This is a perfect bedside book for the literate gardener and makes a terrific gardener's gift book. It is an entertaining survey of 80 plant genera, with a multitude of references to, and extracts from, myth and literature from Shakespeare to the Victorian language of flowers. Based on prodigious research, it includes much literature that has fallen into undeserved obscurity, as well as selections from the great poets. It is a delightful study of the influence of the world's flora on humanity, from the mundane to the mystical.

CONTENTSThe Use of Flowers - The Snowdrop - The Arbutus - The Crocus - The Anemone - The Narcissus - The Dandelion - The Lily of the Valley - The Violet - The Pansy - The Mignonette - The Buttercup - The Forget-Me-Not - The Hyacinth - The Marguerite: A Daisy - The Peony - The Sunflower - The Clover - The Bachelor Buttons - The Rose - The Lily - The Passion Flower - The Mandrake - The Marigold - The Orchid - The Verbena - The Water Lily - The Poppy - The Iris - The Thistle - The Columbine - The Goldenrod - The Gentian - The Chrysanthemum - The Rosemary - L'Envoi

Now in paper. The orchid is the most evocative of flowers, inspiring in some of its admirers a fanaticism akin to madness, as demonstrated in Susan Orlean's popular novel The Orchid Thief. This elegant survey of the orchid treats its place in legend and suggests the impact that these exotic plants had on the temperate European mind. Berliocchi chronicles the adventurers and scientists who introduced these marvels, discusses their place in the arts from literature and magic to cuisine, and concludes with accounts of the most important genera and their cultivation. Splendidly illustrated with period engravings and botanical paintings, it is literate and delightful.

The author was an ardent lover of roses and having carefully studied them over many years, wrote this book with the hope that there may be some little thing gained in these pages from his own experiences in rose growing which may interest, and possibly help, the reasoned Rosarian, by using the simplest language, and explaining the different branches of rose culture in the most detailed manner possible, and also by a careful choice of illustrations.

When The Youthful Knee Is Bent, And To Heaven Is Humbly Sent Grateful Prayer, -- Bending From His Throne Above Full Of Tenderness And Love God Is There!

Al Rogers has been growing peonies since childhood, and this book represents more than 60 years' experience. Peonies are treasured by gardeners for their longevity, lush foliage, rich fragrance, and landscape uses. Captured within these pages are not only the flavor, charm, and history of the peony and its hybridizers but also expert information about the genus "Paeonia" and its many cultivars. The species are discussed, and from the thousand-odd listed cultivars of both tree and herbaceous peonies, Rogers singles out the truly superior for recommendation, along with some introductions that show great promise. Enthusiastic amateurs and professionals alike will be thrilled with the complete and detailed information supplied in "Peonies" -- an important book for any gardener's library.

Agapanthus have been cultivated and hybridized extensively since they were first brought to the attention of botanists and gardeners in the 17th century. Native to South Africa, the genus includes 6 species and 14 subspecies, both deciduous and evergreen, and more than 600 interesting and dramatic cultivars. Flowers range in color from pure white through greyish-blue to very dark blue, and plants vary from delightful miniatures for smaller gardens or containers to more imposing forms suitable for borders and beds.
"Agapanthus for Gardeners" is an informative and practical guide to growing this popular perennial. It includes descriptions of all species and subspecies, along with a selection of 80 cultivars that have proven themselves in the garden and in containers; information on choosing and buying plants, cultivation requirements, propagation, and pests and diseases; and a discussion of "Agapanthus" as a cut flower.
Illustrated with over 75 photographs, this is a useful companion to Wim Snoeijer's more scholarly and exhaustive "Agapanthus: A Revision of the Genus, " also published by Timber Press.

This lovely book chronicles Dorothy Maclean's connection with the intelligence of nature. It brings together for the first time most of her Deva flower messages. These are truly Seeds of Inspiration. It includes several black and white flower illustrations created specifically for this book by artist Deva Berg.

One of the most popular of all spring-flowering bulbs, the tulip has a history that is as colourful as the flower itself. In the 1600s, in the heyday of "tulipomania", these blooms were rare, very expensive and considered status symbols by European aristocrats. Today, just about all of us can afford to "tiptoe through the tulips" right in our own gardens. This easy-to-use, abundantly illustrated guide tells novice and expert gardeners everything they need to know to successfully grow many exquisite varieties of tulip, from the bizarre Parrot to the classic Rembrandt.

