Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 635
EAN: 9780751337389
Edition: 3rd Revised edition
ISBN: 0751337382
Label: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Manufacturer: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Number Of Items: 2
Number Of Pages: 1080
Publication Date: October 02, 2003
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Studio: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd

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Editorial Review:

Amazon.co.uk Review:
Collecting contributions from 100 distinguished horticulturists, the handsome and lavishly illustrated Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants is a truly definitive gardening reference. With its 1,092 tiny-print pages, this may not be the book to tuck into your pocket as you weed and mulch, but what this encyclopedia lacks in portability, it certainly makes up for in scope. Hardy and tender plants, heirloom varieties and the latest hybrids--they're all accounted for here, with growing tips and background information about native habitats and ornamental features. You'll also find a fascinating section about botany, as well as information about basic gardening techniques such as mulching, staking, pruning, propagating and protecting plants for winter. But the encyclopedia's main attraction is the individual plant entries--more than 15,000 of them, embellished with 6,000 full-colour photographs and illustrations. From the visual glossary of leaves to the map of growing regions, the Royal Horticultural Society A-Z of Garden Plants provides an unsurpassed wealth of botanical information, making it the yardstick by which all other gardening references must be measured.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Excellent book!
This is an excellent and informative Book, a superb set to add to my already overflowing bookcase almost every plant your ever likely to to want information on is in these two books! from Abelia to Zycopetalum and over 6,000 stunning colour photographs and 15,500 detailed plant profiles just like the blurb says. The books come in a sturdy cardboard sleeve/box which does a good job of protecting them from the odd bump or scratch although I would recommend buying protective plastic dust jackets for extra protection. The first book also has a nice forward by the president of The Royal Horticultural Society, Peter Buckley and also a few very detailed pages explaining how to use the books as well as some useful pages entitled "Botany For The Gardener" which discuss topics ranging from plant kingdoms through to leaf and flower structure (the most detailed explanations which I have every seen!).

When I first paid for these books I couldnt help but feel some what disappointed at the price of but now that I have had the chance to actually read through them I understand the amount of work and effort which has gone in to them and I truly believe that there worth every penny that I've paid!.

Rating:

- RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
I have an older edition of this book (1996 version), which is in one volume and is very bulky/heavy so I was delighted to see that the newer edition has been split into 2 volumes. Working in the Landscape design industry, I have found this book to be a valuable reference source since leaving college and the book has stood up to daily use in the office from myself and my colleagues for the past six years! The alphabetical listing (I'm presuming the new edition is the same) is very useful because you don't have to go to an index first. It gives a huge amount of information about each species and even a description of many variants and cultivars. It is the perfect compliment to other books that divide the species into plant use e.g. plants best for shade etc. and I would highly recommend it.

Rating:

- Best book I ever bought at a good price!
I am not much of a writer but I am honest and I bought this book to use as a reference to identify plants that appeared in Latin on a wholesale plant list,as my knowledge is limited to a few I can identify myself.
The book turned out to be two excellent volumes housed in their own folder/binder and were very heavy and well made with the original high price label still showing.When the post arrived delivering these I thought I had made an error and ordered too many they are so big.The illustrations are in full colour photo format with easy to understand information to suit novice and professional alike and I was so impressed I have bought my Dad one for his Birthday and one for my neighbour as she was so impressed with it.

Rating:

- Excellent Investment
I got sick of being a cook, so I've started an RHS General Certificate and letterboxing local Swiss as a garden maintenence service provider. I needed a comprehensive book covering the full range of plants I might encounter and this one's got them all! It begins by proceeding through the various ornamental plant groups (grasses, aquatic etc.), which is a bonus if you have no idea what you are looking for, because the initial groupings use many of the genus names which then allow you to attack what initially looks like an overwhelming book. It cost a fortune in Swiss francs but worth every penny. I suspect this book will be with me for life.

Rating:

- A Brirish horticultural extravaganza
Since established in 1804, the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) has been at the forefront of all things horticultural. Indeed, it represents all things British - the Empire travels, collects, and stores... And the benefits are immense to gardeners!

This volume is dear, but valuable. There is a two-volume edition, which makes it easier to refer to. Otherwise, the binding breaks, or your back, trying to browse too frequently...

This volume is probably the only publication of its kind, and presents a formidable achievement. However, a thumbed-index-type version would be more useful, while an accent on native plants, rather than an infinite greenhouse tropics bias, should prove handy.

Try searching the Internet for "RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants" or Ebay for "RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants".

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