Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Garden Book Reviews September 2012

Do you dream of growing roses?  Do you want to learn more about roses?  Well, I have just the book for you!

The Rose Bible


by Rayford Clayton Reddell

The Rose Bible does a very good job of covering almost all you might need to know about growing roses.  It covers the history of roses, different types of roses, purchasing, planting, and pruning.  A list of sample roses is given in each rose category.  I found that I had very few of the roses listed, but I still enjoyed looking at the pictures, and reading about each rose.


I wish there had been more pictures showing entire rose bushes.  This would have been very helpful to see the difference, for instance, between an Old Garden Tea and say, a Floribunda rose bush.    He also lists what he considers fifty immortal roses.  I hope everyone that reads this book realizes that roses perform differently in different areas, and his immortal roses may not become immortal in your own particular garden.


If you have grown roses for some time, you will probably know most that is in this book.  Still, for the amount of general information given about rose growing, if you are a novice rose gardener, this should be a must read.  It would also make a great gift idea for anyone interested in starting a rose garden.

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Now it's your turn!

Please join in on the 20th of every month with your own garden book review (any book with a garden influence qualifies).  And be sure to visit the other participants, too!  :)


32 comments:

  1. I only grow roses in my dreams. I haven't had much luck with them. The books sounds like a great primer for someone interested in growing roses. Your meme inspired me to start a Pinterest board of garden books I want to read. :)

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    1. A Pinterest board of garden books sounds like a great idea. I have found so many wonderful books to read through this meme, I am really looking forward to winter so I will have more time to read some of them!

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  2. I think I should find this book.

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    1. Even though I knew most of the information, it was easy for me to read through this book. I liked his style of writing, the pictures were beautiful, and even though I might have changed a few things, it is a great primer for new rose gardeners.

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  3. Sounds like a great book! I don't know very much about roses, so the few roses I have are usually left to muddle about however they can.
    Thanks for hosting!

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    1. I think roses muddle about better than we give them credit for. And, thankfully, they are also quite forgiving! "Practice makes perfect" really does apply with rose growing!

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  4. There seems to be a wealth of helpful information in that book. I can always learn more about roses. Thanks for this recommendation, and thanks for hosting.

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    1. It's hard to cover everything about roses, though he really does try. I do wish he would have touched a bit more on a few subjects, but overall this is a wonderful book to get anyone started, or make an experience rose gardener feel more secure.

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  5. Roses are so challenging to grow that a rose bible is needed...;O)

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    1. I think roses are only challenging because there are so many different kinds of them. So, yes, a little knowledge is helpful! Learning the type of rose that does well for you, I think, is the most important key to success. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a few failures to learn which will be successful!

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  6. Linking in Holley and thanks for hosting. I am a novice and know little about roses so this sounds right up my alley...thanks!

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    1. I think this is a great book to start with if one wants to grow roses. It may be not be the only book one needs, but I think most new rose gardeners could use and reference this book over and over.

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  7. Will definitely have to check this title out...love the fact that it has a ton of tips for novice rose gardeners!

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    1. I've read a lot of books on rose growing, but I do think this one covers most questions that new rose gardeners would ask. Plus, the photos are lovely. It has made me put quite a few more roses on my wish list!

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  8. Thanks for the recommendation! I've linked in with a book I'm enjoying now. I'm sorry I've been away for a while.

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    1. Glad you're back! I love to know what other gardeners are reading! Especially if they like it! :)

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  9. I've been growing roses for only about three years, and I often feel unsure about their care and maintenance. I'm also interested in gradually trying more varieties. So this book may be on my holiday wish list!

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    1. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it helps answers most of your questions. I think experience gives one the most confidence, but it's nice to have a guide!

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  10. HI Holley, I think you say a couple of very shrewd things in your review. Rose bushes are more than their flower. When they're not flowering they need to fit into the space and with their neighbours. Some hardly ever flower. The gardener has to decide whether it's worth the wait. And as you say, they may not be immortal in your particular garden. So I'm not sure that this book is as down to earth as I want such a book to be. cheers, catmint

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    1. That's the challenge with roses, and the beauty of them. They can be very small, or as large as a tree. They can be very dense or light and airy in growth. It's very hard to find a book that covers all roses, because there are so many different types, and of course, area also makes such a big difference in their growth. I think that's why some people think roses are so hard to grow - they just haven't found the right rose for their garden.

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  11. You're right! Books so often focus on the flowers of roses - I hadn't thought of that before. Yet one of the challenges of incorporating roses into a mixed scheme is that you really do need to consider the habit of the shrub. Thank you for reviewing this book. Did it inspire you to buy a few more?

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    1. I think the rose blooms are what people are attracted to, so that's what "sells" the rose. But, the form of the rose can be very important! Good question about buying more. While I enjoyed this book, I haven't yet looked up whether this author has written other books.

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  12. I love this book. I have got to start joining in on the book review fun.... Thanks for this post....

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    1. It's a book every rosarian should have on their shelves! I hope you will join us in the future. :)

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  13. Yes I am dreaming of it...and thanks to you...thinking I can do it once again soon!

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    1. I hope you get to have the garden of your dreams soon.

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  14. Holley, thank you for sharing this book! It's really useful book for me too, sometimes I look for information and can't find the important things.

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    1. I hope you will find this book useful. It is a good reference for anyone starting to grow roses.

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  15. I love roses. I have a few in my garden. I especially like the rugosa roses. They remind me of trips to Cape Cod beaches.

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    1. Isn't it nice that a plant can bring back such sweet memories? I think it's those plants that remind us of our childhood that definitely need to be included in our own gardens.

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  16. Holley, I'm so sorry I am late with my review, but it is live now at: http://www.thegardeningblog.co.za/gardening/book-review-exotic-planting-for-adventurous-gardeners/

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    1. Thanks for adding your review! I look forward to reading it! :)

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