Plants and Trees Books

Nice pictures, and descriptions of many Maples. It may be lacking installation and propagation details. There are many good descriptions and may be adequate for most novices, they show the differences in the cultivars of a good sampling of maples, including the Hybridized, Japanese,Korean and Chinese maples. I have enjoyed the book yet there is much room for improvement,but that book would cost seventy to one hundred dollar plus. You get what you pay for most of the time and you do get what you for here as well. One book can not cover the topic in all its fascists, there are to many different point of view, qualifications, biases and specific interest all play a key roll in the author's compilation of the book and can she/he write and can she plant a tree with success or is she just faking us out and spiting out a book on contract .

This book is a must for anyone with a thirst for deeper knowledge of trees. James Harris' book describes the botany and world distribution of the massive genus Acer clearly and concisely. For identification of individual sub-species, the photographs and line drawings show amazing detail of bark, seed and leaf. The section, A-Z of species, deals with each Acer in sufficient and useful detail. Not only is the book an excellent reference for botanists/arborists, but also for the keen gardener, as the sections on cultivation and planting are highly informative. Personally, as a Bonsai enthusiast, I have found the book invaluable in researching a particular species of tree.

Of the maple books I have seen and viewed, this has been the cheapest and the most informational for its size. The book contains information, not only on Acer palmatum, but on all trees of this genus. It provides lots of good and useful general information on the care, propagation, and classification. It provides many pages of color photos of the many maples that are described in detail in the book. For me, this book helped me decide exactly which maple tree was to my taste and perfect for my gardern. So interested in maples? Get this book!

I have not read this entire book, but perused enough to have concerns - beginning with the cover. The flower pictured is Nigella damascena and it is NOT a North American native. Many people are confused about Wildflowers/Natives. They are not interchangeable words. Although the author does not use the term "native" in his title I see that other people reviewing this book are - adding to the confusion. Just my thoughts :)

By far the best advice about growing wild trees, shrubs and flowers native to the eastern United States. For anyone who wants to naturalize woodland borders or ponds, streamsides and meadows, or who simply wants to grow beautiful native plants that are available from specialty nurseries but not often found in neighborhood garden centers. The description of wild, fragrant native azaleas is unsurpassed. Because Hal Bruce's personal experience was in gardens of the Mid-Atlantic states, his understanding of plants and habitats is particularly useful for gardeners in the Atlantic coastal plain.

First point: This is a reprint of an excellent, early book (originally published in 1976) that should be read by all lovers of wild plants (in the field and in the garden). Second point: The title is somewhat misleading. This is NOT a primer on how to collect, propogate, cultivate and design with native plants in the garden. While it is filled with interesting and useful information on the plants it describes, those looking for pictorial, step-by-step, truly "how-to" information should consult other reference books. It also focuses on plants found in the mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S., so readers in other areas may find even less useful information for their own gardens.

All hint of misleading titles aside, however, this is a great book to read for one man's perspective on environmental destruction and salvation. Written by Mr. Bruce during a transition period in our environmentalist evolution - between the ecology/flower child movements of the 1960s and early 70s (remember the closed, green "E"?) and the rise of the prairie restoration, Nature Conservancy, rainforest protection, and other highly-organized, politically-correct movements of the 1980s and 90s - it is a plea for people to open their eyes to the beauty and potential loss of the environments that surround them. Using the changing seasons as his backdrop, Mr. Bruce takes us with him on a year-long, three-times-per-week, 90-mile commute through the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia countryside that he refers to as "Delmarva". He tells us about the flora and fauna he sees on these drives, and then goes into great description of their attributes, their relationship to the environment, and the history of their development and distribution. He then shares idea for how these plant materials can not only be preserved from destruction, but how they can be best used in our own gardens, large and small.

Throughout, the author writes with a passionate, personal, engaging perspective on these plants and the people that protect them, never hesitating to criticize plant features he dislikes, but glowing in praise of their attributes and value. It is an enjoyable read, a four-season visit to a beautiful place, with an excellent traveling companion.

I've had this book for about 10 years and I've enjoyed using it during that time. The positives are that it has a lot of the trees of the Northeast, many illustrations (b/w line drawings), keys to genus and species for some groups and species accounts arranged taxonomically- also it's pretty cheap! You can identify trees either using the key or trying by leave illustrations. The negatives are that I think it was last revised in the 1950's so it's probably not the most up to date, the keys can be pretty technical and many traits are not illustrated, there are quirky things like leaves are always abreviated lvs. and a superscript 0 by a species name means it's a shrub and a 00 means it's a vine.
Overall, I really like this book, but you should expect something pretty technical and it would help if you've had a botany/field ID'ing class before.

All black & white with detailed written descriptions.
Needed color and clearer photos or drawings.

Graves' book is authoritative, comprehsive and clear. It includes virtually all the trees and shrubs you are likely to encounter in the area. The outstanding illustrations are a major resource in themselves; combined with the winter and summer keys and the descriptions of each plant this is the only tree and shrub book you will need.

This book about the plants that you can use in your gardens. If you are a landscape architect or a student you can need this book in your whole occipation life. This book is about the trees and shrubs.

This book is a true encyclopedia of Evergreen Trees and Shrubs. Unfortunately, it has very little information on gardening or transplanting Evergreen Trees, although "Successfull Gardening" is part of the book title. Additionally it makes no mention of the Pine trees most common in the Rocky Mountain region, the Lodgepole Pine, and no mention of the costly pest, the Pine Beetle, which are two of the reasons I purchased this book.

