Synopses & Reviews
With their abundance of flower, handsome foliage, robust constitution, and frequently stunning fruits, viburnums are among the most beautiful and versatile hardy shrubs available to gardeners. Yet despite these outstanding qualities, there has never been an entire volume devoted to them—until now. In this definitive, comprehensive, generously illustarted guide, internationally renowned woody plant expert Michael Dirr provides a wealth of information about every species and cultivar worthy of horticultural consideration. Never one to pull punches, Dirr bestows praise on viburnums that deserve it and is frank in his evaluation of other plants' occasional shortcomings. These finely judged appraisals make it easy for the gardener or designer to choose the right plant for the right situation.
Whether you're a home gardener in search of a four-season shrub; a nursery professional seeking woody plants with proven appeal; or a designer looking for specimens that are both functional and guaranteed to impress clients, Viburnums will acquaint you with a group of plants capable of meeting all these requirements.
Michael Dirr has said that a garden without viburnums is like a life without the pleasures of music and art. After reading just a few pages of this unparalleled work, you're sure to agree.
Review
"...Dirr is once again championing a plant that serves so many roles yet remains underused and undervalued." Adrian Higgins, Washington Post
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"When you pick up Dirr's book you'll wonder why there aren't more books on these most garden-worthy shrubs. At least if there's just a single book devoted to viburnums, it's brand new and written by a renowned plantsman." Valerie Easton, Seattle Times
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"Michael Dirr's...unbridled passion shines through the conversational narrative, personalizing his lifelong connection to this unerused, underappreciated garden stalwart. A definitive guidebook destined to become the bible for serious botanists and homegrown horticulturalists alike." Carol Haggas, Booklist
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"This book was worth waiting for. The photos and illustrations are beautiful and the narrative thoughtful. It's like having one of the country's top horticulture professors right in the living room."
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If you plant only one flowering shrub, it should be a viburnum. --Pacific Horticulture
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"A must-have for the viburnum geek, and I know there are plenty out there." Garden Rant
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"I'm thinking a lot about viburnums these days, not just because fall is one of the cherished seasons of the plant, nor because the half-dozen types in my garden are faring reasonably well in the drought. It comes to mind because Dirr is once more championing a plant that serves so many roles and yet remains underused and undervalued."
About the Author
Michael A. Dirr is a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia. He is the author of twelve books, including Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia and the text and reference book, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, and has published more than 300 scientific and popular papers and articles. His teaching, lectures, seminars, garden study tours, and plant introduction programs have contributed enormously to greater horticultural awareness. He has received the highest teaching and gardening awards from the University of Georgia, American Society of Horticultural Science, American Horticultural Society, American Nursery and Landscape Association, Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Southern Nursery Association, and Garden Club of America.