THE COMPLETE BOOK OF ANNUALS

Companion volume to The CompLete Book of BuLbs (1953) and destined to be the authoritative book on the subject for all who demand one comprehensive volume. Neither the subtitle ""How to use annuals and plants grown as annuals to best effect, out-of-doors and in, with cultural information and other pointers on more than 500 species and varieties""; nor the Table of Contents, complete as it seems, is adequate for conveying the ways in which this book succeeds beyond its competitors. Long experienced in the field, the authors have sustained a perfect balance between presenting their material for the beginner, simply, concisely, with just enough concession to ignorance to make it practical, and for the experienced gardener whose goal is to extend the use of annuals beyond their accepted role. A great many annuals are presented and their place indicated, varied uses suggested, and listings directed to exhausting all these approaches. For example there are lists of annuals by Color, Height, Hardiness, Specific Purposes, Location, Season of Bloom, Special Conditions. The last third of the book is a catalogue of the ten leaders, and of virtually all other annuals, or plants that can be treated as annuals, from A to Z. The sections devoted to Culture discuss the usual problems- soils and fertilizers, starting seedlings, care, health and so on. And here again there is unique breakdown listings- troubles and treatment, pests, diseases, materials for control-first from plants to pests and diseases, then from symptoms back to pests and diseases and plants. It would seem all hurdles are taken. The inclusion of a section on Dried Annuals for winter use; another section on window and terrace boxes; still another on use of annuals in rock gardens, walls and pools -- all indicate the immense scope of the work. And yet at no point does it overwhelm one with the mass of material.