With literally hundreds of choices, it can be overwhelming to decide which perennials to plant in your garden. Nancy J. Ondra takes the stressful guesswork out of perennial garden planning by offering 52 vibrant designs, each made up of only five plants. Ondra tailors each simple design to a specific set of growing conditions, with plenty of tips to help your planting mature. Enjoy gardens full of sun-drenched blooming flowers and shade-loving greenery for years to come.

"[Book title] is the definitive guide to plant breeding and seed saving for the serious home gardener and the small-scale farmer or commercial grower. Discover: how to breed for a wide range of different traits (flavor, size, shape, or color; cold or heat tolerance; pest and disease resistance; and regional adaptation); how to save seed and maintain varieties; how to conduct your own variety trials and other farm- or garden-based research; how to breed for performance under organic or sustainable growing methods."--Back cover.

"The most successful gardeners take some time before the garden season begins to devise a simple and smart plan for the year. A smart garden plan lays the groundwork for a beautiful garden that yields lots of food for the least amount of time and money invested" -- page 4 of cover.

This publication is the sixth of a series dealing with descriptions of types of the principal varieties of vegetables grown in the United States. It is published in response to seedsmen, produce merchants, vegetable canners, and growers for an adequate, accurate, and generally accepted description of varietal characteristics.

“A luscious and colorful immersion into the world of the peony.” —Petal Talk The bold blooms, pretty colors, and heady fragrances of peonies make them one of the most popular flowers, both in gardens and floral arrangements. Peony—by leading experts David Michener and Carol Adelman—makes it easier than ever to grow them home. This lush book shares the history of the plant, explores the different types available, and includes complete growing information for 194 of the best varieties. Helpful lists detail the best peonies for specific needs.

'TRULY INSPIRING' Mail on Sunday Now familiar to millions of Gardeners' World fans as Longmeadow (the home of Nigel & Nellie), this is the story of Monty & Sarah Don's early days there. The Jewel Garden is the story of the garden that bloomed from the muddy fields around the Dons' Tudor farmhouse, a perfect metaphor for the Monty and Sarah's own rise from the ashes of a spectacular commercial failure in the late '80s . At the same time The Jewel Garden is the story of a creative partnership that has weathered the greatest storm, and a testament to the healing powers of the soil. Monty Don has always been candid about the garden's role in helping him to pull back from the abyss of depression; The Jewel Garden elaborates on this much further. Written in an optimistic, autobiographical vein, Monty and Sarah's story is truly an exploration of what it means to be a gardener.