The sixth edition of what the Chronicle of Higher Education called �A Horticulture Bible� by Michael Dirr is a major revision. It features expanded descriptions of former entries, over 2,000 new species and cultivars, trademark names and patent numbers, as well as all species, subspecies and variety names verified using the GRIN taxonomic data base (germplasm resources information network) and other sources. The book is rich, accurate, substantive, and written in Dirr�s engaging style. Stipes is proud to introduce the 6th edition of this great classic.

This new edition includes notes and observations from Dr. Dirr�s sabbatical to Hillier Arboretum in England, which holds the greatest collection of hardy woody plants in the world. Additionally, while on sabbatical the author visited and studied woody plants at 112 gardens and nurseries. Dr. Dirr interacts with the American nursery industry and, in addition to visiting the nurseries, travels to the major nursery trade shows to learn what is new.

The fifth edition was greeted throughout the world with great demand and immediate praise and acceptance. It won many honors and was one of the very few �essential books� in its field. The American Horticulture Society named it one of the 75 great garden books published since 1922. Nobody was surprised. We constantly hear from users throughout the world how this is the book that is never out of reach. The sixth edition promises to raise the standard even higher.