Books you may like to hear about

[Paddy Tobin]

Presumably you have all indulged in some book purchases following the Christmas benevolence of family and friends. It seems that after buying plants, buying books is the next best thing for most gardeners. I thought I would give a note on three books I have read since Christmas:

The first is simply a beautiful book which is certain to appeal is ‘The New Garden PARADISE – Great Private Gardens of the World’ by Dominique Browning and the editors of House and Garden. This is a large format book, 34cm X 26cm and runs to 460 pages so at £30 is represents the best value in beautiful horticultural printing that I have seen available this season. The past twenty years have seen a boom in interest in gardening and in gardening design particularly. In this book the author sets out to display the very best of garden design and has chosen from among the most talented designers of our time. Christopher Lloyd, Piet Oudolf, Sarah and Monty Don, Sarah Raven, Dan Pearson, Penelope Hobhouse, Dan Kiley, Martha Schwartz, Fernando Caruncho and Topher Delaney are the familiar names among others of international reputation. The publicity blurb puts it very well, ‘Here on display are 35 private gardens designed for the rich and famous by the talented and creative.’ This is a lavish production, full of outstanding photographs – what you would expect from House and Garden –of exceptionally beautiful gardens from North America and Europe, with one from Japan. They are simply stunning in themselves but are also a great indication and record of present day horticultural design. This is the one you will want for yourself! [The New Garden PARADISE – Great Private Gardens of the World,  Dominique Browning and the editors of House and Garden, W.W. Norton and Company,  New York & London, 2005, HB, 464pp, £30, ISBN 0-393-05939-1]

Dorling Kindersley has a deserved reputation as publisher of books of the highest quality with excellent illustrations and photographs, well organised, clear and user-friendly layouts all on sale at very reasonable and competitive prices. When such an organisation combines forces with the Royal Horticultural Society to publish a book, such as Perennials, it scarce needs praise or recommendation from me. You will be familiar with these encyclopaedia-type books and so it is important to point out the differences in this volume. More usually, I have had books of this nature covering all manner of plants between one pair of bookends: trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, biennials etc. This book deals purely with plants which may be considered herbaceous perennials in our climate. As it does not set out to cover the whole gamut of garden plants the authors/contributors are able to give a more in-depth coverage to the type under consideration. Because of this the range covered is excellent; there is room for many outstanding photographs and the text accompanying each entry is fuller than found in other similar publications. Why do I not sound terribly enthusiastic? It can only be that I expected no less. Dorling Kindersley and the Royal Horticultural Society have a tried and trusted history of high quality horticultural publications and they have done it again with this book. This is an excellent book, a solid reference book for someone gone past the beginner stages of their gardening interest and extending their interest in a wider range of plants. [Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Perennials, Dorling Kindersley, London, 2006, HB, 495pp, £25, ISBN-13: 978 1 40530 600 3]

Finally, allow me to recommend a beautiful book about a group of people who have created beauty for our enjoyment through the art of flower painting. This is A History and Dictionary of British Flower Painters 1650 – 1950 by Josephine Walpole. The author initially gives a short introduction to floral art from around the world before confining her attention to British flower painters in the period selected. This section occupies slightly over half of the book and is so beautifully illustrated that one is loathe leaving it to continue to the dictionary section. Many of the illustrations are of plants in their natural setting, others of material obviously picked and brought to the studio and others still of the most beautiful floral arrangements – these will certainly appeal to the flower arrangers among you. All are beautiful and many stunningly so; truly something to feast the eyes upon.

The second section of the book is a dictionary of British Flower Painters born between 1650 and 1950. The entries, in their length or lack of it, no doubt illustrate the standing of the artists but sufficient detail is given to satisfy the reader. Illustrations in this section of the book are in black and white and are smaller than those in the earlier chapters, yet allow the author to include a greater number than might otherwise be possible. This section is reference material and though valuable has neither the visual interest nor beauty of the earlier part of the book. This is a beautiful and very enjoyable book. [A History and Dictionary of British Flower Painters 1650 – 1950, Antique Collectors’ Club, Suffolk, 2006, HB, 236pp, £35, ISBN 10: 1 85149-504-5]


I have attached images of the covers below but in greyscale as this is how I had them stored on my computer in preparation for a book review for a garden society newsletter which I edit here in Ireland.

EDIT: Apologies. I am working on a slow internet connection at the moment and have posted the images in a low resolution to allow me to post them. Hope they appear reasonably well for you. P.

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

Paddy, I am sure the images are sufficient to allow readers to get a "feeling" for the look of the books when they go shopping. I know we should all be making life easier for ourselves by using the ISBN numbers to ID what we're searching for, but  in a shop, I'm sure I'm not the only one who begins by using my eyes to see if I can spot the target!!
Thanks for this new page, Paddy, we hope you will be adding to it as time allows you.

[Paddy Tobin]

Thank you, Maggi.

Hope it is of interest to forum users.

Paddy

[Geebo]

Hi All
Is there anyone who has a copy available of Brian Mathew A Gardners Guide to Hellebores,Please send me an @mail,I would like to purchase.The book is out of print.
Gheers,
Guy.

[Maggi Young]

Alpine Plants, Ecology for Gardeners

A new book of interest to many of us here!
'Alpine Plants, Ecology for Gardeners' by John E G Good and David Millward, is an authoritative and practical guide to understanding alpines for all gardeners. Co-published with the Alpine Garden Society, the book studies in detail the ecology of alpine plants for the benefit of the keen alpine gardener.

