Amazingly, this is the first book that has covered this essential topic in detail, although books on pruning woody plants abound. Deadheading, pinching, cutting back, thinning, disbudding, and deadleafing are among the techniques in the gardener's arsenal that are thoroughly explained and illustrated. There is also an extensive encyclopedia of important perennial species and cultivars that clearly explains the pruning and maintenance needs of each plant. Beth Ann Daye's line drawings and the author's color photos enhance the clarity of the text and make this book invaluable for both home gardeners and professionals. I'm a volunteer in my county's Master Gardener program.
Perennials are more work than annuals.
You have to work them to get a pleasing garden. That extra time is worth it though. Its fun to stick a piece of root into the ground and watch it grow into a 6-foot plant. Its fabulous to plunge a shovel into a clump of chrysanthemums and divide the whole mess up into 700 baby chrysanthemums, then see them with 2' blooms next fall. If you want to putter in your garden but you aren't sure what plants need what sort of tending, you want this book.