Plantiful

December 2, 2013
The fascination of Green’s first book is the sense that it brings into order a chaotic landscape half-seen but never attended to. Consider the tall Verbena bonariensis with its seemingly fragile, slender, 3–5–ft. stalks, the delicate bundles of purple blossoms that crown them, the butterflies they attract. This book prompts appreciation of the plant, and imparts knowledge of how to control (“edit”) it. Plants that are self-starters tend to show up in gardens, highway medians, and all manner of other locales. Self-seeders come back again and again, which can be wonderful and terrible. The challenge for the gardener is keeping them in check. This book—generous with color photographs and helpful tips and tools—lends the right eye and the technical expertise to that end. The book equips the gardener to understand what, in her garden, she is looking at, and then, understanding, she can organize and tame it and see it again, as if for the very first time.

February 15, 2014

Green (interpretive horticulturist, Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum) wants readers to overcome anxiety about fast-spreading plants so they can creatively take advantage of them to save time and money. She encourages the opportunistic use of 50 self-sowers, 50 spreaders, and 50 tender plants that can extend the season or successfully winter over, but she wisely tempers her enthusiasm for such plants with appropriate cautions about invasive species and implores people to engage with their plants and gardens conscientiously. While she recommends self-sowers, Green empowers the gardener to "edit" them as necessary to create more pleasing combinations. Further, she teaches seed saving and propagation methods so gardeners can feel in control. Beginners will benefit from tips such as creating a photo directory of seedlings for future reference. Green is also a skilled photographer: her book is more beautifully illustrated than Sue Fisher's Fast Plants (although Fisher's includes specific notes on controlling growth for recommended plants). VERDICT Gardeners who enjoy a bargain will want Green's book to begin cashing in on nature's generosity.--Bonnie Poquette, Milwaukee

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2013
Ah, the agony of the impatient gardener. The old adage, first year they sleep, second year they creep, frustrates those who can't wait for the third year before seeing their plants leaping in botanical euphoria. For those who want success and want it now, Green embraces those plants known as self-sowers, perennials and annuals that quite happily bloom where they're planted and then move on to areas where they weren't. Filling in garden gaps with volunteer plants is not only a cost-effective way of maximizing one's garden budget. It also allows for surprising serendipity as new plant combinations brighten and enliven existing designs. But lest one think this willy-nilly approach is a love 'em and leave 'em proposition, Green cautions that there is a fine line between exuberance and invasiveness and encourages a judicious application of editorial control in weeding out any interlopers. Gorgeous photographs illustrate cunning design suggestions, while concise plant profiles give snapshots of VIP volunteers. Basic cultural techniques, handy references, and helpful resources augment this guide to enthusiastic gardening.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)