Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants [repost]

Waterlilies, lotus, submerged, floating and marginal water plants all get their due in this lavishly illustrated encyclopedia by Water Gardening Magazine founders Greg and Sue Speichert. Each category of plant is discussed in its own chapter, with information about its proper soil, planting and climate requirements. Much of the book is given over to descriptions of various species, and home gardeners should especially appreciate the book’s useful appendixes, which list plants for special places, such as table-top ponds, as well as by their colors. 707 color photos.

Most books on water gardening devote too little space to plants, and yet, the plants one chooses will be critical to the success or failure of any given situation. The Speicherts have spent years working on this comprehensive resource, offering gardeners beautifully written entries that take in all the characteristics and cultivation requirements of hundreds of plants. A vast range of plant possibilities is included, from marginal species and floating plants to many that grow with submerged roots or in bogs. So, whether a gardener is dealing with a large pond in the countryside, a boggy backyard area, or a solitary barrel converted to a water garden, this lushly illustrated compilation filled with color photographs should provide the details and guidance necessary to select appropriate specimens for any type of acquatic design. Countless cultivars are described as the authors propose the best, most attractive flora to enhance the prospect of a water garden environment.