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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2006 20:31:42 GMT
After years of generalist gardening books I only buy monographs these days in the main, although recently I have bought 'Plants of China' . My favourites have got to be 'Botanica' which OH bought for me for £5 from WH Smiths about 8 years ago (sure they had the price wrong). and Bulbs by John Bryant. I just managed to buy a monograph on Watsonias for £8 from South Africa because the cheapest I could get it in the UK was £61!  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2006 22:17:13 GMT
Oh nice. The third watsonia (it's W. bourbonica) I have and it's a beautiful one, I also have the white and the double white ones, as well as 6 other species. The yellow one I thik had been reclassified as chasmanthe - don't you just love taxonomists  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2006 8:42:56 GMT
I've also got a copy of Botanica probably bought at the same time as you got yours dee since I woudn't have paid the full price for it. I gave up on the cd-rom that came with it though - I think I found the user interface frustrating.
I suspect my next book will be a monograph too but some are so expensive. I've already got books on clematis, hardy geraniums and weeds. I'm also trying to complete the set of books by Phillips & Rix on different subject areas - they are such good reference books.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2006 12:13:14 GMT
I bought the complete Phillips and Rix set years ago, they're great, also the new two volume one they bought out a couple of years ago - but I did get it cheap on ebay (25 rather than 100).
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Post by piggingardener on Aug 23, 2006 13:58:12 GMT
I got the 2 volume one for £30 on The Book People. Beautiful illustrations but a bit pricey at RRP! PG
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2006 14:30:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2006 17:06:56 GMT
I loved The Cook and the Gardener by Amanda Hesser also the Allotment Handbook by Caroline Foley.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2006 17:09:58 GMT
I'm impressed with the RHS Water Gardening Book  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Sept 19, 2006 19:21:18 GMT
I've got loads of gardening books, like we all have I expect. I really love Flora Britannica by Richard Mabey and I have a very old John Seymour book about gardening which is brilliant. Actually I lent it to a friend of mine - I'd better get it back before I forget!
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Oct 7, 2006 23:45:54 GMT
I'd like a comprehensive plant I.D. book with notes about planting positions, soil type and other useful information. I have lots of RHS booklets and the usual GW type books....the Geoff Hamilton one gets used quite a lot to look things up...AND it's signed by the great man himself.
What's this Botanica book when it's at home then? is it a comprehensive plant ID book!?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2006 13:42:26 GMT
Hi CPB - you might try the A-Z of Garden Plants, publ. by Murdoch/Australia, ISBN 1740456467; 800+ pages. It was remaindered in bookstores here last month at € 12.99. Very comprehensive info on aspect, propagation etc ... cheers ...
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Post by Spruance on Oct 9, 2006 13:55:10 GMT
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Post by oldmoleskins on Oct 12, 2006 20:25:19 GMT
the current favourite - out from the Library, but ordered from Amazon today knocked down from 25 quid to 16, is the RHS "Propagating Plants" edited by Alan Toogood. 250-odd pages of species-specific advice, well illustrated, practical stuff. Came out in 1999 but only just found...
OM
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Post by geronimo on Oct 14, 2006 20:54:39 GMT
Have the botanica, bought firts year in print. Good stuff, liked cd that came with it. But the monty don voice over and foreword etc, irritated me a bit. I like various dr. hessayon, but only have the ones relevant to my garden and my gardening job. Like the rhs plants books. But the most useful books are the old readers digest. Food from your garden is brill, plants for all seasons is interesting and creative gardening and of course the gardening year books are good. Charity shops, second hand book shops and of course the dreaded boot sales are a good source of cheaper bargains.
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Post by Dr Bill on Oct 19, 2006 9:08:12 GMT
Hessayon's "Armchair Book of the Garden" is an interesting read on the history of gardening, famous gardens and gardens, garden myths and so on. It is a "dip in and read what you fancy when you fancy it" sort of book which I dug out of the study again a few days ago.
