sunset 20000201 A photographic tour-de-force, this is the book Dirr fans have been waiting for. In addiction to the usual opinionated and informative text we have come to expect from Dirr, this encyclopedia of hardy woody plants is illustrated with 1,650 full-color photographs selected by the author from his slide collection. At the end of the book is a useful index of plants grouped by desirable characteristics and cultural requirements. American Gardener 19970201 This book is a must for every serious gardener. -- Erica Glasener Fine Gardening 19980201 This profusely illustrated encyclopedia is dangerous to one's garden budget. -- Judy Glattstein Through the Garden Gate 19971201 An excellent reference book and a fine gift for the holidays. -- Judy Glattstein Through the Garden Gate 19971201 Highly recommended for horticulturists, landscape architects, arboreta, botanical gardens, and all libraries needing a comprehensive reference on woody plants. -- Daniel Kalk Library Journal 19971101 The treasure of Dirr's book is the photographs, not just for their beauty but for their detail. Oregonian 19971113 Before you invest in a tree or shrub, think about investing in this book. Oregonian 19971113 Michael Dirr's Manual of Woody Plants had long been the bible of professional horticulturists, but that unillustrated tome can be heavy going for laypeople. Here, Dirr makes his opionated wisdom accessible to all. Most entries can be grown across the U.S. -- Sarah Gray Miller Garden Design 19971201 Fortunately, for all gardeners, Michael Dirr has written this book. We can all benefit from his scholarship and his keen, and I am pleased to say, practical obervations. -- John E. Bryan Gardening Newsletter 20000201 The addition of color photographs makes Dirr's new book an excellent visual reference for plant selection and identification. Springfield Republican 19971221 An essential volume for any gardener with more than a casual interest in trees and shrubs. -- John Van de Water Newark Star-Ledger 19970111 a spectacular accompaniment to the Manual and itself a formidable encyclopedia. The short essays resound with Dirr's inimitable voice. His excellent photographs--1,650 of them--run the book into an enormous, magnificent armchair arboretum. -- Marty Ross Kansas City Star 19971207 Of great use to garden designer in particular, this book will allow them to gain vital insights into the habits, culture and visual impact of many of the trees and shrubs used in northern gardens. -- Martin Crawford Agroforestry News 19980101 A necessity in every serious gardener's library. -- Suzanne Hively Cleveland Plain Dealer 19971101 The ultimate in reference texts about shrubs and trees. -- Joel M. Lerner Washington Post 19971129 A must for academic libraries. Choice 19980401 Dirr's book is an easily read compendium of useful, up-to-date information and instructions for selecting plant materials for anyone interested in growing or utilizing them in the landscape. Choice 19980401 Dirr's illustrated encyclopedia is another in a series of exquisite horticultural and gardening books published by Timber Press. Choice 19980401 The ultimate in reference texts about shrubs and trees was released in September. Hardy Trees and Shrubs (Timber Press) by Michael Dirr, one of the nation's preeminent woody plants experts, sets what should be the standard for plant books. This compendium is in a class by itself for its honest descriptions. Its 490 pages offer a lot of information and there are more than 1,600 full-color photographs. It is a beautiful presentation that will save more than its price by ensuring that whomever receives it will make good plant selections. -- Joel M. Lerner Washington Post 19971101 A beautiful, well laid out book... The text is easy to read and fun... excellent reference book. -- Bill Funkhouser Perennial Notes 19980201 Dirr's encyclopedia is an excellent reference book and point of departure for anyone who wants to know more about a particular tree of shrub. Design Connections 19980201 Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia...is excellent. -- Marty Figley Michigan Observer and Eccentric 19980301 Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs is a must buy for all who love woody plants, and for most of our plant materials students as well. -- Brian Maynard HortScience 19980101 Those readers not familiar with Michael Dirr's plant books would do well to make Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs their first. -- Brian Maynard HortScience 19980101 Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs is certain to expand the horizons of gardeners formerly content with the handful of shrubs to be found at the local nursery." -- Rebecca Sawyer-Fay Country Living Gardener 19980201 It is a handsome book that will make you want to go out and hug a tree. -- Mark Laiosa WBAI 99.5 FM 19980526 If one is seeking a reference on woody plants, this is probably the very best of those by an American authority. -- Margaret C. Crooks Asbury Park Press 19980416 Comprehensive, well organized, and trustworthy. American Rhododendron Society Journal 19990201 The usefulness of this book does not stop with the encyclopedic listings. American Rhododendron Society Journal 19990201 This tome is of a very high standard--its most outstanding feature being the high quality of photographs which have taken the author more than 25 years to accumulate. -- Martin Gardner Plantsman 19980601 The author is to be congratulated on his long years of dedication in accumulating such a wealth of photographs and information. At $69.95 I do not consider this to be