The authors are well known to this Forum, of course! Since the book is co-published with the AGS we'll forgive the fact that the membership of both authors of the SRGC isn't stated!
See this page at the Reckless Gardener site for a review:
http://www.recklessgardener.co.uk/books/book20.htm


Book details:
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: B.T. Batsford Ltd (4 April 2007)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0713490179
ISBN-13: 978-0713490176

[DaveM]

Many thanks Maggi for pointing to this review, the first we've seen. Just hope the rest are as kind as this one........

Doctor Rock ....aka..... the Rock Doc

[Maggi Young]

My pleasure, Dave... we have suggested to the publisher that they might care to have the book reviewed for this forum, but no reply as yet! 

[Paddy Tobin]

Oh, is that you Dave?

I have the book to hand but have only glanced through it to date. I have a few days holidays and will be able to read it at my leisure now.

Paddy

[DaveM]

Indeed it is I. The book was John Good's magmum opus. He is a professional ecologist and for some years he has lectured to rock garden groups on the ecology of alpines. I contributed the geology bits which also expand on a talk that I have given to many of the Rock Garden Club groups in Scotland and AGS groups in northern England. Hope you find the book interesting. I should be pleased to hear your opinion.
Dave

[Paddy Tobin]

Dave,

From first impressions I know I will like the book. This is why I have left it. I had to read six books during the last week for a book review article; yours was not included as I wanted to read it at leisure. The others were books which could be read at speed without losing much.

Paddy

[Paddy Tobin]

WIN A COPY OF ALPINE PLANTS, ECOLOGY FOR GARDENERS BY JOHN E.G. GOOD & DAVID MILLWARD.


Eventually I have come round to posting this review, something I said I would do more than a month ago. Other books intervened again. To make up for my tardiness I have consulted with Maggi and have posted 7 photographs of plants below the review by way of competition. Identify the plants and send your answer to Maggi, offline. The winner will receive a copy of the book. The book came courtesy of the publishers.

Closing date: entries extended until 8am 12th June 2007

Maggi is judge and jury, her rules are final, her judgement is final, no niggling disagreements.
All with fully correct answers will be put into the proverbial hat and a winner drawn.

Alpine Plants
Ecology for Gardeners
John E. G. Good & David Millward.

Alpine plants may fare better in your garden after you read this book. While plants are not the main focus of attention in the book they will certainly be the clear beneficiaries, for those who read it are more likely to understand and grow their alpine plants far better.

Rather than focus on plants this book directs its attention on the ecosystems in which these plants grow and aims to lead readers to a better understanding of the ecology of alpine plants so that they may better grow these plants in their gardens. A quotation from Robert G. Ingersoll (1833 – 1899) on the title page succinctly sums up the book, “In nature there are neither rewards nor punishment; there are only consequences.”

This is rather a challenge to the attitudes of Irish gardeners as we are wont to say of a departed plant, “It died on me.”  Now we must, perhaps, reconsider and entertain the thought that some action of ours may have actually led to this demise. An uncomfortable concept yet one which the book bears out very clearly.

The introductory chapter outlines the concept of ecosystems and gives a short introduction to the various alpine zones in which plants grow, what are the causal factors for these zones and the vegetation types which occur within these zones.

A more detailed treatment of the arctic and alpine ecosystems and the plant types which grow there follows. Following chapters deal with climate, snow cover, geology and soil (Dave’s area of expertise, I believe!). Nutrition, reproduction, distribution and the effects of climate change are covered subsequently giving a treatment of growing conditions for alpine plants which it thorough, informative and thought provoking.

As said earlier, this book does not set out to tell us how to grow alpine plants but with the background information that this book provides the reader should certainly have a better understanding of the various factors and influences on these plants in the wild and by applying this knowledge may grow alpine plants more successfully in the garden.

I liked this book; a good step up from the ‘how-to’ type of book or the ‘picture-and-description’ type we so commonly encounter. It is a book with substance, something to say, worth saying and well said. The book aims to inform and does so admirably.

What is left to the reader? Why, the application of this newly gained knowledge.

Read on, grow better.

[Alpine Plants: Ecology for Gardeners, John E. G. Good & David Millward, Batsford, London, 2007, HB, 176pp, £25, ISBN 0 7134 9017 9]

Paddy

[David Nicholson]

God! that's tough.

[Maggi Young]

God! that's tough.

Yes, I thought so too! But think of the nice prize! Paddy, bless him, thought that all but one were quite straightforward... Still, I know there are lots of you out there who will get most or even all the answers.... not just the four I managed!! So, let's be hearing from you! Send your answers by Personal Message to me, Maggi Young... NOT in a posting in this thread.

Good Luck!

[Paddy Tobin]

David,

They're not tough at all - for me that is as they are in the garden and I know them over the years. I tried to pick the plants so that some would be recognisable to all and some would challenge all so as to separate the experts from the more expert.

Have a go. It's meant to be a bit of fun. Also it does draw a bit of attention to a book co-authored by one of our forum members, the Rockman himself, and I do believe it is important to support our own.

Hoping a good number of people participate. It's worth having a go. You may think you don't know all the answers but then again, how many does the next person know?

Maggi is the only one who will know this.

Have fun.

Paddy

[Carol Shaw]

Just to let you all know I will have Alpine Plants, Ecology for Gardeners if you are looking to buy