Gardening with Perennials: Lessons from Chicago's Lurie Garden

For gardeners, inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. Perennial enthusiasts around the world might be surprised to find their muse in the middle of a bustling city. Lurie Garden, a nearly three-acre botanic garden in the center of Chicago's lakefront in Millennium Park, is a veritable living lab of prairie perennials, with a rich array of plant life that both fascinates and educates as it grows, flowers, and dies back throughout the year. Thousands of visitors pass through each year, and many leave wondering how they might bring some of the magic of Lurie to their own home gardens.

With Gardening with Perennials horticulturalist and garden writer Noel Kingsbury brings a global perspective to the Lurie oasis through a wonderful introduction to the world of perennial gardening. He shows how perennials have much to offer home gardeners, from sustainability--perennials require less water than their annual counterparts--to continuity, as perennials' longevity makes them a dependable staple.

Kingsbury also explains why Lurie is a perfect case study for gardeners of all locales. The plants represented in this urban oasis were chosen specifically for reliability and longevity. The majority will thrive on a wide range of soils and across a wide climatic range. These plants also can thrive with minimal irrigation, and without fertilizers or chemical control of pests and diseases. Including a special emphasis on plants that flourish in sun, and featuring many species native to the Midwest region, Gardening with Perennials will inspire gardeners around the world to try Chicago-style sustainable gardening.

Author: Noel Kingsbury
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 04/14/2014
Pages: 216
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.89lbs
Size: 7.47h x 5.87w x 0.56d
ISBN: 9780226437453


Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 06/01/2014 pg. 35

About the Author
Noel Kingsbury is a horticulturalist and the author of many books, including Designing with Plants and Natural Gardening in Small Spaces, and coeditor of Vista--the Culture and Politics of Gardens. He lives and gardens in western England near the book town of Hay-on-Wye.


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