Books about Cultivars from Amazon.com

The exquisite symmetry of the star-shaped blooms of saxifrages has captivated gardeners for centuries Close observation of their fine markings, artful color combinations, and graceful presence makes it eminently clear why they attract such an enthusiastic following. Many saxifrages come from mountain habitats that make them well-suited to rock gardens, troughs, and containers, but the diverse genus includes a huge range of garden worthy plants that deserve to be better known and more widely grown. This book brings together accounts of garden and wild saxifrages, their botany, history, cultivation and propagation. All sections of genus Saxifraga are described, first discursively for the general gardener and then from a botanical viewpoint. There are the dwarf cushion saxifrages whose perfect domes of foliage are studded with jewel-like flowers, the silver saxifrages whose distinctive rosettes and fountain sprays of white flowers associate well with ordinary garden plants, and the mossy saxifrages whose highly prized cultivars have enhanced gardens since the end of the nineteenth century. Malcolm McGregor's advice on using saxifrages in different parts of the garden and his list of the top 100 saxifrages will be invaluable to gardeners new to the genus and to experts who wish to diversify. This is the fascinating story of a true enthusiast's search for saxifrages in the wild, his techniques for successful cultivation, and his continuing quest for information. It will increase understanding of this plant, inspire everyone to grow more saxifrages in their gardens, and satisfy specialists and enthusiasts for decades to come.

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Price: $28.98 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Growing beautiful penstemons in your garden will become an addiction when you have this book that describes all 279 species and shows 32 different varieties in color on the covers. From one-inch mats to six-foot spires, there are species, cultivars and hybrids of penstemons for every type of garden. This book is written by members of the American Penstemon Society for beginning gardeners and gives detailed directions for growing penstemons from nurseries or starting them from seeds. A list of sources is provided. For more experienced gardeners, it brings together information about penstemons that is otherwise available only from multiple sources..
Price: $17.95 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In this fully updated work, Perry Slocum describes nearly 500 species and cultivars of the crowning jewels of water gardens, the waterlilies and lotuses. This book includes more than 130 of the best new hybrids introduced since the landmark Water Gardening: Water Lilies and Lotuses by Perry Slocum and Peter Robinson was published. All species and the major cultivars, including day- and night-blooming tropical and hardy waterlilies and lotuses, are described along with the author's and hybridizers' comments on the best landscape uses for each plant. Although the genera Nymphaea and Nelumbo receive special emphasis, a chapter is also devoted to the other genera in the waterlily family, Nuphar, Victoria, Euryale, Barclaya, and Ondinea. In addition to his achievements as a hybridizer, Slocum is an award-winning nature photographer. Waterlilies and Lotuses is illustrated with 350 stunning color photographs of these exotic beauties, with more than 100 photos published here for the first time. With information on hardiness, including maps for Europe and the United States, and an extensive list of suppliers of water gardening plants and equipment in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, Waterlilies and Lotuses is a truly definitive resource for water gardeners the world over..
Price: $22.35 [Notify me when price goes down.]

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Price: $4.14 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Full of solid, practical advice and plenty of how-to pictures, Fuchsias is an ideal title for those wanting all their questions answered about these lovely, easy-to-train flowers Focusing on possible combinations with different varieties, accompanying plants, containers, and growing conditions, you may end up with a different fuchsia in every corner--with 8,000 varieties, it'll be tempting. With so much detail on one particular type of plant, you'll find plenty of direction for growing healthy blooms, no matter what your specific needs may be.

Designed to be a complete do-it-yourself guide, don't let the small format of this book fool you--it's absolutely jam-packed with ideas for all styles of gardens, and as always, publisher Dorling Kindersley manages to take fairly complicated projects and reduce them to a manageable size that even the gardening novice can handle. Practical considerations are dealt with firmly--no skipping such detail work like careful propagation, and don't even think about overfeeding these hardy little troopers. The listings by size, bloom shape, color, and optimal conditions are very specific. New gardeners will find all kinds of useful tips.

Inspirational ideas are plentiful--the garden photographs are lush and detailed and provide all kinds of unusual notions for creating a truly unique gardening space. Whether you're looking to design a bloom-filled row of colorful baskets or a simple row of hardies around the patio, you'll find options for all your projects involving these lovely and versatile plants. --Jill Lightner.
Price: $19.55 [Notify me when price goes down.]