Book Review: Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens

Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens:
200 Drought-Tolerant Choices for All Climates
by Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden

248 pages
Timber Press, 2011
List price: $24.95

The Ogdens could not have known that the US would suffer one of the worst drought seasons in its history when they wrote Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens in 2011. Focusing on growing drought-tolerant plants isn’t new, but their book couldn’t be more timely or relevant to gardeners than it is right now.

No longer is water usage just a concern of those who live in arid climates. Water shortages are everywhere and in this book you’ll find plenty of suitable plants for varying conditions in zones 4 to 10. Growing details are highlighted for over 200 plants, with 400 more related companion plants listed, giving gardeners a plentiful palette from which to choose. Each of the 11 categories of plants has plant profiles that also suggest design ideas, helping you to incorporate them into your garden in an attractive way.

This is a practical book that is a culmination of over 30 years of horticultural and design experience. The Ogdens give straightforward advice with their multi-seasonal plant choices, making drought-tolerant gardening easier. I, for one, appreciate having this book to reference, after yet another summer of dragging garden hoses around the yard far too much.

Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden are garden designers and horticulturists who have experience with a wide range of climates, plants, and planting styles in both the United States and Europe. They have spoken at most major botanic gardens, public gardens, and arboreta in the United States.

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Read Kylee Baumle’s blog, Our Little Acre.