For the gardener who wants to grow more than the usual azaleas and marigolds, The Adventurous Gardener's Sourcebook of Rare Rare and Unusual Plants is a glorious catalog of the world's most uncommon and unsung annuals, perennials, bulbs, herbs, vegetables, trees, and shrubs. Hundreds of species noted for their singular beauty, relative rarity, undeserved obscurity, or particularly intriguing history are described in detail, including advice on planting, climate and sources, and integrating exotic with more traditional plants.Instead of the same old run-of-the-mill plants that everyone else has, why not try something a little more adventurous? For example, the rare Patrinia scabiosfolia, an easily cultivated perennial that bears hundreds of tiny, daffodil-yellow flowers, is ideal for borders. A recommended unusual and exquisite annual is Centaurea americana, a pale-rose flower that sits alone on a four-foot stem and opens to a dramatic four inches. And among the highlighted rare bulbs, you'll find the fabulous eight-foot eremurus, also known as the desert candle.In these pages you'll discover herbs and vegetables that are just as pretty as any flower, the newest and best of the hybrids, the trees and shrubs that can add an interesting accent to any garden, and "wild gardens" that go beyond the obvious. These are plants that can add a rainbow of colors - gold, silver, blue, fuchsia, deep purple - to amaze the eye and enliven the garden throughout the year. And exotic doesn't necessarily mean difficult. Many of these plants are similar to more familiar ones but are particularly drought-, heat-, or cold-tolerant.William Mulligan and Elvin McDonald, both highly esteemed gardening experts, reveal the treasure trove that awaits the gardener willing to experiment. They also include a complete section on sources, including seed catalogs and exchanges, mail-order nurseries, and plant societies, to help even the most casual gardener become a modern-day plant hunter.Lavishly illustrated with more than 200 full-color photographs, The Adventurous Gardener's Sourcebook of Rare and Unusual Plants is an indispensable guide to creating a uniquely personal out-of-the-ordinary garden environment. Read Less