3 comments about Plant Form: An Illustrated Guide to Flowering Plant Morphology.

1. Dear Auther, I'm a Botanist in Egypt and I wanna buy your last edition of this book published by Oxford University Press but ther's nothing about its price or way to buy. magdy_gado@yahoo.com



2. "This book is intended [to provide an] attractive and workable compendium of flowering plant morphology ..." [quote from cover]. It certainly does this; in 341 pages richly illustrated with captivating color photographs and exquisite line drawings. An academic yet attractive overview of the immense variety of form that has evolved in Angiosperms.

   First published in 1991, reprinted in 1993 (with corrections), reprinted 1998. This last edition, compared to the 1991 original, is printed on slightly yellower paper and is a little more 'black' in print, taking away something from the beauty of the photographs and the crispness of the printed text.




3. Plant Form has been out of print for a long time, so I was excited to see it released as a new edition (2008). I have been wanting to get a copy of this book for a while, and was thoroughly impressed when I finally got my hands on the new edition.
   
   Why have I been wanting to get a copy of this book for so long?
   
   First; this book is unique in its approach describing flowering plant morphology (ie. comparative anatomy) according to the "big picture." This book does not include the typical cellular structures and details typical of so many college textbooks on morphology. Instead, one is immersed in the vegetative characters one finds when actually walking up to a plant. This book focuses from the perspective of a hand lens all the way up to tree architecture. Plant Form is as required for to those interested in plant systematics as for those in plant ecology.
   
   Second; the plants used for examples in this book are exceptional. This book is not a dry catergorization of plant parts; stems, leaves, ... No, this book includes examples of curiosities and odd-balls from all across the botanical world, which really serves to elucidate the subtleties of plant morphology. Many of these fascinating topics I have found only in specialized courses on tropical plant morphology, all of which lacked textbooks.
   
   Third; Plant Form, while potentially useful for a specialized course in botany, is interesting to everyone. Literally, everyone. No formal or technical knowledge is necessary; no small feat as the science of botany is famous for its vast lexicon based on Latin and Greek. What really makes this book so interesting is its great drawings and photographs which immediately draws one into the diverse world of plants. Plant Form is one of the best coffee-table books around.
   
   Case in point, it does't matter whether you are a professional botanist, amateur naturalist, avid gardener, or an artist who likes painting plants. You will love this book.
   But if you are a professional or budding botanist, you need to get a copy.
   
   As for problems with Plant Form, the only problem I have noticed is the omission of family names for the species mentioned in the text (family names are in the index). But this is really a trifling problem, barely worth mentioning. Great Book.

5 comments about The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, Revised and Expanded.

1. The author spends a great deal of time telling you how to plant, transplant, fertilize, etc. She spends way too much space on basics of horticulture. Surely, anyone interested in selling flowers already knows how to grow them! The Ball RedBook would be a better reference for plant-specific growing advice. This book has extensive information about marketing and field yields, but I would take her advice with a grain of salt. I do not agree with some of her calculations and her other information is so far off the mark that I do not trust her opinions in this regard either.
   
   The best info in this book is from her "case studies". The farmers she interviews give good information about their methods and mistakes, but very few specifics about the most important topic: preservation. Just as top chefs will alter recipes so that no one can duplicate their materpieces exactly, most flower growers are very tight-lipped about their secrets and will write pages and pages without giving specifics. This book is true to form. "Proper contitioning" tips go no farther than adding sugar or asprin, or buying commercial (and expensive!) potions.
   
   My greatest complaint has to do with her guide to cut flowers at the end of the book. Some flowers that keep beautifully (after conditioning) are dismissed as having "no vase life". For example: Poppies and Cleome are dismissed as lasting a day or two, but using certain methods my Cleome lasted 2 WEEKS in the vase and won a blue ribbon at the county fair, and poppies can fetch $5 a stem and last 7-10 days if you do it right. "Flowers for Sale" by Lee Sturdivant has much better conditioning and plant selection information.



2. Lynn Byczynski's book is terrific! It has all the information that you need to pursue a career as a flower farmer. It has given me the information that I was seeking to make a career change and become a farmer's market flower grower. Especially appreciated the "Source and references" section.



3. When they think of farming, most folk conjure up images of grains, vegetables, and livestock. One very active and lucrative area of specialized farming is the growing and harvesting of flowers -- mostly for the ubiquitous flower shops that are to be found in very town and village. Now in a newly revised and significantly expanded edition, "The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide To Raising And Selling Cut Flowers" by Lynn Byczynski (who draws upon her considerable experience and expertise as the publisher and editor of the monthly industry newsletter 'Growing for Market' and her operation of the Wild Onion Farm in Lawrence Kansas) is the ideal instruction manual and guide for novice and experienced gardeners and farmers alike who wish to take full advantage of new techniques for prolonging their harvests, utilizing greenhouses, selecting flower cultivars, and post-harvest handling for growers throughout North American supplying commercial markets with their flowers. Enhanced with a resource directory, complete with sources for seeds, plants, supplies, and expert information on organic production under the guidelines and standards of the National Organic Program, "The Flower Farmer" will prove to be as valuable as it is indispensable whether growing flowers for fun, family and friends in the back garden, or for commercial profit on the acres of a farm.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. This book is a great resource if you want to grow flowers for a living. I have to warn you, if you love flowers as much as I do, you may have a problem cutting and selling them. Oh, well. I still do sell tomatoes.



