Taylor's Guide to Roses by Nancy J. Ondra
(Houghton Mifflin Books, softcover)
As cold winds spitefully try to pluck the last leaves of autumn from the trees, it hardly seems time to consider the fragrant blooms of spring and summer. Yet the nearly 400 photographs of roses in Nancy Ondra's encyclopedic guide will remind any enthusiast--novice or expert--that any time is the right time for the elegance and classic beauty of the celebrated flower. Just short of 200 pages in length, the inspirational gallery section will suggest additions to your rose garden or help you choose the right varieties for your first.
The 24-page introduction is packed with basic information on selecting and growing roses, and keeping them healthy. But it is merely a precursor for the heart of the matter: the nearly 400 entries in the encyclopedia section. The list is comprehensive, including representatives of the important classes of Species Roses, Old Garden Roses, Shrubs, Hybrids, Climbers and more.
Also useful are reference charts on pests and diseases as well as a zone map. This is not a step-by-step guide to growing perfect roses and it may not be the end-all rose book; however, with so much useful information, it is difficult to imagine any gardener's library without it.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
Resources Taylor's Guide to Roses (Taylor's Gardening Guides)
by Nancy J. Ondra (ISBN: 0618068880)
How to Select, Grow, and Enjoy More Than 380 Roses
(Houghton Mifflin Co., February 2002)
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