Shrubs

Detailed and helpful information to grow shrubs in various climates and soils. It’s a staple for the beginning and intermediate gardener. It’s illustrated with beautiful photographs and contains excellent companion plant advice, written by a true expert. I know I will be referring to this book often. Happily, it looks great on a cocktail table too.

My review will post on my book review blog (www.bugbugbooks.com) on 1/24/19 and on Amazon on 1/22/19.

I was worried this book was going to be a little boring. I mean, who wants to read 300 pages about...shrubs. But Shrubs is actually an engaging read throughout. Author Andy McIndoe covers a lot of plants for different growing conditions, and he includes a lot of pics to make it all easy on the eyes.

The book is divided into four sections. Section 1 talks about optimal growing conditions and care for shrubs. Section 2 offers plant suggestions for challenging growing conditions (e.g., clay soil, acid soil, hot and dry environments, or harsh winters, etc.). Section 3 gives shrub choices for small spaces (e.g., pots and containers, small gardens, narrow beds and borders, slopes, etc.). Section 4 talks about shrubs with desirable characteristics (i.e., shrubs you would plant for drama, fast growth, long blooming life, fragrance, etc.).

Every plant in the book is presented with its name, identifying picture, expected size, and growing zone, and is accompanied by a blurb that talks about the color of the shrub, preferred growing conditions, and general growing advice. There is also a page at the end of each section that gives "other good [plants in this category]." Plant names are listed, but no pictures or further info is given.

Overall, I really loved reading Shrubs. The book flows well and makes sense. The pictures are beautiful and help break up the text. Most important, it has given me SO MANY good planting ideas. I will definitely be referencing this one come spring.

This is a gorgeous and informational two to three hour read. It can be enjoyed in several sittings to plan out your landscaping, or as reference book for looking up unknown shrubs around your property.

Andy McIndoe does an excellent job describing plants from a multitude of growing zones. I'm a US zone four gardener, but with the help of this book, I was able to learn all about plants hundreds of miles away in tropical zones such as zones eight and nine. I appreciate how thorough McIndoe is about soil conditions, foliage, flowers, and even companion plantings. Clearly the importance of a reference book such as this outlasts the limits of the internet to identify garden shrubs.

While reading this book, I identifited a plant that I've struggled to categorize for four years. There is a plant at my parent's garden whose flowers look like a foxglove, but the foliage is far too slim. However, I learned that the the penstemons (or beard tongue plant) is what they actually have. I'll admit it was awesome to figure that out with the help of this book!

Thanks to #NetGalley, I had an advanced PDF of this book to read and review.
*All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. *

#Shrubs #TimberPress

Excellent reference book for landscape design. The author identifies appropriate choices for a variety of challenges including soil types, weather conditions, sun/shade, small and container gardens, as well as shrubs offering a range of desired characteristics. Plants to attract birds and pollinators or to repel wildlife (deer, rabbits) are also highlighted. Excellent photography throughout. Care instructions are included for each shrub as well as suggested companion plants for every category. Highly recommended for public and horticulture libraries, as well as home gardeners and hobbyists.

This was an exceptional detailed book regarding shrubs. I especially liked the many beautiful photos which accompanied the texts. This allowed the reader to form a visual for their own landscaping adventures. Whether you have an abundance of open spaces, restricted planting spaces, steep slopes and banks, or any other imaginable place, you will find information to suit your needs…and then some.

This is a great reference book to have on hand for anyone interested in beautifying their surroundings, and along the way, helping the environment.

An excellent compendium of shrubs for every type of garden, soil, and climate. Includes care and growing instructions, location recommendations, and lots of full-color photos of varieties of shrubs.

When I hear the word “shrub”, connotations come to mind. As Andy McIndoe explains in Shrubs, most of us have the wrong idea of them and many more plants are shrubs than I realised. With a half page profile on each shrub, I came to understand the variety and value of shrubs to the garden. They are so versatile, long-standing and interesting!

Being in marketing, I found this a particularly interesting point: “In today’s sophisticated retail world, marketing is an important influence on the popularity of a shrub, especially when it is first introduced.”

In addition, there are wonderful planting partner suggestions, guidance on soil and all manner of interesting information. Despite being predominantly a reference book, I found it thoroughly enjoyable, a five out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale!

Absolutely lovely book that is very readable and laid out in a logical and friendly fashion. The pictures were crisp, clear, and beautiful. The text of the book flowed well and was easily understandable even for a beginner gardener such as myself. This book doubles both as pleasure reading and a reference book, especially with the extensive index. Recommended for anyone interested in what a shrub can do for your outdoor spaces.

