I'm not into books, more into google, you might find some at the local library to give you an idea.

Here's a website about some perennials-

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009020596_pacificplife12.html

Dan Hinkley who created Heronswood Nursery, since sold to Burpee, and collected plants from around the world, developed new cultivars, etc, has some photos of his property Windcliff on this website, click link-

http://www.northwesthort.org/windcliff.html

He gives lectures and writes books but I don't know if he is what you are interested in.

For some no-nonsense gardening info-

http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/

I like to browse paghat's pages, lots of info and photos-

Here is a link that might be useful: paghat

Thank you very much for the references, they look like a great start.

Specific reference books still have plenty to offer that the internet does not.

So pitch in and name a few. My bookshelves are full. If I want to look up a plant, Sunset's reference book usually has inadequate information. I used to read lots of gardening books, they would tell me to do stuff like double dig my garden, until I wised up and started feeding my beds from the top like it happens in nature and let the soil microbes, the earthworms, and even the moles and voles do the work for me.

If I have a question I get lots of hits on google. And here's a great site to look up nurseries to see what people think of them-

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Watchdog

If you are into flower gardening, you might want to consider Perennials: The Gardener's Reference by Susan Carter, Carrie Becker and Bob Lilly. The three authors are local Seattle residents and longtime members of the Northwest Perennial Alliance. Although the book was not written with a specific NW focus, it'll certainly address what can and can't be grown in this area and they tend to aproach gardening issues from an organic perspective. Since its recent publication, this book has become one of the definitive publications on gardening with perennials.

Ann Lovejoy is another local author of gardening books who focuses specifically on sustainable gardening.......I'd consider The Ann Lovejoy Handbook of Northwest Gardening: Natural - Sustainable - Organic or Ann Lovejoy's Organic Design School. And Seattle Tilth's Maritime Northwest Gardening Guide is a must-have for anyone growing edibles in this area and for any basic organic gardening advice.

And boom, here's a strongly held no-nonsense opinion in this very thread. ;) I had forgotten that Gardenweb can have more of those than a published book, and best of all, you just have to sit in and you can figure out who's got some sense and results to back up their ideas. :)

Thanks for the link, and I'll look forward to hanging out here as well as the other GW forums a lot more again. :)

Thanks so much for the reviews! Ann Lovejoy was one that I had my eye on and the perennial one sounds great too. I'm excited to read, re-read, and digest some good info while I try to be patient and wait for spring to really figure out what I've inherited with this garden, and where I want to take it. :)

The libraries around here are EXCELLENT. If you get an account in King or Pierce county, you can search for books online. Any library book in the system can be sent to your local library for pickup. You can review a lot of books yourself, get a lot of good information, and decide which ones are "must haves".

King and Pierce counties have a reciprocal lending program, so if you're in either of those counties you have even a larger selection.

The Washington Native Plant Society website has a lot of good information for gardening with natives.

I love Ann Lovejoy's The Year In Bloom, The Border In Bloom and The Garden In Bloom. While collections of essays, not garden guides they do offer tons of information and they are entertaining reads as well.

Thanks, Lucretia. I'm in Island County and haven't made it to my local branch yet but I am determined to do so this week. I do love libraries, and system-wide catalogs (especially with online holds!), and inter-library loan!

am i alone in not liking ann lovejoy so much?

i have that handbook of pacNW gardenging that is sort of standard issue. tepid prose. seems like 50% of the advice has something to do with adding alfalfa meal.

she also seems to cling to a couple notions that are largely disproven and a waste of time/money (compost tea jumps to mind).

Having worked with Ann Lovejoy for a year and 1/2 at Bainbridge Gardens, I like her pretty well as far as gardening advice goes, with a few exceptions such as the compost tea thing. As for her writing, she writes that way because so many people buy it. Her writing style doesn't do much for me either, but she actually does know a huge amount about plants which is more than I can say for a lot of garden book authors (and nursery managers).

