Customer Reviews

Buddlejas (Royal Horticultural Society Plant Collector Guide)

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The newest title in the "Royal Horticultural Society Plant Collector Guide" series, Buddlejas by David D. Stuart (an independent horticultural consultant and former curator of Longstock Park Gardens) is an extraordinary introduction and guide offering gardeners an in-depth knowledge of every known species of the Buddleja plant. Providing even the most novice gardening enthusiasts with a plethora of information for each of the many featured Buddleja species, Stuart draws upon his more than fourteen years of experience with the plants to share his invaluable wisdom for what is the most accommodating and rewarding type of garden plants covering such issues as a variety of climates, resistance of animals, as well as highs in heat and lows in cold. Profusely illustrated in full color throughout, Buddlejas is very strongly recommended as a complete and thorough reference guide to successfully growing and treating the multitude of featured Buddleja plants and the various dangers generally encountered when planting and caring for such plants.

Unlike some books (Betty Clebsch's book on Salvia springs to mind) this is a rather dry treatment of Buddlejas. The RHS badge gives it gravitas but the writing style is not very engaging and its almost a botanical treatise. Having been a botanist myself I can see the difference between the styles of writing! Nevertheless, it is the only book on this fascinating genus and, is hadnsomely produced.

If you thought that buddlejas were, as I once heard them described, "in the top rank of second rate shrubs", then think again. This RHS guide reveals some hidden gems.

Following the introduction chapter one looks at the Species, chapter two the Hybrids and Cultivars. Successive chapters consider Care and Cultivation with eleven different headings such as soil, feeding, pruning, pest and diseases; Propagation with four sections; and Wildlife Attracted to Buddlejas. There are also sections: Where to See Buddlejas and and Where to Buy Buddlejas, both international in scope.

The plant descriptions are informative and interesting to read, and often include the authors personal thoughts on the value of the particular plant. The books contains 86 colour photographs showing many of the plants.

This is an invaluable and very readable guide to both the plants and how to grow them. If nothing else this book is bound to convince you that there are quite a few buddlejas worth growing, written by an keen buddleja grower (he holds the national collection of Buddleja) it is hard not to infected with his enthusiasm.