Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #218287 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Synopsis
Discovering old-fashioned roses is often the beginning of a love affair that lasts a lifetime. These beautiful plants offer you not only fragrance and beauty, but also a fascinating link with the past. In this beautiful yet practical book, some of the most popular old-fashioned roses are described in detail and illustrated in full colour. Over 160 species and varieties have been organised into groups such as Albas, Centifolas, Hybrid perpetual and Moss roses for easy reference. There is a complete chapter on the work done by David Austin in the 1950s and 1960s to create new English roses. Topics include: History; Species roses;Gallicas; Damasks; Albas; Centifolas; Moss roses; Ramblers; China roses; Portlands; Noisettes; Bourbons; Hybrid perpetuals; Teas and early hybrid teas; Hybrid musks; Climbers; Shrub roses & ramblers; Rugosas; David Austin roses; Cultivation; Pruning; and Landscaping ideas. This book is created for Firefly Books by the renowned New Zealand packager and publisher David Bateman and it features over 130 colour photographs by Juliet Nicholas.

Customer Reviews

A useful book on old roses
This is a useful book for anyone interested in old and Austin roses. Instead of the usual division into Gallicas, Damasks etc. the chapters are divided into 1. History, 2. Once-flowering old-fashioned roses, 3. Repeat-flowering old-fashioned roses, 4. David Austin roses, 5. Cultivation, 6. Landscaping with old roses and 7. Decadent diversions (odd title, the chapter gives a few recipes, for example a Rose Petal Conserve). The book has over 160 rose varieties and yes, it says on the back cover that it is for North American gardeners, but it just uses the USDA hardiness zones, which are easy to calculate for Europe and other areas. The equivalents can be found on the Internet. The varieties and their descriptions do not vary from country to country and the points made on gardening are useful in every area. The instructions on planting old roses are more detailed than is usual and they are specifically tailored to old bush roses. At the current price the book is a bargain and a worth while addition to one's rose library.

Nice pictures
Nice pictures. No practical information. Back cover states it is specialy for the N American market. Not a great deal of use in the UK! I wish Amazon would post this kind of information on the web site, then one wouldn't have to return the book.