"landscape plants for western regions" by bob perry is expensive but extremely well-illustrated with great info on plants for med-type climates of california. "landscape plants for dry regions" by warren jones and charles sacamano has generally good pictures (some are surprisingly blurry) and lots of info including some on s.a. plants with an emphasis on plants that do well in great heat and drought (desert-type climates but also works well for med. type regions). there is a "mediterranean plant society with a presence on the web including resources for the med. garden (including s.a. stuff, i believe) and its own discussion board. silverhill seeds also has a book service which could be checked into. ortho books published "all about bulbs" a number of years ago and it had a surprisingly large selection of s.a. bulbs that it came good info on. the current edition of "the sunset western garden book" has lots of good info and it tries to focus on what is available in the trade so if you find it there there is at least a chance that you will really be able to find the plant somewhere you are reading about. "the looking-glass garden" (see the discussion on sunset garden zones for s.a. plants for the author's name) has discussions about suggested plant associations incorporating s.a. plants in a med. context.

A beautifully illustrated book if 'The Color Encyclopedia of Cape Bulbs' by Peter Goldblatt et al. It list a lot of bulbs (like duh!) but it does give a lot of important info.
As far as other books, there are quite a few if you go to the Timber Press web site and take a look: http://www.timberpress.com/books/quicksearch.cfm
There is one on Ericas and Wildflowers.
Also a great reference is the Kirstenbosch web site. They list a lot of cultural info and more.

John Ingram

Here is a link that might be useful: The Color Encyclopedia of Cape Bulbs

Thanx for the suggestions. John your books sounds abousolutely devine! Can't wait to get it.

joyceb

Hi

Some SA books are "Water-wise gardening with indigenous plants" by Ernst Van Jaarsveld. This wonderful book covers indigenous gardening by region in South Africa, with species lists. The Fynbos region will be useful. Also "Creative Gardening with Indigenous Plants" by Pitta Joffe, although this deals more with the cultivation of indigenous plants and not landscaping. You can get these books at www.nbi.ac.za, go to the publications section.

Thanx for your suggestions cjhin. My grden is growing little by little with help from my gardenweb friends . . .