Books you may like to hear about

[Paddy Tobin]

Lina,

I have had to buy a new hat because my head had swollen so much! Fame has taken my by surprise. LOL

Re Peter's book, I do hope that an English edition is published. Peter says it is a possibility; says he will need help with translation, something I disagreed with as the translation might lose the flavour that Peter would give to the subject.

Paddy

[FrazerHenderson]

Old Carnations and Pinks by Rev. C. Oscar Moreton published by George Rainbird, London, 1955.

This hard back book is only 51pp., folio, with a splendid introduction by Sacheverell Sitwell and 8 glorious colour plates by Rory McEwen together with pictorial end papers.

Anyone with an interest in heritage plants would be well advised to purchase this book (it is available on ABE, Amazon etc). I obtained my copy in Penrith, England for a ridiculously low price. Rory McEwan's paintings are beautifully executed; I defy anyone not to be bowled over by his portrayal of "Old Irish Laced Pink from Avoca". I was tempted to photograph it but I couldn't do just justice to the colour tones, so instead here a couple of others.

[Casalima]

Old Carnations and Pinks by Rev. C. Oscar Moreton published by George Rainbird, London, 1955.

I was sure that this wonderful book was in the collection my father gave me (confirmed by my LibraryThing list) but I couldn't find it! My gardening books are sadly shelved in no particular order. I finally managed to find it in the most hidden/obscure bookcase! Thank you for reminding me!
I have too many books, I know. One day I have to have a garden that lives up to my book collection!

[Tim Ingram]

Paddy - it's really good to know about Peter Korn's book; even more encouragement to visit later in the year. I love that atmospheric cover photograph. I have only heard him speak once on his garden but imagine it would be almost possible to translate oneself from listening to him. This is a must have book...

[Paddy Tobin]

Tim, it is certainly one I would love to see in English. Paddy

[Maggi Young]

 News has come of the sad death of someone much involved in the world of 'alpine' books, Susan Clements of Defford, Worcestershire.

Susan Clements will have been known to AGS members both as a former volunteer at the Pershore garden and as an AGS show secretary. She worked for many years as AGS "book person" presenting them at various events, and, of course, mail order from Pershore. In this capacity AGS members will have come into contact with Susan from aross the world.
It is a great shame that Susan was not able to enjoy the long and happy retirement that she richly deserved.
Susan is survived by her husband Richard (who worked with Susan as a Show Sec.).

We send our sincere condolences to Richard, daughter Ruth and son Adrian at this sad time.

Too many of these sad notices lately.

[David Nicholson]

Just received a second hand book list from the following (don't know why, perhaps I've ordered from her in the past). It's a cracking list with some very good stuff on it and no doubt I'll be spending more of the kid's inheritance in the next few weeks. I can't say how competitive the prices are but, before I order, I'll be checking that. Thought I would share the details.

Valerie Merritt
17 King Edwards Road
Malvern Wells
Worcestershire
WR14 4AJ
UK

Tel: 01684 566777

valeriecmerrittATyahoo.com Replace the 'AT' with '@'

[daveyp1970]

Cheers for that David,can you recommend Brian Mathews dwarf bulbs.

[David Nicholson]

Yes I can Dave, I couldn't but recommend anything by Brian. It's on the List at £10, as is his "The Larger Bulbs" at £20, "The Iris" at £30 and "The Genus Lewisia" at £20.

As I said it's worth checking out the market on prices, I use ABE Books.

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/?cm_ven=ggl&cm_cat=Abebooks%20UK%20-%20corporate&cm_pla=abebooks_corporate&cm_ite=abebooks%5Bexact%5D

[FrazerHenderson]

For anyone with an interest in English Tulips I can thoroughly recommend Flames and Feathers which was published earlier this month by W&NETS. ISBN 978-0-95-323922-1.

Details on ordering etc can be obtained from the contacts page on www.tulipsociety.co.uk

check out also http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=5434.0

[Gerry Webster]

Cheers for that David,can you recommend Brian Mathews dwarf bulbs.

Mathew's later book The Smaller Bulbs (Batsford, 1987) is more comprehensive & detailed.

[ashley]

Apparently today is Fascination of Plants Day.   
Hoo'da thunk it? ... as my teens might say.

OUP is offering a 20% discount on quite a few of their botanical titles, as well as free access to some journal articles, here.

[Maggi, Kindly remove this post if considered an inappropriate commercial 'plug', albeit disinterested ]

[Tim Ingram]

With the great plethora of books about plants these days it can be hard to discover the real gems at times. This must have always been the case, but it is fascinating to discover the very same passion for growing plants some 180 years ago. We have several volumes of 'The Floricultural Cabinet' from the 1830's - they are beautifully illustrated with hand coloured plates, and could be said to be the version at the time of our modern day Forums. A great range of gardeners contributed - but hardly an alpine is mentioned! Having said that, an amazing variety of plants were being grown, many that it would be extremely rare to see in gardens today. These are just a few examples of the plates, which when you consider the great ease of reproduction these days, have an immense charm, and are very sensitively painted.

[Tim Ingram]

Good books must lie at the heart of any garden, especially those with the detailed interest in plants that alpine gardeners have. Although I had heard of the famous Scotsman John Muir, who became an American, I have never read his writing until recently and this book is just so wonderful to read for anyone who has spent time alone in the mountains and just breathed in the air! He can get carried away but then someone who climbs a 100 foot tree in a gale in California, and clings to the top as it swings in a 20° arc is not the ordinary sort of person! He does it because he knows he can and that the tree will not fall down - really amazing.

Journeys in the Wilderness - A John Muir Reader

There are few writers who have written so beautifully and intimately on the Natural Environment than John Muir. He was someone of such wide ranging accomplishments and yet so grounded in his surroundings that his words sound down from late nineteenth century as though written today. He played a leading role in the conservation movement in North America, and the creation of the famous Sierra Club. He had an appreciation of Nature in way that was both detailed and yet poetic, and this is what most comes across in his writings - an immersion in his surroundings. Here is a simple paragraph as an example on 'The Water Ouzel', comparable to the lovely 'Dipper' of British streams:-

'The waterfalls of the Sierra are frequented by only one bird - the Ouzel or Water Thrush (Cinclus Mexicanus, Sw). He is a singularly joyous and lovable little fellow, about the size of a robin, clad in a plain waterproof suit of bluish gray, with a tinge of chocolate on the head and shoulders. In form he is about as smoothly plump and compact as a pebble that has been whirled in a pot-hole, the flowing contour of his body being interrupted only by his strong feet and bill, the crisp wing tips, and the up-slanted wren-like tail.'

How words can convey what you see. He has a particular love of birds and later on makes a fascinating comparison between them and flowers, which must be true of people now as then:-

'Love for songbirds, with their sweet human voices, appears to be more common and unfailing than love for flowers. Every one loves flowers to some extent, at least in life's fresh morning, attracted to them as instinctively as humming-birds and bees. Even the young Digger Indians have sufficient love for the brightest of those found growing on the mountains to gather them and braid them as decorations for the hair. And I was glad to discover, through the few Indians that could be induced to talk on the subject, that they have names for the wild rose and the lily, and other conspicuous flowers, whether available as food or otherwise. Most men, however, whether savage or civilized, become apathetic toward all plants that have no other apparent use than the use of beauty.'

John Muir wrote about birds and flowers, the mountains and the weather, the people he met, all in the same way as 'The Water Ouzel', with affection and understanding. A book for everyone to read.

[ranunculus]

Beautifully put Tim.

May I also thoroughly recommend Muir's superb; 'The Mountains of California' with an excellent introduction by Bill McKibben?

A tremendous read.