Perfect Partners: Beautiful Plant Combinations for Prairie Gardens

Debbie Fyfe is the reference/Internet resources librarian in the
Information Services Division of the Edmonton Public Library.

Calgary authors and prairie gardening experts Liesbeth Leatherbarrow and
Lesley Reynolds have produced a duo of excellent reference books for
prairie green thumbs, beginner and expert alike. Leatherbarrow and
Reynolds, who have written four books together on gardening since 1995
(including the bestselling 101 Best Plants for the Prairies), are
regular contributors to gardening periodicals as well as popular guests
on radio shows.

Perfect Partners helps you choose plants that pair together well and
can survive and thrive in similar conditions. After experimenting in
their own home gardens, the authors came up with 170 plant combinations
for garden design. The book is divided into three main chapters
(“Spring,” “Summer,” and “Fall”), based on blooming seasons.
Each entry for a plant combination is accompanied by a photograph and a
description of the pairing. Included are tips on soil and light
requirements and information on plant size and flowering times.
Alternative flowers are suggested if you are unable to locate a
particular plant at your local greenhouse.

Best Bulbs for the Prairies is an excellent resource for prairie
dwellers who want to include more than the graceful tulip in their
gardens next season. The book begins with a good general description of
what bulbs are and the differences between spring, summer, and
fall-flowering varieties. Popular topics such as naturalization, rock
gardens, and indoor forcing are also covered, and there are numerous
tips on purchasing, planting, and caring for bulbs. The descriptions of
the bulbs themselves are arranged according to bulb hardiness.

Both of these highly recommended books include substantial reference
lists, well-prepared indexes, and color photographs of gardens the
authors visited in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Plants are
listed by both botanical and popular names.