Trees and shrubs are a valuable asset to a garden bringing structure, shade, year-round interest and the all-important vertical dimension. However, choosing the right ones for small gardens is a fine art, and it's all too easy to end up with heavyweight shrubs overtaking the border, dysfunctional climbers, or trees outgrowing their designated spaces. In this practical reference, woody-plant expert Diana Miller takes the anguish out of the process by recommending plants and cultivation techniques that excel in small garden spaces. Small gardens require careful planting, and the book starts by considering plants that fulfill a particular design function, such as trees that provide the right levels of shade for an underplanting of choice bulbs, columnar or weeping trees for very restricted spaces, and specimen shrubs that provide an effective foil for herbaceous perennials in a mixed border. Pruning, coppicing, topiary and container-planting restrict growth and are helpful techniques in the small garden armory. Useful too are scaled-down versions of favorite trees, such as Prunus 'Amanogawa', that take up less space, and create less shade, than other cherry trees. At the heart of this book is a comprehensive plant directory that provides detailed descriptions, including full cultivation advice for over 400 top-performing trees and shrubs. Further advice on pruning, information on planting to encourage wildlife and handy lists that allow readers to search by color, height and other characteristics are invaluable. Color photographs complement the plant descriptions, aid identification and complete this practical plant reference.

Trees and shrubs, tailormade for small gardens.

Choosing the right trees and shrubs for small gardens is a fine art, and it's all too easy to end up with heavyweight shrubs overtaking the border, dysfunctional climbers, and trees outgrowing their designated spaces. In this practical reference, woody plant expert Diana Miller takes the anguish out of the process by recommending plants and cultivation techniques that excel in small garden spaces.

Small gardens require careful planting and the book starts by considering plants that fulfill a particular design function, such as trees that provide the right levels of shade for an underplanting of choice bulbs, columnar or weeping trees for very restricted spaces, and specimen shrubs that provide an effective foil for herbaceous perennials in a mixed border. Pruning, coppicing, topiary, and planting in containers to restrict growth are valuable techniques in the small garden armory.

At the heart of this book is a comprehensive plant directory that provides detailed descriptions, including full cultivation advice for over 400 top performance trees and shrubs. Further advice on pruning, information on planting to encourage wildlife, and handy lists that allow readers to search by color, height, and other characteristics are invaluable. Color photographs complement the plant descriptions, aid identification, and complete this practical plant reference.

“. . . plenty of information and excellent color photographs throughout. . . As a gift to an improving gardener, it would be a valuable tool in developing a small garden.”

“. . . this book could serve as a first step toward choosing trees and shrubs that won’t result in future pruning disasters or an overly gloomy garden.”

“The scope of this book is broad. . . and it is sure to delight the more adventurous gardeners among us.”

Diana Miller has been a horticultural botanist whose work with the royal horticultural society (RHS) spans three decades. she has written, edited, and contributed to a range of horticultural publications, including The Garden magazine and a book on Pelargoniums.

Publisher: Timber Press
Distributor: Workman Publishing Company
Publication Date: 06-15-2008
Pages: 216
Measurements: 9.52in X 7.86in X .82in X 1.13lb