Books available at the library

Today, the majority of nurseries in business to do mail-order have websites with up-to-date inventory. But before the Web became common in most households and libraries serious plant hunters used books to find the plants they couldn't live without. Consider the following list of recommended books as resources for research, if a bit outdated.

Plant Locator Western Region, 2004 is the latest entry in the growing ranks of plant finding aids. Published by Black-Eyed Susans Press and Timber Press of Portland, Oregon. Plant Locator includes 50,000 plant listings from 320 nurseries in the western United States. Nurseries from Oregon are especially well represented. The authors paid particularly close attention to questions of nomenclature confusion. The nursery index at the end of the plant listing has some nice touches, including a brief description of each nursery's specialty and a website address if available. The book's web site includes information on ordering the book, updates to the newest edition, and numerous links to Northwest nurseries, plant societies and horticultural education sites.
http://www.blackeyedsusanspress.com/

Now in its ninth edition, Northwest Gardener's Resource Directory, 2001 has become something of a necessity in gardening households throughout the Northwest. Its chapter on Northwest nurseries is of primary interest here. The narrative profiles of Washington and Oregon nurseries are a combination of history, personal knowledge, and practical information. The colorful writing gives the reader a sense for the character of the nurseries described. Gardeners not necessarily looking for a particular genus or species but still having a fairly good idea as to what they want (e.g. aquatic plants, trees, roses, etc.) will prefer the approach of a list such as this.

Cornucopia II and Garden Seed Inventory are two books vegetable gardeners won't want to miss. Cornucopia II is a directory of sources for over three thousand varieties of plants grown as food crops. Sources listed are worldwide and the scope of this amazing directory is comprehensive. Small-scale and alternative farmers, cooks and gourmet food aficionados, and adventurous vegetable gardeners will appreciate this resource. For gardeners who get a sense of satisfaction in growing plants exclusively from seed, then look for the Garden Seed Inventory, published by Seed Savers Exchange, now in its fifth edition. This catalog provides access to every non-hybrid vegetable variety available through mail-order seed companies in the U.S. and Canada.

Fruit enthusiasts will want to check out Fruit, Berry and Nut Inventory another guide published by the Seed Savers Exchange, now in its third edition. Not only does this book list sources for thousands of fruit and nut varieties, but it also gives a description of the fruit, often including plant habit and size, pollination needs, ripening time and hardiness zones. Some entries also include a bit of historic information like who developed the fruit or the parent plants of a hybrid.
http://www.seedsavers.org

Gardeners willing to jump through a few hoops to import plants will want to use The Seed Search and the RHS Plant Finder. The Seed Search, in its fifth edition, lists 40,000 plants available from seeds, including over 9,000 vegetables from around the world. Most nurseries are located in Great Britain, but also include the US, Brazil, Australia, South Africa and others. The RHS Plant Finder, now in its sixteenth edition, is the standard bearer of the plant source genre published by the Royal Horticultural Society. Considered an authority for nomenclature, the Plant Finder also relates additional information such as if a plant won an award, has doubled flowers or which classification the plant belongs to within its type (e.g. a damask rose is designated with a "D"). This book is useful simply for its reference value, even if you don't plan to start importing. It's also free available online.
http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder.asp

To research how to import plants go to USDA APHIS web site to read the regulations and restrictions and download permit PPQ form 587, and then call 206-878-6600 for additional guidance from a live person.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits/index.html

 

	Next: The End
Back	Topics	Next

Last modified:
Thursday, 10-Apr-2008 14:16:49 PDT