In the Stacks
Not all of these gardening books are brand-new, but they are all hidden gems that Juneau gardeners ought to know about.
"Growing Perennials In Cold Cimates," by Mike Heger and John Whitman. This is, hands down, my all-time favorite gardening book. Nearly all the plants profiled here are ones you've seen grown successfully in Juneau, from columbine to yarrow. Accompanying each plant profile are life expectancies, growing and propagation tips, and planting partners. Beautiful, easy-to-use, and accurate (well, so far!), even for Juneau's microclimates.
"Discovering Annuals," by Graham Rice. Pair this with the preceding book for a mix of annuals and perennials in your yard. Though it doesn't have the same depth of information, it provides plenty to plan a garden by and, again, most of the plants featured are found in Juneau gardens.
"Native Plants In The Coastal Garden," by April Pettinger. Aimed at gardeners in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, this book has great information. It covers topics such as plant harvesting, site planning and creating wildlife habitats in depth and with sensitivity, and is a necessary read for those considering creating a native plant garden.
"Gardening With Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest," by Arthur R. Kruckeberg. Much more of a catalog of plants than Pettinger's "how-to," this covers in good detail the plants you might consider adding to a native plant garden. Pair the two titles for an understanding of what you can reasonably achieve in your particular yard.
"The Flower Arranger's Garden," by Rosemary Verey. The author's motto is "there should never be a moment when you are without flowers to pick." Focusing on the needs of flower arrangers, this is another lovely book to help you set goals for your garden. Includes sample plans for various sites, seasons, and conditions.
"Zen Gardens," by Erik Borja. Beautiful photos accompany the text describing the history and meanings of the different types of Japanese gardens. Diagrams show how to orient your garden based on Zen principles.
"Bugs, Slugs, And Other Thugs: Controlling Garden Pests Organically," by Rhonda Hart. A great book for those of us pestered by any of the variety of varmints hanging out in Juneau (slugs! bears!). Hart gives instructions for identifying the culprit so a proper deterrent can be chosen. Deterrents include garden practices, repellents, scare tactics and exclusion. Well-written and informative.
"Natural Disease Control." This will take care of the rest of your garden's needs. It is divided into diseases (infectious) and disorders (non-infectious) that could be keeping your garden from looking its best. Has a handy "symptoms and causes" chart in front and a good index in back.
Take a look here next week to find out what's new at the library!
If you'd like to place a hold on any of these titles, call the Juneau Public Library at 586-5249. If you have internet access, your library card and a PIN, you can place your own holds by going to our Web site (www.juneau.lib.ak.us/library) and looking at our catalog.