Northern Garden Symphony
248 pages, 8 x 10
Paperback
Release Date:15 May 2021
ISBN:9781602234413
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Northern Garden Symphony

Combining Hardy Perennials for Blooms All Season

University of Alaska Press
Put the power of a garden planning pro to work for you! Northern Garden Symphony offers explanations and illustrations of the sequential blooms of ornamental perennials as a tool for garden design. The idea of sequential blooming, Fairbanks-famous author Cyndie Warbelow explains, is similar to the workings of a musical symphony, in which at least a portion of its stunning constituent plants is blooming at all times, even though they are not all blooming together. Given that perennial plants bloom for limited and specific periods of time during the growing season, Warbelow notes, it is crucial that a garden be designed with sequential blooming in mind. Yet this concept can often overwhelm and discourage gardeners.
 
Using narrative, figures, photographs, and a groundbreaking set of layout charts that can aid even the most experienced horticulturist in the process of flower garden planning, Northern Garden Symphony gives gardeners the tools they need to be a successful northern perennial gardener.
'The mystery of continuous color in a perennial garden is carefully and methodically solved! Do yourself a favor and add this book to your library.'
—Nancy MacFarlane, Danamac Acres Greenhouse, owner 1980-2012, Palmer, Alaska

'Warbelow's talent lies in her knowledge of basic plant biology layered with a gift of art and music. She creates stunning landscapes using hardy plants as her palette and northern soils as her canvas.'
—Dr. Patricia S. Holloway, Professor Emerita, Horticulture, Horticultural Consultant, A.F. Farmer, LLC, University of Alaska Fairbanks

'Northern Garden Symphony shows us how to garden in Fairbanks. But this common-sense, stunning book is valuable for any northern gardeners in Canada and the United States.'
—Dr. Allan Armitage, Professor Emeritus of Horticulture, University of Georgia

'Warbelow writes so clearly and positively that even the most timid folks will have the confidence to try perennial gardening. She makes it sound like fun, like putting together a pretty puzzle.'
—Les Brake, Coyote Garden, Willow, Alaska

'By carefully guiding readers through the concepts of designing perennial gardensincluding emphasis on bloom succession, balance, continuity, and the importance of eye movementWarbelow creates an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process that every gardener can employ.'
—Brenda C. Adams, writer, speaker, educator, and award-winning garden designer

Cyndie Warbelow has lived in Alaska all her life. Founder and long-time operator of Fairbanks, Alaska’s world-class Plant Kingdom nursery, she has installed extensive perennial display beds for use as demonstration gardens for nursery customers and perennial design classes.
 
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Introduction
Section I: Making Sure We Are All in the Same Garden
Chapter 1: Before We Begin
Chapter 2: What is a Northern Garden?
Chapter 3: Perennial, Annual, Herbaceous, Woody--What Does it All Mean?
Chapter 4: Native Plants Versus Non-Natives
Chapter 5: Some Thoughts about Varieties
Section II: Setting the Stage and Preparing to Audition the Players
Chapter 6: Designing a Perennial Garden
Chapter 7: Design at the Macro Level
Chapter 8: Design at the Medium Level
Section III: The Charts
Chapter 9: A Guide to the Charts
Chapter 10: Master Chart
Chapter 11: Bloom Time Charts
Chapter 12: Height Charts
Chapter 13: Color Charts
Section IV: Using the Charts to Build Five Perennial Gardens
Chapter 14: Gardening with the Charts
Chapter 15: The Starter Garden
Chapter 16: The Chamomile Tea Garden
Chapter 17: The Espresso Garden
Chapter 18: The Chameleon Garden
Chapter 19: The Foliage Dominant Garden
Appendix A: The Symphony Players
Appendix B: Planning
Appendix C: Planting
Appendix D: Supplementing Herbaceous Perennial Gardens
Appendix E: Maintenance
References Consulted
Index
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