I do have the first one, but it's new and I haven't gotten a chance to delve into it yet Kim :)

@Alana8aSC do whatever you can to create the time. It's well worth the effort! "The Makers of Heavenly Roses", also by Jack Harkness is another WELL worth the time. It's a bit of a different kind of book. It also teaches history, but brings the people alive in a well-written, enjoyable visit with the author.

These threads are my favourite! I have several books. Some I enjoy greatly and some have odd mistakes not caught by editors.

One that stands out immediately is Roses for Michigan from those that used to operate Great Lakes Roses... Cannot recall the names of these wonderful folks at the moment.

I'll have to come back and list my top picks.

Plus, you experts and fellow enthusiasts are giving wonderful works to add to my collection!

Steven

Steven

This is such a GREAT thread! Thank you for starting it, @Alana8aSC. The cover of your vintage rose book is perfect! I see exactly why you pursued that particular edition. After years of enjoying them, I just passed along a stack of vintage garden books to a rose friend. One of them, In a Garden Faire, has an exquisite Art Nouveau cover. Gotta love fancy book covers!

I am taking notes from Kim’s and your comments, and I am whittling down my fav garden books list, but in the meantime, I thought it might be fun to ask if anyone would like to share pics of their garden libraries. Call me crazy, but I love to gaze in admiration at libraries!

I just completed a HUGE purge/pass along where I moved along at least 50 gardening books, but I still seem to have around 150. Ha, ha! I’m hopeless when it comes to books. My collection now looks something like this (below)…minus a few books that are on my desk or bedside table. Carol

Carol what is the book with the yellow and orange flowers on the side, in the second photo?

@Alana8aSC that’s a book that belonged to my grandmother.

It was "The Makers of Heavenly Roses" that got me into Alec Cocker's roses, which led to me adding Rob Roy, Silver Jubilee, Alec's Red, Playboy and Morning Jewel to my cramped garden. I say that to say be careful when reading rose books, especially if you are short on space. A warning I know nobody here needs.

The most recent book I've added is "The World of Roses" by Bertram Park, which doesn't have a lot of text, but hundreds of amazing full color pictures of rare mid-century roses. I saw it referenced in the old Vintage catalog, and found a cheap copy on Ebay.

Remember Me and Sunset Song were two marvelous Anne Cocker roses which were spectacular in the old Newhall garden.

Funny, I was just thinking about starting a thread like this. Being midwinter, I've recently been browsing the garden book sections at the local libraries looking for some inspiration. I haven't come across anything exceptional yet, but lots of nice books nevertheless. I did come across a book by Peter Schneider who runs Freedom Gardens called 'Right Rose, Right Place', but haven't looked through it yet. Definitely would recommend seeing what your libraries have!

-Chris

I love playboy! But I killed it twice! Right Rose, Right Place is a great book! You will enjoy it. I will still have to get my list together. I love Classic Rose's, by peter beales, and Susan Verrier gallica Roses, but I have other favorites as well.

Just got this one. Reading it now, because it's raining outside.

Congratulations! I have that book, too, @Alana8aSC. (I think every publication associated with the TX Rose Rustlers is sitting on my shelf.) I‘ll bet you’re going to really enjoy this book! Have you ordered from Old House Gardens? They sell all kinds of heirloom bulbs, daylilies, peonies, etc. The varieties seem to be true to type, and when the original is no longer available, they note that and explain why what they offer is the closest available to the antique original. Short histories are included in the online catalog descriptions. My grandmother loved daylilies, and I’ve snagged quite a few heirloom ones from OHG. I have a few of Stout’s creations and the original lemon lily. I also grow the descendants of the Kwanso daylilies that my grandmother passed to my mom. My mom gave me a bundle years ago. I have some antique OHG irises and narcissus, too. I get a thrill out of walking through my garden and sniffing blooms that people have been cultivating and appreciating for centuries! These oldies but goodies are usually easy keepers and make wonderful pass alongs, so I also get a kick out of sharing delightful, enduring beauties with friends and neighbors just as gardeners have been doing for ages. The original everday people cultivar preservation project! Carol

@chris209 (LI, NY Z7a) That is a really good reminder! Libraries are great resources—precious and affordable. I hope they are always there for us! I have been hoping that mine will acquire more specialty garden books like Anne Belovich’s book about rambling roses. I have her Moss and Gallica books because I need them for reference, but I’d sure love to read her Ramblers book just because it’s gorgeous and interesting. Reading it would be like growing all those spectacular house eaters in my imagination since I can’t grow them on my postage stamp! Carol

I have some heirloom daffodil from my dad, that my great grandmother grew , as well as a rambler rose. The daffodil has such cute small flowers in clusters of seven , I believe, the rambler was called seven sisters, but it wasn't. But I still love it.

