Includes index.

The colorful, low-maintenance plants in this book are particularly useful for gardeners who have difficult, steep, rocky, dry, or infertile spots where more finicky plants won't grow.

No category of plants works harder than ground covers to help a gardener create a beautiful yet low-maintenance landscape. In this book readers will discover the best plants * to stabilize banks and control erosion * to substitute for turf where grass won’t grow or is hard to mow * to line curbs and driveways, where salt will damage ordinary plants * to enhance a landscape with broad, dramatic sweeps.

Describes over three hundred species and varieties of ground covers, vines, and grasses with tips on selecting the right plant for the right place and advice for both amateurs and professionals.

"To grow a successful garden in shade, you need to select the right plants and then grow them according to their special needs. In this book, experts give you all the information you need to turn a common problem into a gardening pleasure." --Cover.

For all-season color and a bountiful supply of cut flowers for the house, annuals fill a unique niche in a gardener's landscape plans.