Drawn from his best-selling classic The Natural Shade Garden, this guidebook is divided into ornamental shrubs, perennials for foliage, perennials for flowers, groundcovers, and vines, and has lists of the best hostas and the best ferns.Each guide is illustrated throughout with Druse's spectacular color photographs. All-new plant descriptions discuss the origins of each plant, include pronunciations of Latin names, and provide information on ultimate size, time of bloom, light and soil requirements, cold hardiness, and on characteristics of special interest, such as colorful berries or butterfly attraction. Here, too, is indispensable advice for using these plants with companions to create striking designs. Each section has an introduction, written just for these books, presenting valuable techniques for making your own natural garden. An appendix provides mail-order sources.