The Southern Living Garden Book (Southern Living (Paperback Oxmoor))

According to editor Steve Bender, southern gardeners are conservative, traditional but a bit eccentric in their plant choices (meaning they'll grow whatever Daddy grew, even if it's spotted or carnivorous), and dedicated (as they have to be to continue to weed and mow through the summer). This book celebrates the uniqueness of the southern garden. It's remarkably well organized, with colored page edges demarcating the different sections, the largest of which is the alphabetized plant encyclopedia in the middle. The best part of the book, however, may be the substantial section titled "Plant Selection Guide," which consists of a series of illustrated lists: "Fragrant Plants," "Plants that Attract Butterflies," "Plants Easy to Propagate," "Plants That Tolerate Drought," etc. With its lay-flat binding and excellent index, it's sure to be a favorite garden reference for quite a few gardeners, southern or otherwise.