There are many reasons to grow cacti and other succulents – they're drought-tolerant, low-maintenance, and they look great. But what about hardiness? For those who thought that these spectacular plants were only for gardens in warm climates, guess again – hundreds are fully cold-hardy and can be grown outdoors. Cacti & Succulents for Cold Climates is filled with inspirational portraits of 274 plants that can be used to create drought-tolerant gardens. Expert Leo Chance describes how to prepare planting beds, how to get plants well established, how to handle cacti during planting, how to protect plants from cold winters and when and how much to water.
Leo J. Chance is a professional gardener who has also worked as a professional plant buyer and propagator. He lectures frequently on cacti and succulents as well as water-wise gardening.
"Leo Chance is a professional gardener based in Colorado who has spent the last three decades growing, studying and researching a wide range of hardy cacti and succulents, capable of growing in zone 5. Here he discusses the concept of hardiness and how to improve a plant's chances of surviving a harsh winter, including dormancy, provenance, watering, feeding, siting of plants, and other cultural practices that will enhance hardiness [...] plants are dealt with in some detail, and there is a wealth of useful information here for those wishing to expand their collection."
- The Professional Gardener (No. 136 July 2012) 01/07/2012
"In a world of spiralling energy prices which make heating a greenhouse in winter an expensive proposition for many growers, Leo Chance has produced a useful book which considers cacti and succulents that are suitable for cold climates [...] Anyone who already has an interest in cold-hardy cacti and succulents would find this book of great interest in providing new species to try either in a cold greenhouse or outside as well as new ways to approach cultivation."
- Peter Berresford, Literature Review (CactusWorld Vol. 30 [3]) 30/06/2012
"A must read for the enthusiast with 328 pages of facts, including hardiness ratings, growing in containers and propogation. The author is based in Colorado but the advice is transferable."
- The English Garden Magazine (August Issue) 24/09/2012
"There is a wealth of useful information here for those wishing to expand their collections."
- Professional Gardener 01/07/2012