The 456-page book is organized into 106 mostly short, topic specific chapters/essays with extensive cross-referencing and indexing. This sturdy hardcover offers candid, insightful and succinct explanations emphasizing trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials, and covers manly topics rarely addressed, but practically nothing on indoor ornamentals. A read will reduce the likelihood of expensive and time-consuming missteps. However, it is not a typical gardening book (i.e., DOES NOT feature page after page of color photos -- aka plant porn -- to entice the gullible). The intent is for the book to be complemented with Internet images. The text also contains a healthy smattering of environmental, historical and social commentary as well as some culinary advice.

 

While the plants selections are tailored to the prevailing climatic conditions and physiography of central Indiana, they also apply to adjacent regions, especially east and west. Much of the remaining information is applicable regardless of geographic location.