Books: Small Space Veg Gardens & Tropicals (GardenDesignOnline)

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Two new titles from Cool Springs Press ...

The first is dedicated to those living in apartments, condos, townhouses, dorm rooms ... places so small that growing edibles would seems nearly impossible. BUT,

In Any Size, Anywhere Edible Gardening: The No Yard, No Time, No Problem Way To Grow Your Own Food (Cool Springs Press, 2012), author William Moss explains what you can grow and how to do it in very small spaces, including containers. From small suburban plots to apartment balconies and even window boxes, Moss guides you to success with the right kind of planting medium, amount of sunlight, specific recommendations for growing, and the varieties that'll work in tiny places.

Hot colors and big leaves are very "in" at the moment, and this book is simply one of the best guides I've seen on the subject. In her latest book, Gardener's Guide to Tropical Plants: Cool Ways to Add Hot Colors, Bold Foliage, and Striking Textures (Gardener's Guides) (Cool Springs Press 2012) author and radio hostess Nellie Neal notes that tropicals can even be grown in cooler zones, and she notes that the emotional appeal of the plants can easily be explained by their allure and landscape impact.

She takes the reader through all the basics on growing and maintaining tropicals, but the chapter I liked best was the one on designing with tropicals. There's a handy chart on color pairings and leaf shapes that will get anyone started on successful design with these stunning, astounding plants. The rest of the book is devoted to specific plants -- and it's divided into chapters on herbacious, woody, and vining tropicals. There's a description and photo of each plant, along with growing tips, care, good companion plants and special cultivars.

In the back of the book, there are lists of plants for dry and wet sites, shade and sun; plants with evergreen leaves, spectacular flowers, extraordinary fragrance, and much more. Once you see the photos, you, too, are going to want to give some of these plants a try.