Favorite Shade Plants

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

The value of this series rests on one question: who defines
“favorite”? If the plants you want to investigate are included, the
books are great: short and to the point. Disappointment, however, is
inevitable when the reader discovers that the plants on which
information is sought didn’t make the list. While completeness is
neither desirable or attainable, these mini-guides are so selective they
lose value as reference works for even casual gardeners. Where’s the
credibility in a list of “favorite” shrubs that excludes lilac, mock
orange, spirea, and all but one rose? Each of these little books focuses
on approximately 20 plants, devoting a few pages to each.

The strengths of the series are many: lots of glowing color photos,
suggestions for companion plantings, an environment-friendly approach,
and good factual data about the plants. Throughout, priority goes to the
correct botanical name, with common popular names included. Variations
(other species and cultivars), referred to by botanical name only, are a
part of the section on each plant.

Harris has had six previous books on gardening published and writes a
garden column for The Globe and Mail. Her considerable experience in the
garden and her comfort level in writing about plants are both evident in
this series.