Michael Dirr is the guy you go to to identify and even diagnose woody plants. No color plates but fine line drawings. Anecdotal in nature sometimes, and with sharp delineation of properties of each tree or shrub. He has this book also broken up in two different versions, (plants of the northern and southern regions) with color plates, but this is without photographs. Dirr is the authority on all things woody.
"Woodies" bible:
Excellent resource/reference for "woodies" - I'll be using it for numerous college landscape courses & keep it for a working reference; would have liked outlines of tree/shrub shape; very good leaf drawings.
If you are an avid gardener, you will want this book:
If I had but one garden book to keep, this is the one I would unquestionably choose. And I have more than 40 garden related books.
Sure would like to see a 2008 edition!
Robert in northern Indiana
textbook for a lifetime:
My son began his study of horticulture this year, and Dr. Dirr's book, it seems, is the "bible" for lifetime use in horticulture. Our textbook arrived quickly, beautifully, and at about 1/2 of the price at the college bookstore. A noteworthy investment!