Chris, peters right rows right places 1 of my favorite books. I looked at it all the time! Every time I find something new that's useful From my growing area.

Please pardon the bombardment! I’ve whittled down as best I can my fav and go-to rose books. It’s still quite a list! I photographed the covers and hope the publishers will see the images as advertising. Cover art is so seductive, and it usually gives a real sense of the flavor of the contents. @Alana8aSC this may be the last time you ever ask me for a “short” list of fav garden books! I honestly wasn’t stalling, I just struggle with the decision making. Like the character in Wanda Gag’s Millions of Cats, I am hopeless. All my “favorite” rose books are going to eat each other alive! 😂 Photos coming up.... Carol

I think S Verrier’s Gallica book is one of your favs, too, @Alana8aSC! Both the Gallica book and Rugosa book are very readable with very informative text. Well organized. GORGEOUS photos! The Gallica one was a gift from a rose friend.

Liz Druitt is smart, funny, experienced and SO helpful! Her book is a GREAT read. She is down to earth and hands on. She introduces her readers to the everyday gardeners behind the heirloom plants. I love “meeting“ the gardeners that have spent their lives tending and preserving heirloom roses, not as collectible museum pieces but as treasured pass alongs.

Peter Beales‘ books: These 2 are my favs of his publications. Classic! Beautiful photos, great history and cultivation info, engaging stories, comprehensive. Musts for OGR lovers! Yes, that is my darling Tuscany Superb on the cover of the second book. 😊

THE book about Tea Roses. I would not be without it.

So many Mosses and Gallicas in these books! Delicious photos, very informative. Fairly detailed descriptions, ID and provenance info. She refers to Francois Joyaux when citing authority. Gallicas and Mosses are two of my most beloved rose classes. If I grew more Ramblers, I’d get Anne B’s book about her collection of those.

Must-have reference books! And, in my opinion, enjoyable reads.

Good reference book. Exquisite illustrations.

ARE guru Michael Shoup. A real antique rose hero and his beautiful books.

An oldie but still my fav of the DA books. This book focuses on the early days of DA, his quest to breed old roses with select moderns to create fresh, remontant garden roses which embody the rich charm and fragrance of antiques. Lovely photos.

From New Zealand and France: two lovely OGR books with good info and lots of delicious photos.

A GREAT read for rose history buffs! Lots of wonderful photos. Lots of interesting people. Like traveling across the world in a book with fantastic garden tour guides. As Emily Dickinson said: Books are frigates.

Some of you might enjoy In Search of Lost Roses by Thomas Christopher. No pictures I believe but lots of wonderful stories and a section about the Texas Rose rustlers if I remember it correctly.

-Chris

Should you ever have the opportunity to listen to Thomas Christoper speak about roses, grab it! He's a lovely guy with a great deal of knowledge and VERY funny. I met him at a Huntington Old Rose Symposium years ago when he spoke about the book. His talk was wonderful and about as funny as could be!

Tina, you're a hard act to follow. I have a couple of the afore mentioned books, but not all, so will have to investigate the others. I love garden books and get lost in them.

My most recently acquired garden book is not only about roses, but garden flowers in general, but I think most of us would appreciate it. It's the fairly new Charlotte Moss book, Flowers. She is an interior decorator, but also an avid gardener. It's a picture book of ideas about how to use the flowers we grow in various combinations and containers and even showcases ivies and branches. She includes a history of gardens and garden designers. Every page is pure delight. A gift from my daughter who knows me well.

Alana, your garden book looks like a collectable and one I would probably set on an easel it's so beautiful. Fabulous find!!

Flowers, that looks like a beautiful book! I love it when books contain both rich photos and history. Carol

Carol how does a passion for Rose's differentiate from classic? I wonder if the newer version of In search of lost Rose's, much different then the old? I must still get Anne B's books, but they are on my list. I have most of those you have and I have to admit, they are my favorites as well.

Thank you Flowers! Yours looks equally beautiful as well. Thank you so much for sharing the inside! Those photos are lovely!

You have great taste in books, Alana! 😊 Beales’ Classic Roses is a comprehensive reference book with lots and lots of lovely, descriptive color photos. A Passion for Roses is more of a rose photography book with exquisite individual rose shots and garden shots along with engaging text discussing Beales’ personal history with roses and his thoughts on various cultivars. I highly recommend both if budget and shelf space allow! Anne B’s books are 100% worth owning for the photos alone and the fact that they are rare treasures which focus solely on Mosses and Gallicas. The text in both books is concise, clear and very helpful; I’ve collected lots facts and puzzles that are essential to my Moss and Gallica knowledge base! Carol

Carol, I have several of the same books including my cherished, much-used Vintage Gardens catalogue. I have Anne B's Gallica book as well as her Large Flowered Climbers one. I too would like to get the Ramblers one.I do love my lavishly illustrated books but I find myself returning to Christine Allen's Roses for the Pacific Northwest and Dr.D.G, Hessayon's The Rose Expert. more for the info rather than the photos.I do enjoy picking up tips for specific roses, I suppose it makes me feel knowledgeable.