too high a price for such an excellent publication. -- Martin Gardner Plantsman 19980601 Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs is an important and valuable reference work which no life sciences library should be without... This book is a classic. -- Douglas Darnowski Plant Science Bulletin 19990601 This volume...will become a standard garden reference source. Booklist 19980401 Especially enjoyable and useful for the gardener in the eastern U.S. Booklist 19980401 The author has a descriptive and entertaining style. Booklist 19980401 Sit down with Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs and be gratified by nearly 500 pages of sensational photographs accompanied by clear, smooth, and visceral text... The text and photographs have been meticulously merged into a pure volume that delights the eyes and mind. -- Mary Pat Boian American Reference Books Annual 19980201 Honest, parochial, personal, and glib, Dirr's Hardy Tress and Shrubs is a trove of beauty and substance. -- Mary Pat Boian American Reference Books Annual 19980201 Dirr's encyclopedia is an excellent reference book and point of departure for anyone who wants to know more about a particular tree or shrub... His respect for the plants is open. Design Connections 19980201 Dirr tells it like it is, and if a plant isn't worth planting he'll warn you. -- Jimmy Williams Paris (TN) Post Intelligencer 19980626 (This book will) give you a real appreciation for the many trees and shrubs that thrive in our hardiness zones 7 and 8. Hampton Roads Gardening 19980801 A reference book of the first order. American Rhododendron Society Journal 19990201 It is an excellent reference for both the weekend gardener and serious horticulturalist. Leafings 19980701 This handsome volume will never hit my coffee table; it's too useful to me right where I work. -- Carol Howe Rockland Courier-Gazette 19980926 Released in 1997, it's a horticultural classic. -- Carol Howe Rockland Courier-Gazette 19980926 What a wonderful addition to the horticultural library! Perennial Plants 19980201 It is with practicalities that Dirr scores most highly, with his combinations of stirring verbal descriptions and excellent photography. Arboricultural Journal 19980801 If I were to own only one book on trees and shrubs this would be the one. -- Bill Cannon Quincy Patriot Ledger 19981001 A useful and beautifully illustrated work. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 20000201 The text and photographs have been meticulously merged into a pure volume that delights the eyes and mind. Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium Libraries 20000201 A first-class source on the very best garden trees and shrubs. Library Journal 19991201 A fabulous resource that describes the best of more than 5,000 species. -- Natalie Walsh Schenectady Daily Gazette 20010123 I'll never want to give up this book. -- Lynn McNaughton Waseca County News 20010315 In making choices for your garden you can't do better than Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs ... [Dirr's] inimitable style of writing is in high gear -- he doesn't hesitate to trenchantly admire or dislike a subject, and the photographs are both very beautiful and excellently descriptive. This is a must-have reference that can be confidently placed on the coffee--table too. -- Ann Milovsoroff Pappus 20010622 Dirr is passionate about the trees and shrubs he loves ... His sometimes terse writing manner makes this book a delight to read ... This is a most valuable resource. Holmes Runner 20010629 Michael Dirr has his own unique slant on things, and I think that it enriches this volume. -- Linda Cobb Spartanburg Herald-Journal 20011009 I consider it a fine addition to any gardening library. -- Linda Cobb Spartanburg Herald-Journal 20011009 A good investment for those with existing landscapes as well as those who are just starting to landscape their yards. -- Lynn McNaughton Waseca County News 20010315 Unquestionably one of the most significant books ever published, this lavishly illustrated encyclopedia describes the best woody plants, from Abeliophyllum to Zenobia. -- Ralph Snodsmith Garden Hotline Newsletter 20021213 For a basic and comprehensive reference book on shrubs and trees ... there is none other than Michael A. Dirr's Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs. -- Honey Sharp Lippmann Berkshire Homestyle 20030225 With scientific text accompanied by excellent photographs, Dirr provides the fundamentals for landscaping. -- Honey Sharp Lippmann Berkshire Homestyle 20030127 Michael Dirr is the acknowledged authority on American trees and shrubs. His book ... is a valuable reference. Garden Design 20030912 Certainly the encyclopedia is an excellent photo essay, but it is more. -- Hilda Morrill HortResources Newsletter 20030429 Will unquestionably become one of the most beautiful and significant books in the gardener's library. -- Diana George Chapin Bangor Daily News 20041218 If you can't tell your Aesculus parvi ora from your Parrotia persica then this guide to the best woody plants should have pride of place on your shelves. Economist 20060511 A handy source of information for your personal library. -- Julie Mallory Evansville Courier and Press 20060528 For more advice from the pros, get a copy of Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Michael Dirr's huge compendium (495 pages) ... is an invaluable reference and belongs on every gardener's bookshelf. -- Linda Brazill Capital Times (Madison) 20070929 A great resource when searching for great landscape plants. -- Nancy Szerlag Detroit News 20071103