Allan Armitage

Horticulturist, Writer, and Traveler .

Books and CDs

I must enjoy writing, as I have somehow churned out 13 books. Most may be reviewed or purchased from local bookstores or directly from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Timber Press, the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, or Stipes Publishing.

Armitage’s Garden Perennials is a comprehensive photographic resource on perennial plants, with descriptions of nearly 150 genera and 1500 color photos. Within 60 days of publication, it went into its third printing. It is a best seller among industry personnel and gardeners alike. It was awarded the 2001 Garden Writers Association of America Quill & Trowel Award.) The first edition was published in 2000, but the second edition was introduced in 2011. It has been fully updated and renewed. The book still retains the same entertaining and educational writing with new images and many new plants.

Herbaceous Garden Perennials, a Treatise of Identification, Culture and Garden Attributes,now in its 3nd edition, a standard reference for gardeners, professionals and students. In 1997, it was designated as one of the 75 most important horticultural books written in the last 75 years by the American Horticultural Society. In January, 1999, the book was selected by Choice, the publication of Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, as one of the top 3% of Academic Books reviewed in 1998. The third edition, a remarkable achievement, (1109 pages), was published in 2008. Announcing: The 3rd edition is now available on Kindle and Nook .

Armitage's Vines and Climbers, a Gardener's Guide to the Best Vertical Plants. Published in March, 2010, it is already enjoying great popularity by gardeners who wish to use more unusual vines. While the old mainstays of Clematis and climbing roses are covered, so are plants like Cissus, Mandevilla, Macardonia and Momordica.

Armitage’s Native Plants for North American Gardens (2006) was released in February, 06 and has already eclipsed all expectations. The book discusses how native plants can be used by landscapers, gardeners, and producers and why they should be used more comprehensively. He dispels myths about native plants as well as providing information on hundreds of useful species for gardens.

Armitage’s Manual of Annuals, Biennials and Half Hardy Perennials(2001) provides an in-depth look at the large diversity of annual and biennial species for gardeners. This much-needed informative text discusses 279 species in detail and summarizes the distinguishing features of hundreds of cultivars. The book was awarded a 2002 Golden Globe award from the Garden Writers Association of America and the 2001 Book Award from the American Horticultural Society. It was also selected by Choice, the publication of Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, as one of the top 3% of Academic Books reviewed in 2000.

Armitage’s Garden Annuals (2004) is similar in format to the color book on perennials above, in which 1500 plus photos plus text bring the reader up to date with the newest in specialty and bedding annuals. Released in February, 2004, it is one of the top sellers in both commercial and gardening circles (out of print, available through Amazon)

Legends in the Garden, Who in the World is Nellie Stevens (2001), co-authored with Linda Copeland brings history and horticulture together. The book relates the stories of the people whose names appear on some of our most beloved garden plants. It is presently in its 3^rd printing. Announcing: The book is now published as Print on Demand, (see new cover) and is readily available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Specialty Cut Flowers tackles the problems of commercial production and postharvest handling of over 200 species of specialty cut flowers. In 2003, the book was updated and revised with co-author, Judy Laushman. The 2^nd edition was expanded to 586 pages from 372 pages in the original version. It remains the primary source of up to date information on the production and care of cut flowers.

Allan Armitage on Perennials, a guidebook to perennials throughout North America which won the prestigious Garden Communication Award from the Garden Writers Association of America (out of print).

The Color Encyclopedia of Garden Plants puts Armitage's Garden Perennials and Armitage's Garden Annuals in a single volume. Published by Border Books in 2009, it has quickly become a popular book. It is only available at Border Book Stores.

Other books inclue Ornamental Bedding Plant Production which discusses commercial production of bedding plants. It was, published by CAB Press in England for European and American distribution, and has since been translated into Japanese. Bedding Plants, Prolonging Shelf Performance, designed to enhance proper handling of garden plants, and a revised book on Seed Propagated Geraniums (2nd ed), the first book in the Commercial Greenhouse Series of books on production of greenhouse crops in which he was the editor.