The Homeowner's Complete Tree & Shrub Handbook

by O'Sullivan, Penelope

• ISBN13: 9781580175708
• ISBN10: 1580175708
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-10-31
• Publisher: Storey Books

Summary

Trees and Shrubs bring permanence and structure to home landscapes, adding character and beauty to the entire property. They can impart an immediate sense of georgraphy; act as background staging for flower gardens, outdoor living spaces, and children's play areas; and provide cool shandows and privacy from neighbors and passers-by. Essential to every beautiful yard, they sometimes do not get the attention that flowers and lawns traditionally receive.Penelope O'Sullivan gives trees and shrubs the respect they deserve in her lively, comprehensive book, "The Homeowner's Complete Tree and Shrub Handbook". Woody plants, she maintains, can be the heart and soul of the home landscape plan. Their contribution to the yard might include a springtime canopy of blossoms; colourful, delicious summer fruit; a regal year-round silhouette; rough and rugged bark; or seasonally changing foliage. Their presence is a soothing anchor in the ever-changing environment of a typical yard.In three sections--design, care, and plant profiles--this handbook covers every essential consideration of choosing and maintaining trees and shrubs. After an introduction to the principles of garden design, O'Sullivan guides readers through tree and shrub selection, with special considerations for owner expectations and growing conditions.The heart of the book is the extensive encyclopedia of hundreds of tree and shrub ortraits. Each profil covers ease of cultivation, availability, history, hardiness, size, growth rate, and special characteristics. O'Sullivan also includes warnings about plants not to grow, such as invasives and disease-prone trees and shrubs.The final section covers care and maintenance, with thorough advice on buying and planting; siting; pruning; fertilizing; and coping with diseases, pests, and environmental problems.Adding trees and shrubs to a home landscape can be an expensive proposition. To make their purchses and protect their investment, homeowners will constantly refer to this book for O'Sullivan's wise advice.

Author Biography

Penelope O’Sullivan is the author of numerous gardening books and contributor to many magazines, including Country Gardens, Country Home, Traditional Home, and several Better Homes and Gardens special interest publications. She has a garden design business in New Hampshire.

Karen Bussolini is a garden photographer, writer, speaker and an eco-friendly garden coach. A lifelong hands-on organic gardener and lover of nature, she has been contributing articles and photographs informed both by her fine arts background and her immersion in ecological landscaping and native plants, for more than 30 years. Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Garden Design, House Beautiful, The American Gardener, Wildflower, and in hundreds of books. Her six books (as sole photographer) include Storey Publishing’s The Homeowner’s Complete Tree and Shrub Handbook, authored by Penelope O’Sullivan, The Naturescaping Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide for Bringing Nature to Your Backyard, and Elegant Silvers, (which she co-authored), both published by Timber Press. Karen’s slide talks and workshops engage, inform and inspire audiences in venues across the nation. Closer to home, she gardens on a deer-infested mountainside in South Kent, CT. She puts her NOFA Organic Land Care Professional accreditation to work in her eco-friendly garden coaching practice, teaching homeowners sustainable garden practices and creating healthy yards that are resilient, full of life, diversity and delight. Find her online at karenbussolini.com.