Christopher Brickell draws on 40 years of gardening experience, particularly from his tenure as Director-General of The Royal Horticultural Society, to describe in this personal guide the 300 garden plants he regards as his special favorites, together with more than 200 secondary recommendations.The plants vary widely in character - from exotic climbers such as the Chilean bell-flower to exquisite alpines such as the spring gentian and from miniature bulbs such as the Siberian squill to handsome trees such as the tupelo, with its brilliant autumn tints. More than 200 color photographs capture the many qualities described.In an anecdotal style, and with infectious enthusiasm, Christopher Brickell offers wealth of planting advice, as well as useful tips on many aspects of honing the gardener's skill. Expert guidance is given on the selection and maintenance of all major plant categories - trees, shrubs, climbers and wall shrubs, herbaceous perennials bulbs, alpines warm-climate and greenhouse plants, and short-lived plants.The plants are organized by season, with separate sections for those "high-performance" plants that do well in more than one season. This arrangement makes it easy for the reader to adopt the author's planting choices to create year-round impact in the garden, with carefully staged seasonal highlights.At the back of the book is a practical reference section, which includes detailed listings of nurseries and other sources of plants.Produced in association with The Royal Horticultural Society, The Gardener's Companion is an authoritative plant selector wide a personal voice. For the enthusiastic novice as much as for the committed gardener, this indispensable guide promotes new standards of excellence in the garden, distilling the taste and expertise of one of the world's foremost plant experts. Read Less