Publications - AHS TAG - September/October 2004 Book Reviews

American Horticultural Society
The American Gardener
September/October 2004 Recommended Garden Books

Because the AHS Horticultural Book Service was discontinued as of June 30, 2000 no further phone or mail orders are filled. However, AHS members are still be able to order books at a discount by linking to Amazon.com through the Society's Web site. Through this partnership with Amazon.com, AHS members can receive better discounts on most titles, faster delivery, greater inventory, and improved access to hard-to-find books. The books listed here have not been critically evaluated; they have been chosen for description based on unusual subject matter or substantive content.

The following books are our current recommended garden books from the September/October 2004 issue of The American Gardener. To read the review just click on the book title. You can then order the book directly from Amazon.com by clicking on "Buy this book!" that follows each review.

The Jewel Box Garden.
Thomas Hobbs. Timber Press, Portland Oregon, 2005. 176 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $23.77. Buy This Book

In this book, gardening virtuoso Thomas Hobbs challenges us to dream outside the box, activate our bel’occhio—“beautiful eye”—and create a garden full of “plants that give you a thrill instead of just filling up space.” Hobbs hates heathers and dwarf conifers, which he describes as “dull, blobby-shaped plants,” and prefers the spikes, swords, and spears of foliage plants such as Kniphofia, Phormium, Cortaderia and Agave selections. Instead of sinking in the “botanical quicksand” of popular annuals like impatiens and petunias, Hobbs urges us to search diligently for foliage plants that have striking and unusual leaf color, form, and texture. With statements like “wind chimes are as bannable as leaf blowers,” he challenges us to share in his uncommon, sometimes cheeky view of the garden.

Twelve chapters take readers into and through Hobbs’ garden design perspective. In “Gilding The Lily,” he introduces us to the delights of potted bowling balls, ceramic bamboo, and rock mulch; in “Tastes Like Chicken,” he tantalizes us with Echeveria “pizza” and provides tips for overwintering these tender succulents. In “Investment Potting,” Hobbs gives practical advice on choosing and using containers, revels in the spellbinding effects of blue glazed pots, and introduces jewels such as Agave americana ‘Mediopicta’.

All these creative design schemes come into play in the gardens of Kania Castle, the spectacular Mission Revival house in Vancouver, British Columbia, that Hobbs shares with his partner, Brent Beattie.

More than 150 of Hobbs’ favorite plants are featured in 160 superb color photographs taken by David McDonald. The photographs are tack-sharp, elegantly composed, and virtually all were taken in ideal, diffuse light, which highlights the amazing variety, color, and textural complexity revealed in the gardens showcased in the book. Most of these gardens are in California and the Pacific Northwest (USDA Zones 6, 7, and 8), so gardeners living in less benign zones of the midwestern and northeastern United States may need to substitute plants that are more cold tolerant or try to overwinter their plantings indoors.

The Jewel Box Garden is an irreverent and enjoyable gem of a book. It will have special appeal to gardeners seeking to push the envelope of garden design by using some highly unusual foliage plant combinations and avant-garde hardscape ideas to move beyond “pretty” to “the new ugly,” from “garden ornament” to “garden incident.”

Ian Adams is a freelance garden photographer, photography teacher, and writer. He lives in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants.
Greg and Sue Speichert. Timber Press, Portland Oregon, 2004. 388 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $33.97. Buy This Book

If you have more than a casual interest in water gardening, the Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants by Greg and Sue Speichert is for you. This fascinating reference literally “covers the waterfront” of aquatic plants to enjoy.

The Speicherts begin their book with pertinent general information about water plants and end it with a synopsis of these plant’s pests and diseases. In between these sections, they cover waterlilies (269) and lotuses (90) and provide a thorough overview of accessory aquatic plants. In fact, they clearly have a love affair with accessory aquatics, and systematically describe over 400 marginal plants, including one hundred or so water irises, a couple dozen waterlilylike plants, and numerous floating and submerged plants. And, throughout, Greg relates many interesting and relevant vignettes of his life and gardening experiences.

This book contains an array of intriguing aquatics not found in nurseries or other garden books. As respected authorities in growing a diverse range of ornamental aquatics, the Speicherts present glimpses of tempting “new” plants that could become future favorites.

Nearly every page offers striking color pictures that complement the authors’ easy-to-read text. Accurate photography and plant identification (with rare exceptions) are hallmarks of this extensive reference.