5. This is the greatest book. It has answered all my questions and the ones I didn't know to ask. Highly recommended to anyone starting a business in flowers.

2 comments about Flowering Plant Families of the World.

1. The predecessor of this book, Flowering Plants of the World, was a well-known reference for decades to many who love plants. There is a strong sense of continuity between these two books, if for no other reason that both use the same illustrations. In fact the continuity goes further and also involves much of the contents, as evidenced by the error of zebrawood being supplied by a species of Connarus, a myth that was debunked in the 1940's.
   
   Where the earlier book was based on the Cronquist system, with the plant families arranged by order, this book is (loosely) based on APG II (2003), with the plant families arranged by alphabet. As to recognition of families, this book adopts a splitter's philosophy, recognizing 506 families (versus 457 in APG II). The book recognizes families such as Bombacaceae, Cneoraceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. The classification in this book will not be found in any other reference, but this splitter's policy may help the book retain its value in these times of constant change in plant classification.



2. This is an impressive, dense, fact-filled book with wonderful illustrations and distribution maps. It is as useful for plant biologists as it is for anyone else, whether you are interested in evolutionary relationships of plants, or just simply wondering where certain foods come from. Citations are acknowledged along with each family description for quick reference to the primary literature.

No comments about Moth Orchids: The Complete Guide to Phalaenopsis.

5 comments about To Have & To Hold: Magical Wedding Bouquets.

1. this book is as good as anything i have seen on this subject[and probably better than most]



2. Es una estupenda referencia sobre las ideas que buscan las personas cuando de solicitar ramos para boda se refieren... incluso algunas quinceañeras lo han tomando como referencia para escoger el ramo que llevarán a la iglesia.



3. I bought this book for my sister who is getting married soon. She loved the book! It has given her great ideas and pictures for her to express to her florist what she wants. Most of the bouquets are unique and the wrappings around the flowers are a wide variety and have great ideas. I would recommend the book.



4. I'm marrying in November and went to the library to look up books on wedding flowers; this one came out to be my favorite so far. Although some of the advice is a little too frou-frou for my tastes (if you want Spring flowers in December, then have at it!), the bouquets and flowers are gorgeous. I actually read the captions for the photos more than anything else.
   
   The book is quite inspiring with several flower types that you never thought to use, plus interesting wrapping of the stems.
   
   My biggest cheer is for the size and quality of the photos. You can search online all you like for beautiful bouquets, and most of the time you get pixelated crap with colors that don't match the flowers at all.



5. When looking for something fresh and new for my wedding flowers, I sifted through dozens of books that showed the same old arrangements and nothing new or creative. I own another of Stark and Adler's books, and was pleased to see they had written a wedding flower book. I was over the moon after ordering the book. The designs are simply beautiful! The flower choices are artistic, simple and help a bride to choose the right flowers for the growing season in which her wedding takes place. I carried this book to my florist and we recreated several of the arrangements for my bridal bouquets and table arrangements. Everyone was impressed with the floral arrangements and the vibrant color choices. This is the one book you need, if you are looking for a fresh, vibrant and artistic look for your wedding.

4 comments about Growing & Using Lavender: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-155 (Storey Publishing Bulletin, a-155).

1. This summer I planted 80 lavender plants in honor of my mom who recently passed away. This book has been a major part of the success my garden has achieved, with 2 harvestings of lavender to date. An excellent resource and inspiration for how to grow and use lavender



2. This little gem is so full of useful information it puts the other books I have on lavender to shame. Not only does it discuss the many varieties of lavender and their history and growing wants/needs. But one learns how to propagate, trim and use the various lavenders be it in bath items or medicinally, cooking or as gifts. I grow lavender and make various things from the plants but really want to try making the 'Net sachets' shown on page 24 which are gorgeous!



3. This is a brief bulletin of information but still quite helpful. Ms. Barrett touches on the types, the maintenance and the uses of lavender. It's a small book, but I found tips and recipes in here that were missing in other lavender books. It's plain and simple, short and sweet. A very good basic reference book.



4. This little book is a real gem. It had practical, useful information about growing Lavender, which is exactly what what I wanted!

5 comments about Herbaceous Perennial Plants: A Treatise on Their Identification, Culture and Garden Attributes.

1. Armitage's book is a well organized, packed full of useful information, and yet simple to use reference which is perfect for the novice gardener, or professional horticulturist. It is well written, and understandable, giving a good idea of the particular merits and disadvantages of various species. Armitage's voice comes through the layers of facts, giving the reader a pleasant meander through the book. I highly recommend this well researched work to any who dabble in the plant world, or make their living through it. In addition, a good companion to this book would be "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" by Michael A. Dirr. Both references should be on the bookshelves of those who are horticulturally inclined!



