Flower Guides
AllFlowers recommends the following flower guides and flower books. They will surely make you a gardening pro!
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100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names
by Diana Wells, Ippy Patterson (Illustrator)
From abelia to zinnia, here is a short history--and illustrations--of 100 common flowers. Take the poppy, for example; the botanical name Papaver is from the Latin, possibly going back to pap, a milky food that could have associations with the opium poppy's milky juice. The field or corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas, takes its botanical name from the Greek rhoeas, possibly from the root rho, meaning red.
Wells, who keeps a six-acre garden on a farm near Philadelphia, reminds us that corn poppies thrive in soil that has been freshly turned, because the seeds need light to germinate; and this is the sad reason they flourished in the battlefields of France during World War I--the ground had been churned up by guns and soldiers. This is a delightful book for browsing when it's too cold to be out in the garden. George Cohen
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Taylor's Encyclopedia of Garden Plants : The Most Authoritative Guide to the Best Flowers, Trees, and Shrubs for North American Gardens
by Frances Tenenbaum (Editor)
At the heart of every garden are the plants, which enhance our land and engage our souls. For gardeners, no matter how new or how advanced, whether we cultivate for ourselves or for landscaping clients, plants are the sine qua non. They intrigue us and inspire us. And the more we learn about them, the more they add to our pleasure in gardening.
For all of these reasons, every gardener needs a good plant encyclopedia. And, as the only plant encyclopedia written exclusively for North American gardeners, Taylor"s Encyclopedia of Garden Plants will be as useful twenty years from now as it is today. If a plant can"t be grown on this continent, you won"t find it here.
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Gardening For DummiesŪ
by Mike MacCaskey (Author), Bill Marken (Author)
Starting off with ultrabasics, like "how do I get my plants to live rather than die?" Gardening for Dummies is a terrific textbook for the novice gardener. Explanations are laid out simply, and all terms are defined as soon as they are first used--if you've never grown so much as a houseplant, this is the book to get you started. Emphasis is on choosing proper plants for your zone (it's OK--the color map will show you which zone you're in) that are fairly low-maintenance and high-success. Large sections on both seeds and bedding plants will give you lots of options and specific instructions for getting good results--seeds, especially, are treated as persnickety little critters that require some extra effort in exchange for low cost and large variety.
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Flowers: The Book of Floral Design
by Malcolm Hillier, Stephen Hayward (Photographer)
The flower arranger's bible from the bestselling floral designer. Simple or complex, discreet or exuberant, colorful or quiet, masses of inspired ideas fill the pages of this beautiful volume. Designs for every room in the home and every occasion are shown, from simple arrangements to brighten up your kitchen to elaborate displays for special dinner parties. Thanksgiving and other holiday themes are showcased, as are ideas for weddings and church occasions and flower gifts for birthdays, Mother's Day, and Valentine's day. Wealth Of Techniques: All practical aspects of flower design are clearly explained and illustrated, including assembling your essential kit; choosing and adapting containers; and selecting, buying, and preparing material.
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Foolproof Guide to Growing Roses
by Field Roebuck
This book covers the range from modern roses to antiques, why to choose own root or grafted roses, how to handles diseases and pests, and how to prepare the soil. The general orientation is for organic methods, but he presents the information without being judgmental. You won't feel guilty if you spray your roses, but he'll tell you how to avoid it most of the time by choosing easy-care varieties well suited to your own climate. All this, and I haven't yet mentioned the beuatiful photographs and helpful instructional drawings.
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