How about that new Timber Press guide to Gardening in the Pacific Northwest or whatever it is. Worth a mention anyways, though I've only had a quick look at it myself.

One other book I can recommend, though it will probably be hard to find, is the Readers Digest Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants and Flowers. It's HUGE, detailed, and pretty accurate, and England-centric - so of course much of it applies to here although it's a little weak on Mediterranean/California plants that do well here. Anyways, I still think it's good enough to be worth hunting down. My copy is a bit out of date (1990 I think) - I'm not sure if a newer edition has been produced.

As for books containing information not available on the internet, true, but the opposite could also be said. Both are valuable sources of information in their own way.

As for books containing information not available on the internet, true, but the opposite could also be said. Both are valuable sources of information in their own way.

I agree. :) I've found that the way I learn and assimilate new information in a way that will *stick* is by reading a Respected, Opinionated Expert; reading a couple of other books on the same subject to cross-reference; and also finding an internet forum dealing with the subject. Then, of course, comes the learning by doing! :) In the end, if I care about the topic enough to pore over references in all these ways, it's a sure thing that I will learn a lot and have fun in the process.

No one has mentioned the Center for Urban Horiculture
They have just about every book there is on plants and gardening. You can call or email with questions if you live out of the Seattle metro area.

For pruning, I love Cass Turnball's books, fun and informative reading.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://depts.washington.edu/urbhort/html/info/contact.html

How about that new Timber Press guide to Gardening in the Pacific Northwest or whatever it is. Worth a mention anyways, though I've only had a quick look at it myself.

That is the correct title. I'm reading it right now, got it at the library, can't comment yet. Not particularly impressed so far.

I have a Reader's Digest book that I just LOVE which is A Garden For All Seasons.

Here is a link that might be useful: A Garden For All Seasons

>am i alone in not liking ann lovejoy so much?No.

>she also seems to cling to a couple notions that are largely disproven and a waste of time/moneyWe have a set of horticultural talking heads in this region that I call The 85 Percentile, because much or most of what they spout is true but there is also always a big, consistent, lingering chunk that is not.

>As for her writing, she writes that way because so many people buy itWriting like Reginald Farrer is what got her noticed.

>Not particularly impressed so farYes, it's rather lousy.

Gobbling up all the references on a topic you are investigating is the best way to get the true picture. Trying to go to a guru and get the whole story from this one source is not likely to get the best results, except when this single trusted reference happens to be right on that one topic.

Gobbling up all the references on a topic you are investigating is the best way to get the true picture. Trying to go to a guru and get the whole story from this one source is not likely to get the best results, except when this single trusted reference happens to be right on that one topic.

I couldn't agree more. :) This is why I love the library! One book can take me to another book can take me to ten more. I find though, that the best jumping off point is a book with an author who has a voice of their own. I can question someone's opinion and find other sources to agree with or contradict it. I find it tougher when a book tries to be the faceless Truth. It's harder, somehow, to disagree with, and therefore harder to learn from.

Couldn't agree more on loving the library! I love to check out a stack of gardening books and skim thru them. Usually you can get at least a nugget or 2 of good information, and if there are any that are particularly wonderful, you can invest in a copy of your own. (One of my best finds so far has been Whitson's "Weeds of the West". I think just about everything in there is growing in my backyard. ;-) )

Somehow I've missed Ann Lovejoy. Doesn't sound like my cup of tea, but I might have to check a copy out anyway. The more I read, the more I find out I don't know.

I don't think she is "the" expert to top all experts but I love reading her books of essays for fun and her knowledge of plants feeds my inner plant collector. She combines colors and textures really nicely too.

We have a set of horticultural talking heads in this region that I call The 85 Percentile, because much or most of what they spout is true but there is also always a big, consistent, lingering chunk that is not.

I'd expand the scope of that observation to include most horticultural authors/authorities, not just the locals. And that includes most of the big names in the business. One of the few horticultural speakers/writers I've encountered that really seems to know his stuff is Colston Burrell.