*Highly recommended for Newcomers
California Native Plants for the Garden 2005 pp271
Bornstein, Carol, David Fross and Bart O´Brien Cachuma Press ISBN 0-9628505-8-6
A comprehensive resource featuring 500+ plants with 450 photos of the best Californian natives for horticulture. Recommendations of species for a variety of situations.
*The Dry Garden 1998 pp237
Chatto, Beth Orion Books Ltd ISBN 0-75281-642X
Guidance on soil,design and plantings suited to dry conditions. Detailed list of plants with notes on their characteristics and how to grow them but no reference to cold hardiness.
The New Book of Salvias 2008 pp 344
Clebsch, Betsy The Timber Press ISBN 978-0-88192-193-3
Botanical description, habit, blooming cycle and usage of 150 salvias with recommended companion plants.
Plant Life in the world´s Mediterranean Climates 1998 pp
Dallman P Univ of California Press ISBN 0-520-20808-0
An overview of the landscapes, vegetation types and plants of the five regions with Mediterranean climate. Tendency to be heavily weighted toward California.
Australian Plants for Mediterranean Gardens 2003 pp142
Elliot, Rodger Rosenberg Publishing ISBN 1-877058-18-1
100 choice plants are described together with their cultivation and propagation requirements. Helpful suggestions on companion planting.
*The Dry Gardening Handbook 2008 pp208
Filippi, Oliver Thames & Hudson ISBN 978-0-500-51407-8
(also purchase the catalogue from Pépiniére Filippi – a bargain at €10 – see links on site)
Two sections, the first dedicated to background information on plants and drought, the second a comprehensive A-Z listing of 500 perennials, shrubs and climbers. A fantastic source of ideas and inspiration for the dry garden.
*Mediterranean Gardening 1995 pp 208
Gildemeister, Heidi Editorial Moll ISBN 84-273-0749-7
Planning and designing gardens for limited rainfall with a list of 1000 drought tolerant plants.
The Nature of Mediterranean Europe – an ecological history 2003 pp 384
Grove A T and Oliver Rackham Yale Univ Press ISBN 0-300-10055-8
A book to challenge the view that the Mediterranean “Eden” has been destroyed by human mismanagement. Written in a very accessible style the reader will develop a deeper and broader understanding of his place as a gardener and learn to appreciate better the range of variables impinging on the horticulture and agriculture surrounding him.
Agaves, Yuccas and Related Plants 2000 pp312
Irish, Mary and Garry Timber Press 0-88192-442-3
A gardener’s guide to this useful and beautiful selection of plants for the dry garden.
Australian plants: a guide to their cultivation in Europe 1997
Irons J and Ross T
*The Mediterranean Gardener 1990 pp 159
Latymer, Hugo Frances Lincoln ISBN 0-7112-0631-7
Design, maintenance and a list of more than 300 plants for Mediterranean climates with useful notes on individual plant requirements. One of the first books dedicated to Med gardening.
*Gardens of the Sun 1996 pp208
Nottle, Trevor The Timber press ISBN 0-88192-365-6
Creative approaches to solving the problems of gardening in warm dry climates.
Plants for Mediterranean Climate Gardens 2004 pp
Nottle, Trevor Rosenberg Publishing ISBN 1-877058-14-9
*Garden Plants for Mediterranean Climates 2002 pp240
Payne, Graham The Crowood Press ISBN 1-86126-548-4
An introduction to over 1000 plants suited to Mediterranean gardens with details on characteristics especially water requirements. Useful to help a novice Mediterranean gardener get started.
Conservatory and Indoor Plants (plants for warm climates) 2 vols. 1998 pp 605
Phillips, Roger and Martin Rix Pan Books ISBN 0-330-37375-7
Excellent photos of over 1300 plants for subtropical gardens. The text describes the most important characteristics of each plant followed by country of origin, habitat and flowering times in the wild. There are brief notes on cultivation and likely minimum temperatures for survival.
The Gardener´s Guide to South African Plants 1993 pp368
Pitta J Tafelberg Publishers Ltd ISBN 1-86826-282-0
Subtropical and Dry Climate Plants 2006 pp256
Rix, Martyn The Timber Press ISBN 0-8819-2808-9
*Sunset Western Garden Book 2001 pp624
Sunset Publishing ISBN 0-376-03875-6
The classic garden tome for the west coast of the USA. 6000 plants, 24 climate zones and basic garden data for each plant. Limited illustration.
*Sun Drenched Gardens 2002 pp176
Smithen, Jan and Lucinda Lewis Harry N Abrams Inc
An inspirational book for design and layout ideas. 200 photos show soft & hard landscapes
The Looking Glass Garden: plants and gardens of the southern hemisphere 2001 pp451
Thompson, Peter The Timber Press ISBN 0-88192-499-7
Part travelogue, part inspiration. The book focuses on the role of southern hemisphere plants can play in gardens. Mentioning nearly 1500 plants the author emphasizes garden situations and categories.
Making a Garden on a Greek Hillside 1998 pp247
Tyrwhitt, Mary Jaqueline Mediterranean Garden Society ISBN 960-7120-14-0
A month by month account of making a garden on a stony and arid hillside. The story of the beginning of the Mediterranean Garden Society’s own garden in Greece.
Grow South African Plants 1998 pp440
Voget, Caroline (editor) National Botanical Institute, Kirstenbosch ISBN 1-919684-15-8
Waterwise Gardening 3rd edition 2004
Walsh, Kevin Reed New Holland ISBN 1-877069-01-9