Most of us who live in the Port City come from somewhere else. Actually, most of us come from somewhere else UP NORTH. Gardeners who relocate here often find themselves both elated and frustrated. Elated, because we have a growing season that is something like 268 days long. Frustrated, because the intense heat of the summer, and the salt spray from the ocean, often defies our best efforts. Below are books we consider absolutely necessary to the Southern Gardener, especially the Southern Coastal Gardener.

Finally: a book that addresses the unique challenges of gardening in the coastal South!

Master Gardener Barbara Sullivan provides an authoritative guide for gardeners from Tidewater Virginia to Florida and all along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Texas, an area taking in USDA Zones 7b, 8, 9, and 10. Combining helpful gardening advice with an A-to-Z plant guide that describes more than 1,000 plant varieties and cultivars, "Garden Perennials for the Coastal South" will become an essential reference for both experienced and novice gardeners in this region.

The book is organized to allow the reader to plan a year-round garden or to focus on a particular season, with sections on subtropical plants, vines, herbs, groundcovers, ferns, heat- and drought-tolerant plants, shade plants, bulbs, ornamental grasses, and annuals, as well as a list of disease-resistant roses for the region.

More than 200 color photographs illustrate both individual plants and examples of beautiful landscape design. Rounding out the book's usefulness is information on the basics of landscaping, soil preparation, plant care, propagation, diseases, and pests. Whether you are new to the coastal South or a lifelong resident, you will find "Garden Perennials for the Coastal South" an indispensable addition to your gardening bookshelf.

Month-By-Month Gardening in the Carolinas: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year (Month-By-Month Gardening in the Carolinas)
by Polomski, Bob
Format:  Trade Paperback
Price:  $24.99
Published: Cool Springs Press, 2006 

Month-by-Month guides offer valuable advice on the proper timing of gardemning maintenance for each month. "Month-by-Month Gardening in the Carolinas" is one of the first titles of the redesigned series from Cool Springs Press.

Top features include: 4-color photography and illustrations to demonstrate cultural practices Covers all major plant categories Specific advice for every month of the year Updated edition includes text revisions, additional reference materials, and a new design

North Carolina Gardener's Guide, Revised Edition
by Cool Springs Press, Bost, Toby
Format:  Trade Paperback
Price:  $24.99
Published: Cool Springs Press, 2002 

Gardening is now the favorite leisure pastime in America. Homeowners are realizing the health benefits derived from gardening and the increase in their home's property value.

Book retailers are well aware that the trend in gardening books is to regional titles that provide credible information on the plants that perform well in specific regions.

"North Carolina Gardener's Guide, 2nd Edition" is written by the highly popular gardening expert Toby Bost.

Contains easy to use advice on the top landscape plant choices (more than 160 entries) for North Carolina.

Recommends specific varieties and provides advice on how to plant, how to grow and how to care for North Carolina's best plants.

Tough Plants for Southern Gardens
by Rushing, Felder
Format:  Trade Paperback
Price:  $24.99
Published: Cool Springs Press, 2003 

"Tough Plants for Southern Gardens" is for Southern gardeners who want low care, no care, tried and true plants for their gardens. This is the book for gardeners who want plants they can plant and forget

"Tough Plants for Southern Gardens" is written for novice and accomplished gardeners alike, for all gardeners who value their leisure time. They also value the appearance of their home and appreciate the benefits of well-placed landscaping?however; they do not want to devote too much time to keeping it beautiful.

"Tough Plants for Southern Gardens" includes 120 of the toughest plants for Southern gardens, including annuals, bulbs, perennials, shrubs and small trees, ornamental vines, and lawns. Each featured plant is noted for its ability to thrive with minimal care. Many of the selections can withstand drought, poor soils, and minimal (or no) pruning, while providing beauty and charm in the home landscape.

Each selection provides specific information on the plant's use in the landscape, mature size, flowering characteristics (if applicable), varieties, soil preference, and propagation. Each chapter also contains informative essays covering topics such as: companion planting tips, pest avoidance, and handling invasive plants.

Native Perennials for the Southeast
by Loewer, Peter
Format:  Trade Paperback
Price:  $22.99
Published: Cool Springs Press, 2005 

 Many of the most beloved garden plants are actually native to the U.S., and the Southeast has a rich diversity of species perfectly adaptable to a variety of garden settings. The trend towards using native plants in the garden has been consistently growing for a number of years and shows no signs of slowing down. Once limited to small specialty nurseries, native perennials are now readily available and can be found in garden centers throughout the Southeast. Not only are they beautiful, they are tough. Because they are naturally compatible with the climate and soil conditions of the region, they are low maintenance, pest resistant, and drought tolerant. This means they will perform well without time-consuming maintenance requirements and do not need pesticides and other chemicals to thrive. Today gardeners are finding the many wonderful qualities of native perennials make them perfect for use in the home landscape.

Gardening with Native Plants of the South
by Wasowski, Sally, Wasowski, Andy
Format:  Hardcover (Cloth)
Price:  $32.95
Published: Taylor Trade Publishing, 1994