"Part travelogue, part inspiration, and part practical gardening guide, this innovative book is certain to turn orthodox views of the garden upside down. Few who seek excitement and drama in their gardening will regret accompanying Peter Thompson into the looking-glass garden."

"A thorough review of this vast array of Southern Hemisphere plants would take many volumes, and the author quite sensibly focuses on the role these dramatic plants can play in gardens. Touching on nearly 1500 plants in all, he emphasizes garden situations and garden categories, and seeks to dispel the notion that these "foreign" plants are unreasonably difficult to grow. Indeed, he explains that gardeners in difficult situations may benefit from the ability of many plants to thrive despite drought, low soil fertility, and high temperatures. Case studies and comprehensive lists of hardiness zones provide further guidance for using Southern Hemisphere plants in cooler, more frost-prone areas.

Above all, Thompson seeks to extend every gardener's range of garden plants and to make us all think differently about how to use them in our gardens."--Jacket.