Hanging Geranium - Pelargonium peltatum

Now annuals are so hot they sizzle. Horticulturists introduce new colors and exciting forms so fast we grow dizzy. Old, forgotten types of annuals are being reintroduced, and many of these are noteworthy for their statuesque shapes or spectacular perfume. Annuals with Style explores this newly fashionable world of gardening with annuals, where innovation in flower and foliage keeps pace with ideas about style.

One of the greatest things about annuals is that they grow to maturity and die in one gardening season, so they are fun to play around with. A tree is a big investment of money and space, and shrubs grow for years, but annuals require no such commitment of time, room, or resources. You can experiment, experience near-instant gratification, toss them out at the end of the season, and try something new next year.

Mike Ruggiero and Thomas Christopher capture the essence of garden creativity as they advise on how best to use the many kinds of annuals now widely available. Have you seen the new variegated impatiens? How about coleus leaves so boldly splashed with color that they look as though variegation was invented just for them? Scale, texture, form, and color are all considered when using annuals in pots, hanging baskets, or in the ground. Practicalities such as starting from seed, soil preparation, mulching, watering, pinching, and fertilizing are thoroughly discussed and an encyclopedia of essential annuals provides the basics as well as plentiful color photographs. --Valerie EastonProduct Description: This is the only guide to annuals a gardener needs. It delivers professional growing hints for more than 70 essential annuals, design ideas for beds, borders and containers, and gardener-friendly advice on creating an inspiring home garden with individual style.
Publisher: Taunton (2002-01-09)
Price: $19.95

Many gardeners know of Impatiens walleriana, the species that lies behind the myriad colorful garden varieties that brighten up containers, window boxes, and shady spots throughout the world. The genus Impatiens is enormous, comprising over a thousand species—many of which, although highly desirable, remain lilttle known to Western gardeners.

Raymond Morgan first examines Impatiens through a botanical lens, describing their physiology, morphology, and seed dispersal mechanisms. He then recounts Victorian-era plant-hunting forays into the Himalayas and notes how modern-day expeditions, with due concern to conservation, continue to bring back species that will eventually find their way into nursery catalogs and gardens.

Perhaps most excitingly, the author describes over 200 species ranging from Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and the Himalayas to New Guinea. Along the way the reader is acquainted with remarkable species, including the giant African Impatiens tinctoria, which grows to 6 feet tall, and Tibet's ultramarine I. nanchabarwensis, which grows in the deepest canyon on earth.

The genus Impatiens contains a wealth of untapped treasures for gardeners. With wonderful photographs complementing the detailed plant descriptions, this book is essential reading for curious-minded gardeners keen to unearth this fascinating and largely unexplored genus.