With over 300 pages of information about shrubs, this is a substantial and informative book.
Firstly, we read about choosing and caring for shrubs, then the book is divided into 3 main areas and then sub-divided into sections within : Shrubs for Challenging Growing Conditions, Shrubs for Restricted Planting Space and Shrubs with Desirable Characteristic.
The information is well explained, with fabulous large pictures and each is labelled with its Latin name. The plants are not types that would hard to source and the conditions and growing attributes are explained.
I think this is a great book for a beginner garden as well as one who is experienced as there is a lot of information that is useful and relevant to all gardeners.

Shrubs by Andy McIndoe

The cover image and title grabbed my attention from the start. I don't know why shrubs never seem to be an exciting part of the garden. This book made me look at them in a whole new way. The introduction had excellent descriptions of zones and the factors affecting them including wind, slopes, and walls. As a long-time gardener, some of this was new information to me. The photography in the book is beautiful and each section is very detailed.

The plant recommendations included many common shrubs, but there were also some unusual choices as well. My favorite shrub is the Philadelphus Belle Etoile and it was actually mentioned in the book. (It is a mock orange with the most delightful odor I have ever experienced.)

A couple of detractors that I noticed were the recommendations of English Ivy and Butterfly Bushes (both invasive plants in my zone), the Solanium Crispum - nightshade had poisonous berries, but no warning was mentioned (a friend of mine lost some chickens to these berries), and occasionally a reference to a plant in a photo with many plants making it hard to determine the one being discussed.

Overall this was an excellent book that I will be purchasing to add to my garden book collection.

I received this ARC ebook from NetGalley and Timber Press and Workman Publishing for an unbiased review.

Has some good info. Was a little overwhelming for a novice but well-organized and explained and gorgeous pictures!

This is a fantastic reference for any would be or experienced gardener. Plus it is just beautiful to browse through. There are sections based on different conditions such as shade or type of soil, size of area and plant characteristics such as fragrant or flowering. There is a photo of each recommended plant along with a paragraph containing facts about the plant and the care required.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Great book. It provides detailed info on shrub placement throughout a variety of climates and garden locations. I thought it might be a little long-winded, who wants to read 300 pages about shrubs (spoiler alert. I totally do), but it keeps the reader interested. A useful resource for future gardening projects. Plus it has great pictures and cover. Would Work for a coffee table book. Definite recommend.

This book contains excellent illustrations that will make the gardener want to get outside and do some work to improve the view outdoors. I would recommend this book chiefly as a source of ideas for potential shrubs in the yard and beds, but the photography really is inspiring as well.

“Shrubs” seems to be the most comprehensive book that I have encountered on planting and caring for shrubs. The color photos were beautiful. The author provides wise advice for many different kinds of locations and the problems inherent in many of them. In addition, suggestions are included for partner plantings. I especially appreciated the section on planting in small gardens and in pots. Excellent reference book for any gardener desiring information on shrubs and their care, a good addition to a gardening library.

I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This book is full of wonderfully detailed descriptions. If you have an empty area in your landscaping, this book would definitely help you fill it.

Shrubs: Discover the Perfect Plant for Every Place in Your Garden by Andy McIndoe is currently scheduled for release on February 5 2019. This book gives home gardeners the information and advice to help them pick the right shrub for their yard. Shrubs can be the perfect plant; typically low-maintenance, with a variety for nearly every need, and widely available at garden centers and nurseries. This handy guide might make it easier than ever for gardeners to decide which shrubs to add to their space. The book includes shrubs challenging growing conditions, shrubs for restricted planting spaces, and shrubs chosen for their desirable characteristics, including hardiness in shade, difficult soil, and harsh conditions. Plant profiles include complete growing information, color photographs, and recommended companion plants.

Shrubs is a book I should have read years ago. I have areas of my property where I have had a terrible time keeping things thriving or even alive. Thanks to this resource I have a plan to revitalize the border near the street, and the shady area near my magnolia tree. The book is divided by the deciding factors of the area readers are looking to plant in. Each area type, such as shady and damp or drought prone, has description of each recommended shrub and some companion plants that readers might want to consider. The photographs and descriptions were very helpful, as were the details about potential size and hints to give your shrubs the best chance to thrive. I am still undecided as to what I want to plant in my trouble spots, but I have plenty of viable options now.

Shrubs is a well organized and valuable resource for gardeners and homeowners looking to use shrubs in their landscaping. I would recommend libraries and those that work in landscaping or garden related jobs pick it up, but the rest of us should borrow it from our local library as needed.

Very interesting and informative book. I found myself carrying it around to identify shrubbery around my home and neighborhood 😄

Informative and helpfully illustrated for the beginner or experienced gardener. The ideas for decorating with a generous variety of plants was very useful for gardeners of many levels of experience.