Books you may like to hear about

[Maggi Young]

It would make a cracking Xmas present for any nerine-lovers in your life...

It certainly would.... and not break the bank, either!

[FrazerHenderson]

Great website with new books at bargain prices, many of interest to rock gardeners

http://www.psbooks.co.uk/General_Interest_Gardening_Fts.asp  


And a recent great read was The Tulip Anthology by Ron van Dongen. It usually retails from $80.00/£40.00 but can be obtained at Photo Books International, London for under half-price.

A review (not mine) of the book can be obtained at

[manicbotanic]

ive just treated myself to flowers of western china by phillip crib and chris grey wilson..very nice it is to.the only problem i now have more plants to track down!!!

[FrazerHenderson]

ive just treated myself to flowers of western china by phillip crib and chris grey wilson..very nice it is to.the only problem i now have more plants to track down!!!

And there's an article by Phillip in the December issue of the AGS Journal to futher whet your interest:

http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/pdf_files/news/AG-DEC2011--Contents.pdf

[ashley]

The Orchids of Ireland by Curtis & Thompson (2009) is a book I'd recommend to anyone with an interest.  Apparently cheaper here

[Lina Hesseling]

If you need a small gift for one of your gardening friend, I can recommend: "The gardener's year" by Karel Capek. It is one of the funniest books about gardening. I have been reading it several times and gave it as a present several times.

[fermi de Sousa]

I agree, Lina, I got it the previous Christmas
Well worth the search through the second hand book sites
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Ian has a review of Michael Mitchell's book "Alpines, an essential guide" in this week's Bulb Log.... follow the link below...
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2012Jan251327484353BULB_LOG__0412.pdf

[Tim Ingram]

As someone who finds it just as impossible to pass by books as I do plants, I have just started to read 'The Undaunted Garden' by Lauren Springer Ogden. This is the story of gardening in the dry and harsh climate of Colorado but still rings a lot of bells with rock gardeners. She comments for example that it is second nature with rock gardeners to really learn about the plants they grow. Elsewhere when describing the relative homogenity of gardening throughout North America she says that [It is as though] 'A nation of bold pioneers and innovators has seemed to wither when it comes to adventurous gardening, planting the same few dozen plants in the same few dozen ways, from sea to shining sea.' It rings some bells! (even if we do live in a land of great gardens). Of course there are many adventurous gardeners around but it's always nice to be prodded along by such heartfelt writing. So I am looking forward to getting into the book properly and making my own little corner of Colorado!

[Maggi Young]

Sounds a good read, Tim.
Coincidentally, we had a talk on Colorado from Sandy Leven last evening at the Aberdeen Group: super talk.

I have never been to the States and I was surprised at how many verdant areas there are in a state that I imagined would be much more arid. 

[illingworth]

Another good book by Lauren Springer Ogden and Scott Ogden is Plant - Driven Design; Creating gardens that honor plants, place and spirit (Timber Press). It is illustrated with lots of ideas and pictures from the authors' own gardens in Colorado and Texas, and also looks at plants and gardens in many different situations and regions.
Sharon




 Edit by maggi : link added http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plant-Driven-Design-Creating-Gardens-Plants/dp/0881928771

[David Nicholson]

My long awaited copy of the reprint of "A Guide to Species Irises:Their Identification and Cultivation" arrived today. It is a reprint of the original edited by The Species Group of the British Iris Society and is published by Cambridge University Press.

I've wanted to get my hands on a copy of this for a long time but baulked at paying the prices being asked for a second hand copy. Even today a copy of the original is for sale on ABE Books, from a UK based book seller for £320 plus p&p.

I may be wrong but I don't think the reprint has been updated (from the 1997 original) but it does include a Preface to the 2011 reprint in which reference is made to "....draw attention to some of the more invidious"[errors and omissions].

The Preface also includes "Sadly, for technical reasons, it has not been possible to reproduce the original plates in colour {which are now avaiable for download from www.cambridge.org/9780521206433}........." At the end of the book there are 128 black and white prints none of which are marked with the pages of the text where these species and forms are discussed. Perhaps we are spoilt by the coloured illustrations in available in modern books today and on The Internet.

Those points apart I look forward to sitting down and reading it.

[ronm]

One of mine arrived today David - £22, the other will be here in two days - £29. Both from the same supplier and both P&P free. One ordered much earlier than the other. Its good. Up to date.. no! but who is??? See I. polakii. . A worthwhile addition definitely.. if anyone wants a spare one?, also 'Moleskin' gets a mention,

[Paddy Tobin]

http://peterkornstradgard.se/bok.html

Peter Korn's book.

Paddy

[Lina Hesseling]

Paddy, I got this week the Garden Illustrated of February. The article about the Irish snowdrops was great. It is also great they mention your good work. Indeed, fame at last! Congratulations!

Lina.