Turner's enthusiasm for plants and gardens is present in his prose, in this instance, describing the many perennials that grow 5 feet tall or more. The first three chapters offer detailed direction on design, cultivation, and plant relationships, with practical tips on soil and staking, how to design borders, and typical problems and solutions when planting with tall perennials. The remainder of the book contains the directory, divided by type--architectural, foliage, umbellifers, ornamental grasses, flower spikes, daisy flowers, early, midseason, and late--and listed alphabetically by Latin name. As is the norm for this press, the volume is beautifully illustrated with color plates of gardens and plants, and carefully presented, with the entries of each plant including its size, flowering time, flower color, origin, and other useful information along with Turner's description. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)