In the long-anticipated sequel to The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden, Patrick Lima shares many more of the secrets and strategies he has gleaned from gardening in Ontario`s Bruce Peninsula. Beautifully illustrated with partner John Scanlan`s photographs of Larkwhistle, their home and garden, The Art of Perennial Gardening covers topics that include design principles; the color spectrum; spring bulbs with summer perennials; spring flowers in shade; compositions with tulips; early- and midsummer color; drought-proof perennials; ornamental grasses, clematis and roses; and pushing the limits of your zone. With more than 10 years of additional gardening experience under his belt, Lima brings a seasoned, pragmatic perspective to his latest book. Knowledgable, inspiring and often humorous, his prose is infused with that staple of good gardening -- the promise of what is possible. Lima offers hundreds of solutions and options for the perennial garden, suggesting plant combinations for every phase of the growing season and gently encouraging his readers to take small steps to achieve their goals. Whether you`re cajoling a tiny backyard plot into beauty or facing a landscape of intimidating proportion, Lima has much to teach both the novice and the seasoned gardener about the act of garden-making. For more than 20 years, Patrick Lima and John Scanlan, have been renovating an abandoned farmscape in one of the toughest climates in central Canada, where snowstorms in October and icestorms in May are not uncommon. Lima is also author of The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden and The Harrowsmith Illustrated Book of Herbs.