A thorough guide for anyone looking for hardy, low-maintenance, drought-resistant plants that also aren't boring. Or just grass.

I found the book very useful. Each plant has a quick notes reference with its best features, culture (how it grows and what it needs), its landscape usage, and the origin and native region. A full color photograph accompanies each listing. 135 plants are well described here, making it a great garden reference book to own.

Pretty Tough Plants is an excellent resource for a gardener or landscaper. The criteria for being labeled a tough plant is clearly explained first. I guess I thought drought resistance would be the main one but there are several other main points that went into the selection process. I found the set-up of the book to be easy to follow; categorizing the plants as perennials, trees, grasses, etc. The photos are well-done with concise but extremely useful information. I especially liked that each plant had more than one photo. I also appreciated the many charts at the end.

I had thought that since the non-profit organization was based out of Colorado that the plants would all be there too. Instead I happily found much plant information for the area of the US where I live. While I have bought several plant reference books over the years, I am finding this one to a truly interesting and worthwhile one. As a home gardener with limited resources and time but still want to maintain a lovely garden this will be a valuable research. The idea of having less environmental impact using plant selection to be a new idea or approach for me. This book makes you want to fully embrace too.

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Timber Press continues its impressive lineup of gardening titles with "Pretty Tough Plants: 135 Resilient, Water-Smart Choices for a Beautiful Garden" by Plant Select. Well-organized, easy to understand, one page write-ups on each plant. Lovely photos for each plant including close-ups, possible garden arrangements, or placement with other plants. Reference has scientific and popular names, growth limits, type of flowers and its best feature. Symbols included for sun and plant requirements and whether it is bee-friendly. Further information on where it is native, best places to grow and how it can be used in the landscape; as well as, cultivation methods. Handy for all levels of gardeners. Available in April, 2017

This book is perfect for a gardener who wants beauty but doesn't want to have to devote every waking hour to the yard. The pictures, the description of the plants, their growth habit and needs is invaluable information. Even experienced gardeners will learn something that will benefit their garden. and perhaps free up some of their time to sit back and enjoy what they have created.