In addition, the Speicherts meticulously provide vital cultural information including plant growth habits, water depth, and USDA plant hardiness zones. Among the minor quibbles I had was to disagree with their suggestion to fertilize submerged plants like Cabomba and Egeria, because their submerged foliage absorbs nutrients, making additional fertilization unnecessary.

The Speicherts also offer hard-to-find information on how to successfully hybridize waterlilies and lotuses, which will excite those readers who are bent on experimentation. Straightforward plant breeding directions are followed by information on seed-to-flower bloom times so prospective plants breeders will know when they will be able to see the fruits of their labor. Many precious propagation tips are also given for these aquatics.

There are many helpful supplements to the main text, including four very useful appendices: Appendix A identifies plants for special places and purposes (table top ponds, streams, waterfalls, etc.); Appendix B lists plants by flower color; Appendix C catalogs native plants as well as rare or endangered plants; and Appendix D provides conversion charts for measuring. There is also a thorough index of common and botanical names.

This practical book rates top honors as an outstanding reference for accessory water garden plants.

Founder of the International Waterlily and Water Garden Society and former director of Lilypons Water Gardens, Charles B. Thomas has authored and co-authored four water gardening books.

Hydrangeas for American Gardens
Michael A. Dirr. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 2004. 236 pages. Publisher’s price, hardcover: $20.96 Buy This Book

Michael A. Dirr’s new book Hydrangeas for American Gardens totally seduced me. It is attractive enough to pick up, deep enough to take home, enthralling enough to take to bed, and by the morning light I wanted it to be mine forever.

This is not entirely what I expected from a Mike Dirr book. I expected (and it delivered) excellent, entertaining writing that read like a conversation with a master, but I did not expect it to be so visually appealing. Some of Dirr’s books are plain-looking, but not this one. With a collection of 199 fine full-color photos and several full-page painted line drawings by his wife, Bonnie, Dirr has entered the realm of beautiful, colorful books. The book retains Dirr’s famous conversational writing, accuracy, and attention to detail but adds a graphic style previously unseen in his work.

The writing is given from the perspective of both a gardener and a researcher. Dirr clearly explains technical points without being condescending. His taxonomic discussion is practical and clear, and the important parts—the distinction between the species—are distilled. Design hints are lacking, but the book is full of descriptions and ideas of how and where to grow the plants.The pruning discussion is the best and most honest I’ve seen on this complicated genus.

The review of cultivars shows that Dirr carefully observed these plants and is not just quoting someone else. The descriptions read like a who’s who of the plant world, and tell the stories of selections, relationships, and observations. Dirr also gives due credit to Elizabeth McClintock’s classic hydrangea monograph and criticizes another text that ignored her writing. He is encouraging about future hydrangea selections and outlines the recent breakthrough into reblooming plants that offer northern gardeners hope for hydrangea success.

Typical of Dirr, there is no doubt about his hydrangea loves, such as Hydrangea macrophylla Endless Summer™—he refers to their bark and buds as highly seductive and mentions them “winking” at him. But pity the plants he spurns, like the “uninspiring” hybrid between Hydrangea involucrata and H. aspera. This plant, with flowers that have “no flash” and leaves that are “anemic,” is relegated to plant purgatory as something “for the collector who truly has everything.”

As with all books, there are some imperfections here. I wish this book’s index were more complete by highlighting photographs, and including references to cultural issues such as pruning, soil, and propagation. It would also have been nice to see the book’s tables and charts have titles so they could stand alone.

I also disagree with a few of Dirr’s points. For instance, I don’t think that Hydrangea aspera is the only species hit by Japanese beetles, as he claims; they also skeletonize the leaves of sun-grown climbing hydrangea (H. anomala subsp. petiolaris). Additionally, I don’t believe that the climbing hydrangea ‘Firefly’ is the same as Miranda™. And, while Dirr lists climbing hydrangea as difficult to root, I find it easy to root if young shoots with preformed roots are chosen.

But these minor criticisms in no way detract from the overall excellence of this book, which will stoke an already passionate interest in this versatile genus. m

R. William Thomas is Executive Director of Chanticleer gardens in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

Crazy for Cucurbits

Being a mad cucurbit hound—I’m growing 14 different heirloom pumpkins, gourds, cucumbers, and squash this year alone—I was thrilled to see Amy Goldman and Victor Schrager’s exceptional new book The Compleat Squash (Artisan, 2004, 208 pages, hardcover, $27.20). Along with covering the basics of 150 glorious pepos, Goldman explores their flavors and seeds and explains how to hand-pollinate prized heirlooms.

