Western Garden Book

by Sunset Books, Kathleen Norris Brenzel (Editor)

Gardeners throughout the region will be welcoming a thoroughly updated and fresh-looking 8th edition of the "bible of Western gardening." With a new, easy-to-read design, more plant photography, larger illustrations, and more than 8,000 plant listings--500 of them new--it's THE essential book for gardeners in the Western states. What plants to grow, how to nurture them, and where they do the very best--it's all here. You'll also find updated information on the Western climate zones, 30 Plant Selection Guides, plus a Practical Guide to Gardening with basic advice on plant care and essential gardening techniques. New plant lists reflect current trends, such as Mediterranean gardening and easy-care plants for beginners. For more than 70 years, Sunset has been the source for no-nonsense gardening advice, easy-to-follow diagrams, and encyclopedic knowledge of plant varieties. In this edition, we introduce an exciting new feature: gardening tips from well-known plant experts throughout the West. The Western Garden Book has never been better! Features: 8th Edition of this perennial bestseller More than 8,000 plant listings, 500 new, keyed to climate zones 30 Plant Selection Guides to find the perfect plant for every situation Special contributions from 40 eminent Western garden experts Introduction by Sunset garden editor Kathleen N. Brenzel, with a photographic tour of gardens that are truly the `Best of the West' gardens

Genres: Gardening, Reference, Nonfiction, Plants, Horticulture, Nature, How To

768 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 1986

Reviews

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely useful reference guide. I live in the Sunset, in San Francisco, and have found some of the reviews of plants that I could grow elsewhere to be of great value when selecting a variety that will do better here. Recommended to anyone in the western US (including Alaska and Hawaii).

[Pam Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never make a new plant purchase without consulting this book first.

[lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

2010 Grammy Val passed on to me

[Jeremy C. Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource! I really like how thorough it is the especially useful Plant Selection Guide it has. I really like how it breaks down it's guide into the chosen categories it lists. I think it's a great resource for planning a flower garden and I was excited to find some really cool local plants that I'd like to start growing! My only complaint is that while it's actually a really big and colorful book with great photographs of the plants, for me it left something to be desired in the encyclopedia section where it has occasional photos but more frequently just small watercolor drawings. So to get a real good idea of what the plant looks like I'll just have to go to the internet because a water color doesn't help me all that much. I'm sure photographs of all 8000 plants would have been cost prohibitive and so it's better than nothing, but again to me my favorite part was the Plant Selection Guide.

Here's how the plant selection guide was divided.

Color
-Perennials
-Bulbs & Bulblike Plants
-Annuals
-Colored Foliage
-Fall Color
Basic Landscaping
-Trees
-Shrubs
-Hedges & Screens
-Vines
-Ground Covers
-Palms & Cycads
-Succulents & Cacti
-Orchids & Bromeliads
-Ornamental Grasses & Grasslike Plants
-Ferns
-Western Natives
Special Situations
-Plants that attract Butterflies
-Plants that attract Birds
-Trees & Shrubs for Containers
-Plants for Tropical Effects
-Plants for Dry Areas
-Plants for Shade
-Moisture-loving Plants
-Rock Garden Gems
-Dwarf Conifers
Problem Solvers
-Deer-resistant Plants
-Wind-resistant Plants
-Plants for Seacoast Gardens
-Pants for Swimming Pools
-Small-space Solutions

[Molly Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this book since I bought my first house out of foreclosure back in the early 1990's. In an effort to save maintenance costs, the bank had turned the water off over the summer, so the only thing left alive in the yard were the beautiful well-established trees. This book was highly recommended by other homeowners, so I picked it up and it did not leave my side while I was re-landscaping the yard. I even took it out to the yard and to the local nurseries with me to make sure I made educated decisions about the plants I was buying.

Shortly after I bought my second fixer upper, I noticed that Home Depot was offering a new edition of the book and it came with a plastic Flex Cover! Such a great idea -- I bought it without hesitation, and have not been disappointed.

p.s. I won't be listing a "finished" date for this book, since it's the type of book that gets continued use.

[Gang Chen, Author of "Planting Design Illustrated" · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is it!

Most of the existing books on landscaping can be put into one of the three categories:

a. Coffee table books with pretty photos.
b. Encyclopedia of plants.
c. Horticulture books.

Only a few of the books on landscaping actually discuss design.

"Sunset Western Garden Book" is the best book for plant selection, a very important aspect of Planting Design. I have used it for many, many years. Every landscape architect that I know owns a copy of this book. Each new edition is getting better and better.

"Sunset Western Garden Book" is one of the best encyclopedia and is the "Bible" of Western Gardening. As the author of "Planting Design Illustrated," I would not hesitate to recommend this book to garden lovers.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference book for specific plants. Definitely check with your UC Extension office for specifics and more detailed information on what does / doesn't work for your area. Wish the index in the back or list of plants grouped by category was more user-friendly. The index is only helpful if you know the scientific name of the plant, while the index you must resort to looking through categories like "Small deciduous patio trees" for what you are looking for specifically (not the best if you are trying to locate a specific plant and don't know what category it fits into. General gardening helps / practices in the back of the book. Many illustrations through the text depicting various features to the plants. A very useful resource for any gardener in the West.

