Experienced gardeners often ask: Why plant annuals? They are common and garish and just don't last. This anticipated new work by eminent horticulturist Wayne Winterrowd--covering more than 250 genera and 600 species and containing over 250 color photographs--provides a great many answers to that question. Familiar garden plants such as marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias are lovingly portrayed, as well as new species that the gardener may have only just discovered or never previously encountered. Each species is fully described by appearance, range of color, propagation, culture, climatic preferences, and garden value. In addition, Winterrowd supplies fascinating accounts of the botanical etymology, the origins of common names, and the rich historical lore that surround all plants, familiar and rare alike. Most important, his lifetime of hands-on, practical garden experience crisscrosses these pages, offering a trove of practical advice. The result is a volume that will encourage committed annuals growers in their passion and introduce a whole new world of possibilities to gardeners who have hardly guessed at the riches of these formerly undervalued plants. A tremendously ambitious work that reflects almost ten years of careful research, observation, and experimentation, Annuals and Tender Plants for North American Gardens is a comprehensive, utterly engaging reference. Arranged alphabetically and with convenient, at-a-glance profiles prefacing each entry, this beautifully designed guide is both a good read and a visual delight.