2. This is one of my absolute favorite references on perennial garden plants. Alan Armitage really gives you a "feel" for each plant, giving you the sense that you know its likes and dislikes before you've even seen one. He includes all the information you need: cultural information including cold and heat hardiness, identification information, and propagation. Much of this is provided in a descriptive format which is very useful because the minor quirks of each plant can be included. I have found his information right on target nearly 100% of the time. Of great value is his experience in a variety of climates. This makes it possible for you to judge accurately how a plant will perform for you. I have the first edition of this book as well. If you are familiar with that edition, this is nearly identical in style and format, but with expanded species and cultivar listings. A few species, such as ironweed, are new. Others, such as trillium, appear to be greatly expanded, with more information on identifying the species and varieties within the genus. Cultivar listings are greatly expanded and have been brought up-to-date. If you already have the first edition, I believe buying the second is well worth it if you are a dedicated gardener or gardening professional--but certainly not a necessity. The sections on lilies and peonies and iris, and other such plants that have their own societies and numerous books all their own, appear to be unexpanded (which is probably wise).



3. This perennial encyclopedia is written in a wonderfully engaging conversational tell it like it is style that is very entertaining to read. For example, of the Meconopsis poppy he writes "...the Himalayan Blue poppy elicits classic garden emotions of beauty, grandeur, awe and most of all, frustration and failure." But beyond his wicked wit is an absolute wealth of valuable information. My primary interest is in starting perennial flowers from seeds and I have found more good information here in this one book than in all my propagation books combined--I can see it is going to be my perennial "Seed Bible" for years to come. I always feel a little nervous when pulling the trigger (and purchasing) any book at this price--but this one is a gem that is bursting with information, wit and wisdom and I consider it an extraordinary value.



4. Allan Armitage knows his plants. That's what I've always heard, and this book amply demonstrates it. This book covers just about every garden perennial grown in North America, including many that most of us would consider annuals or at best tender perennials (e.g., cannas). Armitage isn't afraid to tell his opinion of any plant, straightforwardly telling the reader that that's exactly what he's doing--something I especially appreciate as gardening is such an individual and idiosyncratic activity. Anybody who feigns objectivity with regard to gardening is being disingenuous at best.

   There are two major drawbacks with this book. The first, and most forgivable, is the dearth of color photos. There are just a few tucked in the middle of the book, illustrating a small minority of the plants discussed in the text. Color photos are expensive, and given a choice between pretty pictures and informative text, I'm at a point in my gardening life where I'll go with the text. I can always look up the pictures in the other gardening books I have, which often have precious little information to go with them. Unfortunately, this will probably discourage many a casual book browser from buying this book--people want to see the pretty pictures, darn it! But that's not the author's fault, and it's a shame, since this book has so much good information. Unfortunately, the line drawings that stand in for photos of many of the plants are very uneven in quality, and some are worse than no picture at all.

   The second major fault, and one that I found very frustrating and far less forgivable given that Armitage is an expert in his field as well as a professional, is the large number of typographical errors, misspellings, and other errors in the book. Did anybody bother to proofread this thing??? Both plant names and other words are misspelled. In more than one case, a word or name is misspelled the same way more than once (e.g., "Hildago" for "Hidalgo", Yucca "filimentosa" for "filamentosa"), suggesting that they are not simple goofs or typos. Gardeners have a hard enough time spelling plant names without being misled by the pros! These errors mar what is otherwise an excellent and informative book.




5. This is my go to reference for perennial plants. Informative, witty, just a good read for serious gardeners. More information on culture of specific cultivars than any other.
   
   Unfortunately, I'm told that Dr. Armitage has retired from the University of Georgia and is now turning his attention to shrubs, so I suspect we will not see another edition of this book. If you love gardening, get this one while you can.
   
   A Virginia Gardener

4 comments about Easy Orchids: The Fail-Safe Guide to Growing Orchids Indoors.

1. My mother really likes orchids and grows them. I wanted to get her an orchid book that had great photos, good recommendations and ideas, had different thing that she could look at. She loved it and raved about it!! There are a lot of orchid books but I guess I found a good one for her :)



2. This is a wonderful book for the neophyte orchid lover. It answered the questions I had about different types,showed the pictures and answered the how and what to do when the blooms die, when to feed and how to transplant.



3. Much needed information - I'm a beginner in orchids and found it very helpful. Love the pictures also



4. It is a good book for people who are beginners in orchid grow. I use this book as a handbook.

5 comments about Ribbonwork The Complete Guide: Technique Guide for Making Ribbon Flowers and Trimmings.

1. This is the 3rd book I've bought on making ribbon flowers and it is certainly the one to make it easier for you. Her flower directons make your ribbon flowers look like the ones you buy.



2. This book is all you need to know - materials, techniques, inspiration for projects. If you'd like to learn ribbonwork, this is the only book you need.



3. Excellent. Very easy instructions and easy projects. I was immediately able to make beautiful flowers out of ribbon. Highly recommended.



4. when you want to make a gift special this book will have your flowers very creative and lets you pick those special colors with out a lot of mess. great book



5. highly recommended. beautiful photos - clear instructions - gorgeous designs. As a vintage ribbon work lover, this book has it all.

No comments about Timber Press Guide to Gardening in the Pacific Northwest.