Roses remain the all-time favourite flower and the vast majority of gardeners cultivate them in smaller gardens. This visually stunning book is the first to focus on the roses that are particularly suited to small gardens. It will appeal in particular to gardeners who value roses for their distinctive beauty, colour and scent, but who have smaller plots, a buiser lifestyle or a subtly different approach to planting. From a lifetime's experience of roses, Mark Mattock advises on the best roses to plant and maintain successfully. Exciting, essential and authoritative, this book stands alone in the advice it gives and in the allure of its beautiful photography.

Bulbs are truly magical members of the gardening world - buried treasure. The strange, twisted, sometimes ugly tubers, corms, and true bulbs planted and forgotten in the fall will erupt into some of nature's most spectacular, unique and colorful blooms in the spring and summer. It is the early bulbs that mark the end of winter and the start c spring in most of the gardening world, but many bulb species perform their magic in the summer, or even autumn. This is the most comprehensive, up-to-date book on bulb-gardening now available. Its plant encyclopedia includes many new developments in bulb horticulture not found in any other book. And unlike other books, which a largely alphabetical listings of bulb species, this refreshing book is an overall presentation of planning, planting, and caring for bulbs in the garden.

Contains practical information on gardening with flowering shrubs including: planting and caring for shrubs, when and how to prune different types of shrubs, growing shrubs in containers, creating beautiful flowering displays year-round, shrubs for walls, growing shrubs in windy, shady or dry places - and much more.

In Anatomy of a Rose, Sharman Apt Russell eloquently unveils the "inner life" of flowers, showing them to be more individual, more enterprising, and more responsive than we ever imagined. From their diverse fragrances to their nasty deceptions, Russell proves that, where nature is concerned, "wonder is not only our starting point; it can also be our destination." Throughout this botanical journey, she reveals that the science behind these intelligent plants--how they evolved, how they survive, how they heal--is even more awe-inspiring than their fleeting beauty. Russell helps us imagine what a field of snapdragons looks like to a honeybee; she introduces us to flowers that regulate their own temperature, attract pollinating bats, even smell like a rotting corpse.In this poetic rumination, which combines graceful writing with a scientist's clarity, Russell brings together the work of botanists around the globe, and illuminates a world at once familiar and exotic.

The author believes gardening in the middle South, where seasons have no definite boundaries but merge imperceptibly, could and should be a year-round pleasure. She takes us through the cycle of seasons, telling which plants are most suitable to which season. The book includes tables giving blooming dates of over eight hundred varieties of plants which were recorded over a period of years.

In this book, Lois Hole describes her 148 favorite varieties and offers practical advice on what roses to grow for fragrance, color and splendor. She also includes information on the soil, light, climate and moisture conditions required for success.

In this splendid collection of short essays, gardener, writer, and professor Allen Lacy takes readers on a series of garden excursions, beginning at home. Lacy writes of his experiences with a variety of plants--evening primrose, prairie gentian, sumac, coreopsis, fuchsias, gloriosa lilies--in his own garden in New Jersey. Then he charts his travels to other gardens, in the United States, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands. Final essays in "Farther Afield "include a discussion of garden writing, profiles of other horticulturists, and humorous pieces on cats and houseplants, and, of course, flamingoes.

Bulbs can provide fantastic color in your garden from early spring through fall. Here, the gardening expert provides comprehensive coverage on growing bulbs. There are 22 main entries with general growing information on all major varieties as well as 50 secondary entries "for the more adventurous." The book focuses on bulbs suitable for growing in North America but includes most major bulbs worldwide.

Keeping your garden in good shape has never been easier!

Pruning is an essential part of garden maintenance. It's also one of the most difficult parts of gardening. This is your no-fuss guide to learning basic training and pruning techniques.

Do you want to know how to prune the shrubs and climbers in your garden but don't know where to start? This gardening book for beginners will help you care for more than 80 of the most popular pruning plants.

Whether you need to prune flowering trees or have a small garden that requires controlling, this complete pruning guide explores all the essential techniques. It also features an illustrated directory that answers all your pruning and training questions to help you put your skills into practice.

You don't have to be a horticulture expert to get started, this indispensable reference book will take you through every single step! It includes:

• Easy gardening tips on how to care for more than 80 shrubs and trees
• Packed with practical, jargon-free know-how and simple pruning techniques
• Easy-to-follow format to help grow your gardening knowledge

Let It Grow!

Gorgeous, full-colour photography provides plenty of inspiration and ideas. Expert tips and step-by-step instructions on every page will help you care for your plants the right way.

Grow Pruning & Training covers everything you need to know to make pruning fruit trees, shrubs, and climbing plants a simple and achievable process. It's the perfect book for first-time gardeners!