One trademark of Goldman’s books is the spectacular photography and this one is no exception. Schrager’s many still-life photos of gourds, pumpkins, and squash detail the warm hues, pleasing shapes and smooth skin and grooves of these natural sculptures. As fun to look at as it is to read, this book is the perfect pick for fall.
Buy This Book

Jessie Keith, Editorial Intern

Fall is for harvest, bed preparation, and perennial planting. But it also brings to mind colorful fall foliage, crisp blue skies, walks through the woods, and simply getting closer to the natural world around us. Here are some books that allow gardeners to explore, establish, and enjoy their own bit of backyard wilderness.

Ecology for Gardeners by Steve Carroll & Steve Salt (Timber Press, 2004, hardcover, $20.37) appeals to every piece of me that is naturalist as well as gardener. It is laden with information that is presented in an easy-to-understand manner; yet, Carroll and Salt aren’t afraid to deftly slip in some professional lingo when it is needed. Buy This Book

Everything is covered from soil microbes and the larger fauna of the brush and skies to the garden’s physical setting and animal–plant interactions. This book is a prime tool for understanding the what’s and whys of garden life.

Nearly 200 full-color pictures help readers better understand plant function, cycles and garden dwellers, and detailed indices, a full glossary, and book list for further reading help maneuver readers through and beyond its pages.

Suzy Bales is not a garden taskmaster. Instead, she takes a relaxed attitude and favors a naturalistic gardening style in her new book Suzy Bales’ Down-to-Earth Gardener (Rodale Books, 2004, hardcover, $22.10). Rather than adhering to a ridged preset idea of garden perfection, Bales enjoys and nurtures the natural dynamics of her resplendent Long Island garden retreat. Three short sections on weeding, self-seeding plants, and putting the garden to rest preface eight breezy chapters that take you into her gardens through the seasons. Buy This Book

One hundred and fifty color photographs of Bales’ beds, borders, and plant favorites supplement earthy descriptions of what she likes and how she gardens, and her comfortable and informative writing style makes the reading enjoyable.

Every gardener—naturalist or not—distains weeds. But Charles B. Heiser, professor emeritus of botany at Indiana University, believes that the great reproductive success of weeds have given them a bad rap. In his most recent book, Weeds in My Garden (Timber Press, 2004, hardcover, $16.07), Heiser shares the brighter, more virtuous side of common weeds through stories, lore, and reports of their historical uses. Buy This Book

This book covers the worst garden offenders—cockleburs, jimsonweed, crabgrass, and dandelion, all organized by plant family. But did you know that dandelion roots make a good substitute for coffee or that cockleburs led to the design of Velcro? Heiser also reveals that violet flowers make a fine syrup and that the downy leaves of mullein were once used as lamp wicks.

Still, there are weeds that even Heiser has no use for. When discussing the “virtues” of field bindweed he states, “Except for the attractive flowers, I know of none,” and he rightfully defines crabgrass as, “one of the most obnoxious lawn weeds.”

If you ever wondered how early Americans used and modified the flora around them to fulfill their basic living needs, read Judith Sumner’s new book American Household Botany (Timber Press, 2004, hardcover, $27.95). It covers the fascinating history of plants that early settlers used for food, medicine, textiles, construction, and as garden ornamentals. In fact, many of the garden plants favored by the settlers are same ones that we use today. Buy This Book

I was particularly interested in Sumner’s descriptions of how New World equivalents to Old World plants shaped the early American experience and tested the resourcefulness of the settlers. For instance, American hops (Humulus americanus) soon took the place of European species (Humulus sativus) for beer brewing, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) was cultivated as a replacement for the standard Chinese stimulant (Panax ginseng), and American holly (Ilex opaca) became the decorative substitute for English holly (Illex aquifolium).

City and country dwellers alike will benefit from Rosemary Creeser’s new book Wildlife Friendly Plants (Firefly Books, 2004, hardcover, $13.97). Creeser emphasizes both plant selection and wildlife-friendly gardening practices as the best means for inviting desirable wildlife into the garden. Plants for both small and large garden spaces comprise a directory that offers one or more pages of information for each plant, including the wildlife they attract, cultural information and large, detailed color photos. This is an essential reference for all garden and wildlife enthusiasts. Buy This Book