I have recently purchased the aforementioned book, and have found it to be extremely informative. I am a new homeowner, the lot of the home that I purchased 1 1/2 years ago was completely barren, and I wanted to make it beautiful! I wanted year-round color, especially in my backyard, and this book provided me with many ideas for plant material that would accomplish this goal. In addition to beautiful photographs, there was additional information provided, such as plant maturity height, spread, best soil types, etc. This book will be a wonderful resource for years to come!

This book is an essential reference for anyone from Ohio or nearby states with interests in botany, horticulture, or ecology. The descriptions of the plant species and the line drawings are exceptionally clear. The range maps by county are also very useful. As a nurseryman and native plant enthusiast I would suggest this book to anyone with interest in the topic.

This is an amazing wealth of information crammed into a small book, and speaks to the deep knowledge Braun had of Ohio plants and trees. While this is not a 6th grade tree book, with some basic studying of plant systemics it will be much more useful to the average user.

I used this for extensive tree ID and forest monitoring for several years and have nearly worn the lettering of the cover it got so much use. While it's not quite a fit in your back pocket hiking book, it is a definite must for any serious outdoor/forest lover in Ohio and the Appalachians.

I was disappointed in the quality of this book compared to other books on the market.
The book is not in color and the layout is very difficult to use. The drawings don't contain the common names of the plants. It is not intended for a novice. If you are not a tree expert, and want to identify tress, I would recommend these tree books instead. "Garden Trees" by Richard Rosenfeld, "Trees of North America" by Roger Phillips, and the Smithsonian Handbook "Trees" by Allen J. Coombes.

From the moment you turn back the cover of this eloquent plea for action your understanding begins to grow. Pictures. Pictures. Smokestacks. Skeletal trees. Power lines. Dying forests. And then the text: essays concerning the history, sociology, ecology and above all the beauty of our Eastern mountain forests. Each step of the way Jenny Hager's practiced vision illuminates the argument: this is the priceless landscape we are losing -- this is the cause. Some years ago I engaged in a brief scurmish with a scientist of the Doubting Thomas sort, who demanded equal radio time to shoot down my assertions about the pollution triggered plague which is overwhelming our mountain eco-system. "No proven mechanism," he told the audience. "Each tree specie is dying of independent causes. Just coincidence ...." Right. The utterly damning evidence is collected in this volume with a carefully compiled bibliography to bolster the claims. Anyone who can pass through this book and remain sanguine about forest health and dirty air is either brain- dead or in the employ of the polluting industries. (As was the "scientist" who took me to task. I later learned he was a hireling of the TVA.) A heartrending plea for action, one can only hope that AN APPALACHIAN TRAGEDY will help move a large enough segment of our population to demand meaningful pollution control before the Eastern forests are completely converted into memory and myth.

Photographers: note the photos, and the stark parallel images of trees versus factory stacks. They make the point of the entire book in dramatic thought-provoking images that make you want to go out and stop every smoke-producer in the world.

This delightful, chatty guide combines descriptive information with discussions of habitat, history, uses, insects, etc. Eastman makes it a point to indicate alien vs. native status of plants, but is interested in all the plants he discusses and fairly nonpartisan. The book also has an attractive design and typographic style. Like Weeds of the Northeast (Comstock Books), the emphasis is neither on flowers nor on being comprehensive, but on plants of all types that are most commonly encountered, in the "disturbed" areas of human settlement.
A great adjunct to standard field guides and a great walking companion.

This book contains over 300 pages of info regarding a very large selection of field and roadside plants.You don't have to be a botanist,so to speak, but some plant knowledge will make it more enjoyable to read and use as a reference book.

I love trees. I enjoy the company of trees, and many of them are old friends that I see on my daily walk. Reading Champion Trees gives me an appreciation for what my tame neighborhood specimen could become. I like to imagine that the 90-foot hemlock just south of our house could one day grow to over 300 feet tall, changing local weather patterns and causing small aircraft to adjust their flight plans.

At the same time, because I do love trees, I really wish people would leave them alone. This collection of record setters is an adequate sampling, and we don't really need to know if there is a tree a couple of feet taller. The book encourages the reader to measure trees and submit a report of possible new champions. I don't think the information would be worth the impact of more attention. Van Pelt even tells of trees that have suffered and died because of the increased attention and traffic generated by their champion status. This book is an excellent and sufficient record of majestic trees--now let's call it good and leave the trees alone. I sincerely hope there is never a revised edition of this book.

A must for anyone who likes trees. I know the author and this is his fourth book on this subject. The pictures are good and informative. The text makes the subject very approachable to anyone who likes trees. It describes how anyone can measure and submit giant trees to various national and local registries. Very interesting!

I guess I shouldve realized, plants that grow wild in the city are going to be weeds. All but one of the plants listed in this book are generally considered weeds and are pulled in my yard and everyone elses yard that I know. I was hoping for more of a wildflower focus, but, weeds are technically wildflowers, these were more common than I expected. Informative, chapters a little short. I am keeping it mostly because I am too lazy to return it.

I never could have imagined the herbal abundance that grows between the cracks of the city sidewalks and in vacant lots! This book details the folknames, locations, historical uses, lore, legends, and uses of 34 plants commonly found in the city. I read this book like a novel, from cover to cover, and would recommend it to anyone interested our green friends!

This is an excellent guide to selecting and planting trees and shrubs. It tells you the required climate and soil conditions, which trees and shrubs will grow in your area. It has a very detailed guide to pruning also. There are also some good suggestions for planning and designing your yard. I like how it refers to plants by the common names as well as the latin names; it makes it a lot easier to find what you're looking for. I'm no expert, but it seems pretty complete. It certainly covers all the trees and shrubs available at my local nurseries.

This is not quite what I had hoped for in a guide to identifying different types of trees and shrubs, but it is still a useful reference. I find that the term "complete" is somewhat overstating the content of this publication.