Plant This Instead!: Better Plant Choices - Prettier - Hardier - Blooms Longer - New Colors - Less Work - Drought-Tolerant - Native

by Troy B. Marden

Beautiful gardens are generally thought to be true labors of love, often demanding hours of tedious routine maintenance. Planting requirements can be daunting, and finding the time to successfully cultivate a home garden is a tall order for most of us—constant watering, debris removal, and tiresome pruning are not at the top of our wish lists. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this a carefully selected plant variety can give you all the enjoyment and curb appeal of a gorgeous, painstakingly tended garden with none of the wrist pain.  Plant This Instead ! tips you off to 75 lesser-known plant types that will thrive naturally in various microclimates, depending on where you live in the United States—featuring native and non-invasive plants, hardy alternatives to less sturdy species, new introductions, repeat bloomers, and other helpful varieties. Renowned garden designer and photographer Troy B. Marden offers clear-cut, side-by-side comparisons of these superior plant choices to the more common, fussier kinds. He incorporates original photography and identifies regionally appropriate selections, demonstrating which climates are friendly to which plants and ensuring that no matter your location, you’ll be able to capitalize on his expert advice. Most importantly, Marden alerts you to some of gardening’s most harmful misconceptions, explaining why you shouldn’t copy professional landscapers and how placing a ten-dollar plant in the wrong place could cost you thousands of dollars. Planting a beautiful garden shouldn’t be a chore—and with Plant This Instead ! , it won’t be.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2014

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

More color or style preference than beneficial beauty as this just provides different varieties of the same plant instead of more advantageous alternatives. The only thing I found useful was the general growing advice for each plant. Instead, I'll continue to browse the local greenhouses and make design decisions based on appearance and the growing information on the plant tags.

[Sylvia Snowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of great pictures, and some good ideas. This is a very brief book of recommendations for alternative varieties of plants, rather than ones that are traditionally planted. It's best for the novice gardener, who doesn't realize that there are more and better options than the ones readily available at the box store garden centers. It gave me some good ideas. A couple of obvious things he omits: these varieties often cost more to purchase, and you have to look for them. Smaller, independently owned garden centers are best sources for these types of plants. Search the internet if you don't know any in your area. Sometimes you can order them from the internet, but I'd recommend buying locally. I borrowed this book from the library--kind of small for a good reference book, not a great investment. Plus, although he tells you to plant in your numbered geographic area--he doesn't provide a map, and doesn't tell you where to go to find it. (Try the internet, or any true garden reference book.) This is critical info all gardeners need.

[Nicole Reads Romance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the suggestions for perennials and annuals are different varieties of the same plant, not at all what I expected. I had hoped for actually different plants, not just different colours. Basically if you want to plant XYZ, go explore your local nursery and see what varieties they offer.

The tree, shrub, and vine sections were a bit more helpful - if you're looking to plant any of those.

[Ligaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected as many of the substitutions were simply the same plant but a different variety. Water needs for the plants aren't specified. The selections that are alternates of the main substitution don't have information on light and zone requirements. Perhaps the best advice is to seek out a local, knowledgeable expert.

[Red · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little disappointing. Example: don't plant standard purple echinacea... Did you know there's a white or red variety?! Uhm, yes. They're sold alongside the purple stuff at the big box stores.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can pry Japanese Honeysuckle and Sweet Autumn Clemantis from my cold dead hands Troy!!