[Diane Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how I would have planted my gardens in western Washington without this book. It's like a bible for gardeners! The book has both botanical names and common names listed, so you can always find what you need. If you don't know the name at all, there are many photos and drawings, so you can often find what you need by visual reference. Plus I like the beginning of the book where planting suggestions are made for specific concerns, such as deer resistant plantings, plants for sun, shade, windswept areas, etc. They update this book every couple of years and it is worth buying, if you want to know the latest varieties of plants and newest gardening information.

[Joseph Burk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and essential resource for all gardeners in the West from the Rainy Pacific Northwest to the Arid Southwest! I constantly use this book for information on a particular species of plants. The best part of course are the climate zones that are very helpful in choosing appropriate plants for ones garden. For example I live in zone 15 that is 85% influenced by Ocean Air. Fuchsias that hate low humidity thrive here more than in a zone 9 garden that is dominated by inland air. However, Fuchsias actually do best on the cool, foggy, drizzly coastal areas of California which is in zone 17.

[DumDum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best garden book ever! My edition is over twenty years old, still very good but need the latest just because it includes hundreds of new plants and more environmentally friendly practices. I've tried to use other plant references but have not found one to be so inclusive of plants specific to the North West.

Trust this review. I was the Oregon State FFA Champion in Ornamental Horticulture in 1981. This is the basis for my entire life. Aren't I the greatest?

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most helpful and easy-to-use book on western flora I've seen. We got this when we were planning the xeriscaping of our front yard, and it was very helpful in choosing plants suitable to the conditions here. Lots of pictures, lots of data about conditions in many parts of the country and which plants do best in which kinds of places.

If you're considering any gardening or landscaping projects, take a look at this book. It will be time well spent.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up as a resource for growing a garden. I do not even live in the region that the book was directed towards, and I have found so many very helpful gardening tips as well as an awesome resource for deciding which types of plants to grow. It has a very good description of plants and the specific care that they need. I recommend it to anyone who needs a good resource for gardening.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this at the Monday sale (like a big garage sale!) and was so glad. In the store they are around forty dollars. I use it all the time for any kind of plant I'm either looking for or having trouble maintaining. Also shows a lot of climate tolerant plants. Has anything from trees, to flowers, foliage, ground cover. What attracts birds, or butterflies. Or what deters deer, rabbit, other wildlife. My book is bookmarked all over with my favorite sections!!

[Malbadeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My gardening consists mainly of buying whatever is bloomming at farmers market at the time, smashing it in (or letting slowly die in the pot) wherever their is a spot and seeing what happens - that being said. I LOVE this book. I refer to it frequently and wish I were the organized thoughtful gardener that knew how to utilize it properly.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunset always makes me feel so special about living on the west coast. I don't know why, but this book sort of makes me believe that plants simply don't exist east of the rockies. Or, if there are plants there, they exist purely by accident because clearly no one over there knows anything about gardens.

[Tracy Shew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't the actual edition - the one I have is from 1960s. Huge amount of data on edibles & ornamentals. Lists every conceivable plant you could grow from here to S. California, and gives horticulture of each. However, leaves a lot to be desired in the "what is that plant" department, since the drawings of plants are small and unclear.

[Renee Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been a great reference for my modern homestead for many years. I am always surprised at how many unusual edibles they cover in the book as well. One summer I spent months just combing my way from cover to cover to learn more about plants. This is a great general audience guide to plant care, from ornamentals to edibles.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living out in the desert, it's important to plant things that are appropriate to the area. It's a great little (OK, not so little) guide to planting. This is the most frequently used book in the house next to the dictionary and thesaurus.

[Katy Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best reference book on western US gardens, gardening, and plants. Easy to use and understand. The reader must have some idea of the name of the plant in order to look it up. The first book for your gardening shelf.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I have had it for a couple of seasons now (in hardbook) and I love referring to it. It's great to be able to see a plant in the book, know I have seen it before, and identify it. Plus, it makes me feel smart to know the names of a lot of plants! :)

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you live west of the Mississippi there is no substitute for this book. Everything you need to know about plants and more. If I can still remember the Latin for Ash trees (fraxinus) you know it must be good.

[Mimielle LaFauve · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my main Plant Bibles, but my best gardening tip=do not rely on any of the USDA climate zones in the west, get your local Co. Extension Agent/Cert. Master Gardener to give you a local frost map, it really helps:P

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

In some parts of the west this may be a great gardening book but here in the Pacific NW, it is not. This one is going to the Goodwill today.

The Seattle tilth Guide for maritime gardening is waaaaay better!!

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for reading about the pros and cons of plants in our area. Thanks, Pat, for recommending it. A little difficult to navigate if you don't know all the scientific names for the plants you want to look up. Also, gets a little heavy when carrying it around the nurseries... :).

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me feel like I had all the tools to garden. Of course, me being myself, my garden promptly died, but at least I finally knew that my plants die because they hate me, not because I am mistreating them.

[Julie Compton · Rating 4 out of 5]

a staple for figuring out how you're killing your favorite plants.

[Byrd Alyssa]

My first landscape gig is in early stages- this is an informative tool for everyone gardening in the Western U.S. An updated version is on the wish list!

[Heather's Mum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mine - same cover, earlier publish date of 1975

ok b&w illustrations, but gobs of info, so worth a look.

[Cadillacrazy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really there's not too many ways to improve on this book. A must for any California (or Arizona, Washintgton, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico, Idaho or Colorado...)gardener

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference manual to own. I definitely prefer this edition to the new one.