I love getting used books, usually they have notes for people that they were gifted to, and I find the notes so very lovely! I got a book in not long ago and it was autographed by the author, so very neat!

Thanks so much for all the great information Carol!

My Rose Book collection has only just began.

And that's a great start, Ashley!

hear,hear!

Y'all speaking of great books. I got down my old copy of Vintage Gardens book of roses, by Greg and Phillip, and was wondering how much another copy would cost, to have a spare. 185.00 on Amazon! Crazy! I will just be grateful for the one I own.

If we have a need for an uplift, the Beverley Nichols gardening novels starting with "Down the Garden Path" are hysterical and wonderful.

Thanks Sheila! Maybe that would be something to check out! I love funny garden books, something that can relate to. Great turnaround :)

Alana, holy cow! I know I have at least one old complete Vintage catalog in a closet.

I discovered Beverley Nichols when I came across "Merry Hall" in the gardening section of a used bookstore. After that, I quickly read through all of his gardening books, enjoying them quite a bit. But then I made the mistake of reading his biography. He was not a very likeable person, especially in how he treated his family (and W. Somerset Maugham, of all people). I know that shouldn't affect my enjoyment of his books, but it somehow has.

Don't read the backstory of W. Somerset Maugham either, RBEHS. I enjoyed his work very much too.

Hi guys,

I don't post a lot on this forum but as a book lover and a gardener, this thread caught my eye. I know a few of you have referenced libraries (yay!) , but one thing I wanted to emphasize is that if you are looking for vintage books, do check out the book sales that libraries have. I work in a library, and sadly, non-fiction books are slowly becoming a thing of the past (up there with magazines). So many people go online now for info, and libraries are shrinking the size of their non-fiction collections, and often sell off their non-fic books.

Secondly, it's absolutely amazing the number of books that get donated to libraries when one's loved ones pass away or downsize to eldercare. And so many people don't recognize the value (literary or monetary) of many books. I could almost guarantee that the above-referenced $185 book, or books similar to it, are donated regularly to libraries because it's "just an old book", and nine times out of ten, the library staff doesn't know or doesn't have time, effort, funding, or staff with knowledge, to research the value of donations. So they sell for a buck or two at the sale. Or even if they ARE recognized as something valuable, you can still get a better deal at a library book sale.

Lastly, this might sound offensive to some, but check the dumpster at your library regularly. It's absolutely heartbreaking the amount of perfectly good books that get tossed. Sometimes libraries won't sell discards from their collections because they figure folks won't buy books with stickers, labels, or books marked "withdrawn". Other times again, they don't realize any value in a given book and it gets tossed. Heartbreaking. As a book lover I feel that someone somewhere could appreciate any book, and as an environmentalist I always think they should take the time to remove the covers, etc. and recycle, at the very least. But again, on the environmental point, it comes down to funding, staffing, time - as well as attitude!

Okay, I'm getting down off my soapbox - or should I say my pile of books lol? Just wanted to remind folks of another option to acquire - and rescue! - a good garden book!

:)

Dee

"In Search of Lost Roses" by Thomas Christopher is the book that got me started on breeding new OGRs.

Dee, that is heartbreaking. I'll have to have my children get my books to some new home when the time is right.

When I moved into our house when I got married (my husband was the 4th generation of his family to own it - the prior three generations were all gardeners), and realized the first Spring that there were roses blooming all over (including in the tops of several trees, not to mention on top of the garage, along fences, etc.) that I had not even known were there, a friend of mine recommended "In Search of Lost Roses" to me. As I read it, the light dawned about what all of these old old roses were. From there I started to read the many rose books by Graham Thomas, and I was hooked. He was a poet, as well as one of the most knowledgeable rosarians in the world at that time who specialized in old roses. I strongly recommend anything he has ever written about roses. I own and have read most of the rose books discussed above, and agree that they are all very worth while to excellent, but my favorite are still all of the ones written by Graham Thomas, as those are the books which got me excited about taking care of the collections of old roses we inherited, and adding many more.

Jackie

Thank you Jackie! Beautiful picture. Speaking of I just potting up 4 seedlings this morning, Paul . They were open pollinated, but still. I may in a year or two more, try my hand at breeding some :). Dee that is heartbreaking. I love my books. I am so sorry, the backstory's of some Authors, destroyed liking their books at all. I shall make a mental note to never do that. I hope everyone has a good day.