Two useful guides from Houghton MIfflin Harcourt's Gardening Division:
Best Perennials for Sun and Shade (Home Grown Gardening)
The 50 best profiled in this handy volume include a lot of familiar plants, from caryopteris and asclepias to nepeta, asarum, primula and viola.
The entries are organized by botanical name, and each one has a full-page photo of the plant, an overview of its top characteristics, tips on how and where to grow it, plus a box with basic information: zone hardiness, light requirements, height, and interest.
There's also basic info on soil preparation, mulching, fertilization, deadheading, propagation, common pests and how to combat them.
Great book for the reference shelf.
Best Roses, Herbs, and Edible Flowers (Home Grown Gardening)
And why not add this book to your collection, too?
This book profiles 50 roses and 50 herbs and edible flowers.
What I like best about the rose section is that the book tells you where to place them, ie, a south-facing wall, next to a porch or window to enjoy the fragrance, in locations that have cold, windy winters, etc. They also recommend best ways to use them, and again, each entry has a small box with info on zones, size, bloom time and width, fragrance and thorniness.
The herb/edible flower section includes info on medicinal and culinary uses, growing tips, sun requirements, size, zones, and interest, too.
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