Best colder climates gardening books according to redditors

Do you mean how to plan for a long blooming season? A lot of us start with crocus and hellebores, then tulips, daffodils, and annuals from nurseries. By the time those are done, various summer blooming perennials are doing their thing. There are quite a few fall blooming flowers, like chrysanthemums and Japanese anemones. It’s helpful to have at least a few evergreens that look good year round. Here is a book about planting for fall.

I know its not exactly what your looking for but I might suggest picking up some reference texts on cold hardy cacti.

This and This

might be good places to find information. I have limited experience with cold climates, 90% of my plants are tropical or sub tropical, but I have read the second book in the past when borrowing it from a local library and it is quite informative on caring for cacti in wet climates. The first reference is older and I have not personally read it but it has good reviews and I have seen it cited several times in the past when researching plants for my own area, cooler winter with heavy rain, so it may be worth a read if you can find them.


Also, from what I find online it looks like you are located in Zone 8 - 9 depending on your location and distance from water. This is pretty close to my own climate area with the exception of rain fall. I can recommend you try growing Echinocereus spachianus, Echnopsis pachanoi, and as /u/GregTJ suggested Echinopsis terscheckii provided that your growing bed is sufficiently drained (maybe even a layer of grit or lava rock 12 or so inches down). If you looking for more barrel or clumping plants you might try Thelocactus tulensis, Gymnocalycium baldianum, and Echinocactus texensis which I have grown outside unprotected during the winter, however all of my plants are potted and drain freely when it rains here so I cannot comment on their habits when planted in the ground.