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 18, 2007 20:31:06 GMT
When I first started veg growing I bought Dr Hessayons veg expert book, it's very basic but has handy little calendars of when to sow/plant out. I still use it as a reference!! I'd recommend it when you're starting out!! Good Luck with your veggies ;D Thanks for that GH I've been and bought it and it look a good book to have for basic no nonsence advice |
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Post by paul r82 on Jan 19, 2007 18:08:10 GMT
' A Rage for Rock Gardening ' the story of Reginald Farrer. A great read. Botanica and RHS A-Z of plants are my two most useful books. |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Jan 22, 2007 16:06:50 GMT
I had some book tokens for crimbo and used them today to get 2 lovely books
Succession Planting for Adventurous Gardeners
&
Colour for Adventurous Gardeners
both BBC books by Christopher Lloyd edited by Erica Hunnigher
I needed advice on both subjects and they're fab, entertaining to read and the photographs are superb. Lovely ;D
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2007 17:22:40 GMT
Thought this thread could do with an airing  I have just bought "Exotic planting for adventurous gardens" by Christopher Lloyd and friends "Well designed garden" by John Brooks Both really nice books ;D Sara |
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Post by Chuckles on Oct 19, 2007 17:38:55 GMT
Bet we can't guess which is Barbara's favourite book at the moment ;D
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Post by Barbara on Oct 20, 2007 10:18:05 GMT
bet you can ;D and i like percy throwers book of every day gardening |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2007 13:14:25 GMT
The other day, while browsing in a second-hand shop, I got a book of letters between Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto (must go upstairs later and find the actual title  ) ... it a brilliant book to dip into; even though they both had massive gardens you can identify with the things they write about - which is very enocuraging! Cheers ... |
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Post by Yakram on Oct 20, 2007 20:41:40 GMT
If anyone is interested, I've just been bought by OH "Geoff Hamilton - a gardening legend" by Nick and Sue Hamilton. It is "exclusive to WHSmith's" and costs £6.99 or telephone 01507 529 529 or go to www.classicmagazines.co.ukOH asked for the book at WHS as it was not in the book section. None of the staff seemed to know anything about it It was eventually found in with the BBC magazines! |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2007 8:21:06 GMT
I have bought some more books, Gertrude Jekyll's "Colour Schemes For The Flower Garden" and The RHS "Really Small Gardens" Both are really nice sara |
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Post by Weeterrier on Nov 12, 2007 9:18:45 GMT
I like my RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers, my Chiltern Seeds catalogue , my Wild Flower book,and an old one I used at Kew, called The Oxford book of Food Plants.
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Post by Chuckles on Nov 12, 2007 9:29:35 GMT
I love the RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers too Wee, got the even bigger fatter A-Z Garden Plants one too. Not had them down off the shelf for ages though  Mmmmm feel a good book session coming on one of these cold dark nights |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2007 13:24:51 GMT
Ooooh, I love plant encyclopaedias, just don't have room for all the scrumptious plants. Recently got Beth Chatto's 'The Dry Garden' (new edition, remaindered for just € 4.99, so look out for it) ... as well as being informative, she writes really well ... cheers ...
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Post by Shrubrose on Nov 13, 2007 19:36:41 GMT
I have a lovely little book of gardening nonsense that my parents gave me. It's quite old but is delightful and very simply but beautifully illustrated. It's called 'The Gardener's Year' by Karel Capek. Published in 1936. It's a humorous 'take' on gardeners and all things gardening. Has anyone come across it?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2007 16:23:45 GMT
Just to say that WH Smith are selling the RHS encyclopedia of plants and flowers for £10 instead of £35. At least I know I have got one C present that I will want ;D Sara |
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Post by owdboggy on Nov 23, 2007 17:52:32 GMT
One book!!!!!!!!! I have 16 metres of bookshelf space just with Gardening books of every age and variety. And I likes them all and I have read them all. Actually, whisper it, I would rather read about gardening and plants than do it! But if I had to choose one lot then it would be the RHS Dictionary of Gardening 4 Vols plus Supplement and it cost £200. I would love the new edition of it, but that is well out of my pocket!
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) ... it a brilliant book to dip into; even though they both had massive gardens you can identify with the things they write about - which is very enocuraging! Cheers ...
Mmmmm feel a good book session coming on one of these cold dark nights 
