In my home both my husband Tony and I garden for pleasure and as a profession, so we have ended up with two copies of some of the reference books we use constantly. Most of the references we use are regional in text and written by horticulturists from all across the United States. That makes it even more exciting to find a great reference written specifically for Kentucky.  

Quick reference guide

The Kentucky Gardener’s Guide, written by Denny McKeown, is a plant reference guide, and while I first considered it a great beginning gardener’s guide, after reading it again I decided that I was too accustomed to using the larger regional guides. As a gardener it has proven to be a wonderful quick reference for identifying plant characteristics before buying and planting them in the garden.

If you read no other part I recommend you read the introduction because it’s educational and eye-opening. If you don’t take the time to read the introduction you will miss experiencing the true passion and love for gardening that McKeown lives and writes about. His honest expression of his opinion on such matters as soil amendment, how much mulch is too much, and how we sometimes kill our plants with kindness is certainly refreshing. After I read it I openly voiced, “This is great,” and wanted to high-five my kids. My daughter looked at me and said, “Mom, you are so weird.”

This book details over 175 plants, including annuals, bulbs, groundcovers, ornamental grasses, perennials, roses, shrubs, and trees. I was pleased to find some of the more unusual tropical plants we commonly use as annuals recommended in the annual section. A big plus for this book is that the plants are arranged in alphabetical order by common name, which makes looking up plants a breeze, especially if you have ever tried to use one of the references that goes by botanical name.  

Companion journal

As a companion to the Gardener’s Guide, McKeown also has a gardener’s journal, My Kentucky Garden. I am a big fan of garden journals and I recommend everyone keep them. I am constantly making notes on combinations that worked and those that didn’t. For example, I can simply refer to my notes as a reminder of what annual vinca looked like with pennisetum rubrum. This journal is organized by month but is not dated so you can start using it anytime. For many of us we just note a thought or two each time we write so you can individually date your entries and use the same journal for two years or more. If you prefer to write it all down I would suggest a simple blank journal so you can write away without running out of space.

The journal asks you these questions each month: what’s blooming, what’s the weather like, and what have you recently planted or transplanted? All are excellent areas to observe and record. I often refer to these specific areas when something begins to decline or dies in my garden. This journal is a bit on the feminine side, so I am looking forward to a more masculine version to come out for all the men I know who love to garden. 

Other reference books

As a high-energy gardener I am constantly poring through all the latest magazines and design books, anxious to find that new plant, see what other gardeners are up to across the United States, and hoping to spur a new creative design detail or combination. In the end I always come back to the great plant reference books like Kentucky Gardener’s Guide, Trees, Shrubs, Groundcovers and Vines of Kentucky, Wild-flowers of Kentucky, and Weeds of Kentucky. As every gardener knows, proper plant selection, excellent planting, and the best care and maintenance are the most important components of any truly great design.