Penstemons (paperback Or Softback)

Synopsis

penstemon Is The Largest Plant Genus Endemic To North America. Every State In The Continental U.s. Has At Least One Native Penstemon, Demonstrating The Extraordinary Range Of Climates To Which They Are Suited. The Habit Of The Various Species Differs As Well, From Woody Shrubs To Cushion Plants, With Sizes Ranging From Giant To Dwarf.

As Panayoti Kelaidis Points Out In His Foreword, This Means That One Penstemon Or Another Will Thrive In Virtually Any Microclimate A Garden Can Contrive, From Hot, Desert Exposures To Dank Shade. There Is No Reason Not To Sample A Wide Spectrum Of Penstemon Species In Short Order: More Than A Hundred Are Available Mail-order As Seed Or Plants, At Ridiculously Low Prices. Since So Many Are Native To Arid Regions Of The West, They Are Particularly Well Suited To Gardens Designed For Low Water Demand, Where Their Palette Of Flower Colors--almost Every Imaginable Shade Of White, Pink, Yellow, Blue, Purple, And Red--and Variety Of Foliage Can Create Welcome Visual Interest.

booknews

nold Begins With An Enlightening Discussion Of Dryland Gardening, Hardiness, Soil Amendments, And Other Sometimes Controversial Issues, Followed By A General Treatment Of Penstemon Cultivation, Morphology, Habitat, Nomenclature, And Other Topics. The Bulk Of The Book Is Devoted To Detailed Species Descriptions. Includes 43 Color Photographs. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknews.com)