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Containing Particulars As To Descriptions, Culture, Propagation, Etc., Of Plants From All Parts Of The World Having Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Or Rhizomes, Orchids Excluded.

North America is home to approximately four dozen bulbous genera. Among these are some very popular rock garden plants, such as "Calochortus, Erythronium," and "Fritillaria," which have never had anything substantial written about them in book form. Others, including "Calydorea, Hypoxis," and "Muilla," are not as well known outside specialist collections. The characteristics that make bulbs so desirable in gardens include their great diversity of flowering time, color, size, and form; their ability to adapt to a wide range of environments; and their capacity to multiply and spread without a gardener's intervention. Amateur botanists and horticulturists, particularly those with an interest in alpine and rock gardens, and travelers planning a field trip to choice plant-viewing sites all over the continent, will be inspired by this firsthand account of native North American bulbs. More than 100 impressive color photos illustrate the 11 original chapters.

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

Without a doubt, the most widely grown orchids in the world are the species and hybrids of "Phalaenopsis," the "moth orchids." Since their discovery by western botanists in the 18th century, phalaenopsis were considered aristocrats even among orchids and were eagerly sought out by the most discerning and wealthy of collectors. With advances in orchid propagation and breeding in the middle 20th century, however, these orchids became accessible and affordable to anyone with an eye for exceptional beauty. Few floriculture crops have swamped the marketplace as suddenly as phalaenopsis has in recent years, with millions of plants being produced for the mass market annually. Moth orchids have helped eliminate the misconception of orchids as temperamental conservatory plants only for the very rich. In the words of author Eric Christenson, we are witnessing "the makings of an orchid revolution."
Against this backdrop of change and ferment, Christenson set out to write a definitive monograph of the genus "Phalaenopsis," the first thorough treatment since Herman Sweet's revision in 1969. Focusing mainly on the forebears of today's omnipresent hybrids the species he always keeps an eye on the characteristics that species might bring to today's hybridization programs. With extensive keys and detailed reviews of the taxonomy of the genus, Christenson provides a thorough picture of the current scientific understanding of these remarkable plants.
In addition to its scientific content, this book offers a wealth of practical information for the orchid hobbyist. A useful chapter on cultivation techniques is included, as is a chapter on hybrids in their many forms, shapes, and colors. More than 200 color photos and 60 drawings enliven the work and provide a fascinating visual overview.
With the full sponsorship and support of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance, Christenson has written an extraordinary book reflecting years of botanical research and horticultural experience with the genus. No orchid specialist will want to be without it.
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The first complete classification for the genus, this labor of love reflects the author's long fascination with hostas. All hostas known at the time of writing are detailed, including their 3500 names and synonyms in many languages (300 in Japanese kana). Practical information on growing hostas is just as complete and detailed.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

"A Natural History of Ferns" is an entertaining and informative look at why ferns and their relatives are unique among plants. Ferns live in habitats from the tropics to polar latitudes, and unlike seed plants, which endow each seed with the resources to help their offspring, ferns reproduce by minute spores. There are floating ferns, ferns that climb or live on trees, and ferns that are trees. There are poisonous ferns, iridescent ferns, and resurrection ferns that survive desert heat and drought. The relations of ferns and people are equally varied. Moran sheds light on Robinson Crusoe's ferns, the role of ferns in movies, and how ferns get their names. "
A Natural History of Ferns" provides just what is needed for those who wish to grow ferns or observe them in their habitats with greater understanding and appreciation.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Although Africa has fewer orchid species than the other tropical continents, some of the world's most spectacular, and increasingly popular, terrestrial orchids are found in Africa. This guide, covering sub-Saharan Africa, includes all plants available from nurseries and many that are being grown but are not yet available in the trade.

An engaging account of humanity's growing fascination with orchids from ancient times onward, together with a biographical gallery of 50 great scientists, naturalists, and explorers who contributed to our knowledge of orchids. The nomenclature and bibliography have been updated for this edition.

Breeding plants to encourage specific traits is usual in agriculture but less common in ornamental horticulture. Daffodils, daylilies, hostas, lilacs, magnolias, and rhododendrons are among the 15 subjects covered by experts in the field.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

Known for their bright colors and dramatic forms, dahlias are enjoying a surge of popularity in today's gardens. From "pompons" to "waterlilies" few flowers can boast such a variety of choices for every garden and gardener.
In this delightful and profusely illustrated encyclopedia, noted hybridizer and nurseryman Bill McClaren provides an authoritative account of garden-worthy dahlias for every garden design. Nearly 700 selections are included, complete with notes on their history, awards, and cultural peculiarities. Additional chapters on dahlia care and propagation, dahlia species in nature, hybridizing, and showing dahlias add to this well-rounded overview. Thorough appendices with resources on dahlia societies, nurseries, and gardens complete the book.
Gardeners at every level will appreciate the author's clear and useful explanation of the classification schemes for dahlias, which can often intimidate even determined enthusiasts. Every dahlia lover will gain years of reference and enjoyment from Bill McClaren's definitive encyclopedia.

Containing Particulars As To Descriptions, Culture, Propagation, Etc., Of Plants From All Parts Of The World Having Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, Or Rhizomes, Orchids Excluded.

With A Description Of The Plants Most Desirable In Each, The Nature Of The Soil, And Situation Best Adapted To Their Growth, The Proper Season For Transplanting, Etc. Instructions For Erecting A Hothouse, Greenhouse, And Laying Out A Flower Garden. The Whole Adapted To Either Large Or Small Gardens, With Instructions For Preparing The Soil, Propagating, Planting, Pruning, Training, And Fruiting The Grape Vine. With Descriptions Of The Best Sorts For Cultivating In The Open Air.