Botanica's Roses
The Best Big Book of Roses
There are very many roses of all shapes and sizes, and there are very many rose books to accompany them all. Botanica's is my favourite reference rose book.
Botanica's Roses
Beales, Cairns, Duncan et al.
This rose encyclopedia is good value for anyone who grows roses, or for gardeners who wish that they could. It covers all well bred roses from around the world.
There's a lot of good information, leaving the reader knowing what to expect from a rose. I particularly love the detailed descriptions of the flowers themselves.
The photos are great, though the roses you see in this book may make your own look rather tatty. Roses are tough customers, and they won't be offended if you prefer the photos in the book.
Think of me taking Botanica's Roses out to an offending Dublin Bay, pointing and raving - 'This is how you SHOULD behave - my book SAYS SO...'
Good friends that I've lent my big Botanica's Roses to have usually tried to keep it for far too long. One younger friend muttered that it was too heavy to hold and read in bed. If this is the only complaint...