I'm currently in a Woody Ornamentals class and this is the textbook we were required to buy for the class. I've found this to be not only useful within the class, but outside the class as well, especially while helping my parents to plan their yard. This book has an incredible wealth of knowledge in it's pages, the author clearly has extensive knowledge of the subject. I'm actually looking into buying his interactive DVD. While I don't know how useful the memorization of botanic names will be to me as a landscape architect, I believe the ability to show my clients pictures of specific plants would be immensely useful.

For anyone dealing with woody landscape plants this is the bible. Unlike books written by writers, this book is written by a plantsmen and teacher and researcher. Personal experience growing or visiting every species in the book gives it believability beyond all others in its class. The book covers the things that need to be covered - transplant success, pest issues, landscape uses (gosh if this section were read you'd see less houses overwhelmed by giant trees and more living street trees than dead ones). Dirr has his opinions and not everyone will agree with all of them. But at least his come from experience not "reading". If you are upset about the lack of images you can get those elsewhere. This text was never intended to be a key to botanical identification but as the title states it is a manual of woody LANDSCAPE plants. Every landscape architect should be mandated to pass an exam based on this book. They would then be able to use a repetoire of more than 10 trees and perhaps for a change the survival rate of their landscapes over time would rise. I can't say enough about how much this book has meant to me as I restore and plant a college landscape designed by Olmsted. There is nothing better than knowing you've planted the right tree in the right spot and that it will outlive you and your children because of the wise choice.

I love this book! It has every woody plant listed along with other varieties. The extent of information is incredible. A must if you are a designer, landscaper or garden center and nursery owner. It's a book you can't run your business without! A great resource.

I love this book! It has every woody plant listed along with other varieties. The extent of information is incredible. A must if you are a designer, landscaper or garden center and nursery owner. It's a book you can't run your business without! A great resource.