No comments about Growing Dwarf Bulbs (Wisley Handbook).

5 comments about Bulbs in Bloom.

1. Wow! I bought this book for my Mom for mother's day. The photos are hyper close-ups and so beautiful. It's a great coffee table book, and has the added benefit of a succinct section on chosing the right bulbs, planting storing, and using bulbs in container gardens. Very clever, very pretty.



2. This is a beautiful, artfully done book. I saw it for the first time just after viewing the Georgia O'Keefe art show in San Francisco. I was inspired by the show to look at flowers in books, and when I leafed through this book, I found the photographs as beautiful as the art work I had just enjoyed. The photos are works of art, very close up and extremely well choreographed. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a gorgeous collection of photos of beautiful bulbs in bloom!



3. I was searching for a gift for my sister, who is a bulb and gardening master. After taking a closer look at the gorgeous photos and great practical advice, I bought a copy for myself as well! If you love flowers, you'll love this book.



4. Hi,

   I'm a serious amatuer photographer and had heard a lot about this book. This is not a "how-to" book. I knew that going in. All the photographs have a black background or a white background. They are all approximately square. The author says he does this so we focus on the photos and not the background. After a few pages I got bored of the white and black backgrounds. If you read Shaw's books he'll tell you that black backgrounds in particular are very un-natural looking. In our world with a Sun a black background seldom occurs. Some of the white background shots look like a cheap Photoshop knockout. Although the author claims he uses only a lighted white backdrop to produce the effect. All in all, just not as moving as many have described it. You'd be much, much better off buying Shaw's book "Close-ups in Nature". I ended up sending mine back.




5. The flowers are just beautiful. I bought this book to use as reference photos for drawing/painting. It's better than I anticipated.

1 comments about Spring Bulbs: Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths.

1. There are lots of books on spring bulbs with glorious photos of tulips and daffodils, but finally here is a book that treats hyacinths as something other than a brief afterthought. If you thought hyacinths come only in light pink, white, or blue prepare to be amazed. There are soft orange, almost black purple, yellow, lilac, and wine hyacinths. Most are single flowers but some have frilly double florets. Chapter 6 (20 pages) is nothing but hyacinths--photos of florets from different cultivars in side by side comparison, descriptions of over 100 species and cultivars, and history and cultivation tips. For those with an interest in old Victorian varieties, Geoff Stebbings gives the introduction date, the introducer and even the parents where known. He does the same excellent job for daffodils and tulips in other chapters, but there are other books that cover them. However, if like me you have been enchanted by the sweet smell of hyanciths and want to know more, this is the book to get.

3 comments about Naturalizing Bulbs.

1. Read a great review of this book in the Denver Post recently (12/97). Lauren Springer loved it and I bought it for no other reason than Rob's name and her praise. If you are looking for guidance from someone who knows what's up with high altitude and mountain states gardening, this is it.



2. Proctor uses stories, pictures and great text to explain how to use bulbs in a practical way. He presents the limitations, as well as the advantages, of each kind of bulb. He is realistic about the maintenance issues involved, and does a great job of explaining the use of different bulbs in different environments around the country. He does all of this with a sense of humor that makes reading the book a pleasure.



3. I would not normally have purchased a book on such a specialized topic --- especially since Proctor and co-author Lauren Springer cover much of the same ground for my area of the country in Passionate Gardening --- but at the price I bought it, this book was a steal. Proctor is knowledgeable and opinionated, and his books are always a delight to read. Here, he covers the process of selecting and planting bulbs for long-term, self-sustaining growth and enjoyment. He divides the bulbs up by season of bloom and discusses bulbs appropriate for all areas of the country. This is a useful reference work for selecting and situating bulbs to mazimize their performance.

2 comments about Daffodils for North American Gardens.

1. Becky and Brent Heath have covered every question anyone could ask about daffodils. We never realized how easy this wonderful flower was to grow, hybridize and cultivate until we read this book. The Heaths bring years of commercial growing success to the home gardener--and create an inspiring guide for anyone who wishes to have plenty of this spring delight!!



2. Most of my daffodil work is with older species, and critters I dig off old lots and in the woods. However, the pub is an excellent reference for grower's in any catagory! They will also answer questions!!

No comments about Magic of Irises.

5 comments about The Gardener's Guide to Growing Daylilies (Gardener's Guide).

1. I've read Munson's and Hill's books on daylilies and they are better for cultivating daylilies or provide a more in depth study. Grenfell's book is informative but not sufficiently detailed if the reader wants to cross cultivate or try to developing a cultivar. Better information is available on the internet websites.



2. Spotlighted with gorgeous color photographs, The Gardener's Guide To Growing Daylilies by gardening expert Diana Grenfell (Co-founder of the British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society) is a solid "how-to" instructional reference book for even the most novice gardening with an eye for these beautiful late-summer flowers. Individual chapters definitively cover the different species and hybrids of Daylilies, garden uses, provide a wealth of meticulous cultivation advice, and so much more. A strongly recommended addition to personal and community library gardening and horticultural reference collections and supplemental reading lists, The Gardener's Guide To Growing Daylilies is as gorgeous to page through as it is useful to refer from.



3. Diana Grenfell's guide to growing daylilies covers daylilies from 551-479 BC to the present. She clearly presents a broad view of this beloved perennial, with excellent insight. From cultivating to breeding, terminology to forms, colors and cultivar recommendations, this book is as good as there is on the subject of daylilies.



4. Diana Grenfell's guide to growing daylilies covers daylilies from 551-479 BC to the present. She clearly presents a broad view of this beloved perennial, with excellent insight. From cultivating to breeding, terminology to forms, colors and cultivar recommendations, this book is as good as there is on the subject of daylilies.



5. Published in 1998, Diana Grenfell's The Gardener's Guide to Growing Daylilies is a few years older than Peat and Petit's The Daylily A Guide for Gardeners, from the same publishers; with in excess of 1,600 new plants registered each year in Daylily terms that is quite a big gap!
   
   In 15 chapters Diana Grenfell, of the specialist Hemerocallis growers Apple Court in Hampshire, covers much of the same ground as Messrs Peat and Petit, with chapters on the Early History & Botany, Hemerocallis Species and Modern Hybrids. There are chapters which deal with Diploids Versus Tetraploids, Daylilies in the Garden, and Breeding Daylilies. Daylily Collections looks at collections in Europe and particularly the UK. Finally there are chapters from different contributors which discuss in turn Daylilies in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The last chapter looks at Cultivation.
   
   The biggest section however is A Selection of the Best Daylilies, which lists daylilies according to colour. There are also chapters devoted to Small-Flowered & Miniature Daylilies and Spider & Unusual Daylilies. The book is illustrated throughout with colour photographs depicting over 150 different species and cultivars, and the colours are believable; there are also many line drawings which clearly explain much of the terminology used to describe the flowers.
   
   But perhaps the real appeal of this book is in the descriptions of the plants. In addition to the basic details of size, flowering period ect, the author offers her evaluation and comments on the species and cultivars appearance and performance, particularly in cooler climates such as found in Britain. There is also useful advice on how to choose plants that will perform well in ones own particular garden, so while there be many newer introductions since the books publication, the reader is equipped to make wise decisions when it comes to choosing from among these.

No comments about The Gardener's Guide to Bulbs: Over 50 varieties of bulb and a guide to growing them in every season, with over 800 photographs.

No comments about Annuals and Bulbs (Rodale's Successful Organic Gardening).

No comments about Lois Hole's Favorite Bulbs: Better Choices, Better Gardens.