Books you may like to hear about

[Geebo]

Anyone there who has some magazines of the RHS The Plantsman Years 2005 2006 2007 for sale I would very much like to here from.
Cheers,
Guy.

[mark smyth]

Guy they are available to buy from the RHS. You can select what you want from contents of each
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/RHS-Publications/Journals/The-Plantsman
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/RHS-Publications/Journals/The-Plantsman/2007-issues/March/url

[Geebo]

Great news Mark,will cheque it out,
Thanks alot,

Guy

[Geebo]

The have 2007 08 09 available. I am looking also for 2005 and 06 also

Guy.

[mark smyth]

try phoning them on Monday

[Paddy Tobin]

I had front cover pictures for all the below but when I did a copy and paste they did not travel here. Edit: I've added images of the covers of the books below.

Tony O’Mahony has devoted a lifetime to studying the “Wildflowers of Cork City and County” and has been the outstanding worker in the field for this area. Here he presents the results of his work, a wonderfully encyclopaedic account the flora of the city and county.  After an introduction, which recalls the history of the recording of Cork’s flora, the author continues to describe the various habitats in his area and the plants found in each. This is not a guide to identification of plants but rather a guide to where one might find them in Cork City and county and, as such, should prove a most welcome book to the enthusiast. This book follows on extensive fieldwork and research and the findings are presented in a very accessible manner.  [Wildflowers of Cork City and County, Tony O’Mahony, Collins Press, Cork, 2009, HB, 438pp, €29.99, ISBN: 978-1-84889-020-6]

Another book of Irish interest, “Trees of Inspiration” is a remarkable work of research into the stories, history, folklore and legends of trees held sacred or of local importance throughout Ireland. Trees have held an important place in our society since Celtic times and were protected in varying degrees in the Brehon laws. Some trees marked  places of assembly, others places of devotion while others marked locations of societal or religious importance. While talk of Fairy Trees, Rag Trees or Mass Bushes might now sound very out of date, it is certainly not the case and devotion to these continues today.  This is a remarkable book, a work of deep research and a book which brings to us an area of Irish life in danger of being forgotten and lost. The book is illustrated with excellent photographs, good enough on their own to make the book enjoyable. [Trees of Inspiration, Christine Zucchelli, Collins Press, Cork, 2009, Paperback, 220pp, €24.99, ISBN: 9781-84889-013-8]

“Planting” by Diarmuid Gavin & Terence Conran is most definitely one which fits the “coffee-table book” description. Indeed, had it legs it could do service as the table itself. It is big, luxuriously illustrated with excellent photographs and it outlines the approach of the authors to designing and planning a planting scheme for the garden.  The treatment of the subject proceeds through Influence, Purpose, Structure, Colour, Season, Style and Conditions as it offers advice on the best plants for every situation while illustrating the ideas with photographs from great gardens around the world. Wonderfully produced and visually very pleasing. [Planting, Diarmuid Gavin & Terence Conran, Conran Octopus, London, 2009, HB, 272pp, £40, ISBN: 978-1-84091-529-7]

Now, here is a treasure! “The Great Chinese Gardens” is an outstanding book and one which I looked forward to reading and was not disappointed in the least. This was somewhat in the line of a drawing back of the bamboo curtain and, my goodness, what beauty and treasures lay behind. I found this book absolutely astonishing, utterly beautiful in its production and presentation and wonderfully interesting in its text. This is a choice book for anybody interested in gardening, giving an insight into the beauty of Chinese gardens which might be described as natural, intricate, subtle, refined, and spiritual, elaborate and, above all, as beautiful and this book shows all this so wonderfully well. [The Great Chinese Gardens, History, Concepts , Techniques, Fang Xiaofeng, CYPI Press, UK, 2009, HB, 260pp, ISBN: 978-0-9556057-7-2]


Oh, how I wish to visit this garden! “Ninfa” is a delight. Charles Quest-Ritson included a chapter on the gardens at Ninfa in a previous book and I was enthralled by it then so to see a full book devoted to the garden was a delight. In short: a medieval town was deserted and fell into disrepair to be uncovered and developed into a garden centuries later. The author gives an excellent history of the Caetani family from earliest days to the last in the line along with a detailed account of the development of the garden, its layout and planting right up to the present day when it is most certainly one of the garden treasures of the world. This is simply a gem of a garden and this book a wonderful testimony to its history and beauty. Fabulous photographs; excellent text. Simply outstanding! [Ninfa, Charles Quest-Ritson, Frances Lincoln, London, 2009, HB, 128pp, £25, ISBN: 9-780-7112-3047-7]

You may recall the television series, “Around the World in 80 Gardens” – this book, “Extraordinary Gardens of the World” is an offshoot of that programme.  While the programme was being made Monty Don and the camera crew also took many still photographs and Monty kept notes of the many beautiful gardens visited. This book is a product of those photographs and notes and that is, quite simply, what it is - photographs, excellent photographs, and notes on the many gardens visited. It is a pleasant book. The gardens are organised and grouped thematically: Personal, Spiritual, Natural, Botanical, Historical, Edible and Communal and this gives a little organisation to the book. The photographs are excellent and the text is personal, reflective, concise and insightful. Monty Don is an enthusiastic gardener and an enthusiastic lover of gardens and his joy he feels when visiting these wonderful gardens is evident throughout. Enjoyable! [Extraordinary Gardens of the World, Monty Don, Weidenfeld & Nicholson (Orion Books), London, 2009, HB, 272pp, €36, ISBN: 978-0-297-85638-2]

