Every gardener knows that there is at least one "tough place" in any garden. Tough Plants for Tough Places recommends the best plant choices for these challenging sites and explains how gardeners can optimize the growing conditions in their own gardens.Tough Plants for Tough Places includes inventive planting plans, full plant profiles on star performers, and recommended lists of plants that are particularly suited to certain sites. It also explains how to build "plant communities" -- small groups of plants that enhance each other's well-being -- as well as how to work with nature to create a self-maintaining garden. The ideal book for the imaginative gardener, Tough Plants for Tough Places proves that even seemingly hopeless sites can be turned into beautiful gardens.