A MUST-HAVE FOR THE GARDEN LIBRARY

I COULD KICK MYSELF: HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED
THIS BOOK FOR TWO YEARS ?

Experienced gardeners and garden designers are jaded when it comes to collecting books on gardening. Just when I thought there was nothing left to say on perennials, two professional passionate garden designers create a masterpiece that is a joy to read for both the novice and experienced gardener. It's down-to-earth advice, puns, quips and catchy phrases also appeal to the Taurus in me.

The writers, Stephanie Cohen and Nancy Ondra are , and I quote, " Obsessed with everything about gardens and gardening-with digging, planting, designing, and creating great canvases of living color and textures." Those are my sentiments exactly.

Along with design basics, they present 20 garden plans, as well as the before-and-after stories of gardens they've created for family and friends.

The contents of DESIGN PRIMER are simplicity itself : PART ONE : PERENNIAL DESIGN DEMYSTIFIED : 1. Getting Started 2. Selecting your Perennials 3. Exploring Perennial Partners 4. From Dream to Reality and 5 . It's all in the Details.

PART TWO : PUTTING PERENNIALS TO WORK: 6. Problem-Solving with Perennials. 7. Creative Color Effects. 8 . A Year of Perennials and 9. Gardens for Special Effects.

PART THREE : FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: 10. Building a Border from Scratch., 11. Expanding an Existing Garden and 12. Reworking an Old Garden.

In its almost 300 pages are beautiful photos, designer "checklists" with helpful pointers, a very useful planning chart and the notebooks of both writers filled with their personal opinions.

Design Primer is available from Amazon.com. It was recommended as one of 2005's best by FINE GARDENING MAGAZINE.