Annuals for Alberta

by Carol
(Edmonton Alberta)

Written by Laura Peters and Donna Dawson
Published by Lone Pine Publishing
Date: 2007
Both Donna and Laura are native Albertans and accomplished Master Gardeners. Their joint venture Annuals for Alberta is a superb guidebook. This guide is very well laid out and has fine quality pictures. I thought I knew all my annuals, but this book contains numerous ones I’ve not heard of and look forward to looking for this spring in the nurseries.

What I especially love about this book is its chapter on natural remedies for pests and diseases. It also has two maps of Alberta indicating the average last frost dates and the average first frost dates. Very handy!

Each annual is described with the usual categories you see in guidebooks (height, spread, flower color, planting, growing, tips and recommended varieties) plus an extra bonus of a short paragraph on pests and diseases of that particular annual.

Novice and experienced gardeners alike will find the colored Quick Reference Chart in the back of the book extremely useful. Annuals are listed alphabetical by common name (for those like me who can never remember the Latin name). The chart references colour, sowing, height, hardiness, light, and soil conditions. And also handy is the name of the annual listed on both sides of the chart in case you have a little difficulty seeing across a line of type.

Definitely a great guide to throw in your bag when you go to the nursery. Curved cut corners too, so there is less of a tendency to bend them.

My daughter, a novice gardener, gave me her views on the book as well. She says, and I quote “Well presented and formatted, informative without overwhelming the novice gardener. Definitely a welcome addition to by gardening book collection.” And, I agree totally.