Valerie Easton, the author of “The New Low-Maintenance Garden” seeks to advise busy gardener on how to garden in a new way that saves time and resources without giving up their favourite plants or settling for a garden that lacks sophistication.  It is a response to the fact that there is a great interest in gardening but many people are short of time to engage with their gardens. Interesting, well-presented, good photographs, sensible ideas which we could all use. The author is a weekly columnist for the Pacific Northwest Magazine of The Seattle Times. [The New Low-Maintenance Garden, Valerie Easton, Timber Press, London, 2009, HB, 284pp, £20, ISBN: 978-0-88192-916-4]

When William Robinson first published “The Wild Garden” in 1870 it was a forceful challenge to the gardening style of the time and proposed a naturalistic approach to gardening. The book was republished repeatedly right through Robinson’s lifetime. Rick Darke considers William Robinson’s thoughts on gardening as relevant today as when first written and in his introductory essay outlines Robinson’s importance in the evolution of garden design and explains his relevance for today’s gardeners, designers and landscape professionals. Following Darke’s essay, William Robinson’s original “The Wild Garden” is reprinted in full. Rick Darke has previously written “The American Woodland Garden” (2002), where his thoughts were very in line with those expounded by William Robinson. He obviously admires and concurs with Robinson’s ideas and represents them well here. [The Wild Garden, Rick Darke/William Robinson, Timber Press, London, 2009, HB, 355pp. £20, ISBN: 978-0-88192-955-3]

[ashley]

Thanks for this Paddy.  Interesting & timely.

[Paddy Tobin]

Ashley,

I'm not sure how interested you are in your local Cork flora but if you want a copy of Tony O'Mahony's book you are more than welcome to it. It is an excellent book but of local interest and so not going to be of ongoing interest to me. He really has put in the fieldwork and so the book is very comprehensive. I have been referring to a flora of Co. Waterford over the past year or so, one written recently, and simply from my own walks around my area I have found species not recorded in this book. Yet it received great praise when published. Tony O'Mahony's book, on the other hand, is a very thorough treatment of Co. Cork's flora. I can drop it in the post or pass it on to you at one of the Cork talks though I don't know what is coming up and I am not as free to travel with our son in an examination year at school and finishing at 9p.m. each evening. I missed Carl Wright's talk in Nov. and I would have loved to have been there. He has a fabulous garden.

Paddy

[ashley]

Very kind of you Paddy.  I'll send you a PM.

[Martinr]

Here's a book I'm surprised hasn't made it to this thread yet.

Britain's Rare Flowers by Peter Marren and published, in papaerback, by A&C Black, London. ISBN 0-7136-7162-9

This was an impulse purchase from an AGS bookstall some time ago which I've read over the last year while sipping beer on the patio on the occasional warm evening and finally finished today sitting next to a hot radiator looking out at a very frozen, but almost snow free, garden.

This is a very readable account of the history and present state of rare plants in the British Flora. The style is relaxed and full of interesting and amusing anecdotes, more than a few conservation bungles and more besides. A must for your bookshelf.

[mark smyth]

The Orchids of Ireland
Tom Curtis and Robert Thompson
http://www.nmni.com/um/Collections/CEDaR/Recording/ID-guides

Ireland's Wild Orchids
Susan Sex and Brendan Sayers
http://www.orchidireland.ie/order.html

[Anthony Darby]

I have some of Robert Thompson's books. Fabulous photography.

[jomowi]

I do not think I nave noticed the following book mentioned, if it has Maggie please delete

It is rather selective in its coverage, mentioning for example Moneses uniflora and missing out the Pyrolas which live in similar habitats.  From my point of view covering some of the less spectacular plants such as sedges makes it less interesting.  The illustrations are good but at least one in the introduction is wrongly named (as "Fragrant Cherry" rather than Fragrant Orchid).  Names are given as the common names although the Latin names are also given.  I have mixed feelings about including grid references (one to 10 places) for some plant locations.  Plants are arranged by habitat and there is a chapter on the geology of the area. Despite its limitations the keen plant hunter will find it is an instructive and enjoyable read even at the full price of £14.99 although you can get it for much less. Details are in the picture


ISBN 978 1 841588322 Publisher Berlinn Ltd

[Paddy Tobin]

Brian,

As well as being of interest to those living in the area, it would also make an excellent guide for visitors. Sounds good - few such books don't have mistakes or omissions but it need not spoil the enjoyment of the book.

Many thanks for posting, Paddy

[David Shaw]

"I Flori Delle Alpi" (The Flowers of the Alps) by Franco Rasetti.
On Saturday a past Publications Manager gave me two copies of the above book that he had found in his loft! The book was published by Accademia Nazionale Dei Lincei, Roma in 1980 and, at the time, was considered to be the European alpine flora of the day. As you might have guessed by now the text is in Italian but it is illustrated with 572 coloured photographs. Several members at Dunblane tell me that they bought, and enjoyed, the book when it first came out.
I am offering these two mint copies for £10 each plus postage and packing. For the UK this will mean a total cost of £16.
If anyone is interested please send me a pm so that we can arrange payment and dispatch.