Customer Reviews

Bulbs in Containers

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

BULBS IN CONTAINERS by Rod Leeds, is a wonderful little book filled with all sorts of ideas for containing your bulb collection, and the most entrancing work on bulbs since Elizabeth Lawrence wrote her book 'The Little Bulbs'. Filled with illustrations showing a variety of containers holding relatively uncommon bulbs such as various South African Hypoxis plants, this book provided me with many ideas. Bulbs aside, the second most intriguing aspect of Leeds' bulb arrangements are the containers themselves. He includes the ubiquitous clay pot in many interesting displays, along with unique pots such as a `shallow hypertufa sink'. Leeds suggests using various pots for free-standing specimens placed on tables, rocks or in the garden, or in displays with other pots, or in larger pots as a contrasting highlight with a shrub backdrop.

Leeds includes many beautiful photos of his own collection as well as explanatory text including a section of about 80 pages of text where he discusses various bulb genera suitable for containers.

Unfortunately for some of us, Leeds is based in England and the bulb suppliers he sources in an appendix are located in his home country for the most part, however, many have an email address and/or internet site. Although I have not ordered any bulbs from these sources, I suspect at least one of them might ship to the US, however, the USDA may prohibit transport some of the more exotic items. On the other hand, I know I can find some of the less exotic bulbs such as Galanthus through US bulb suppliers like Scheepers and Herronwood. Caveats aside, Leeds' book is an excellent addition to the garden library.

I'm not a bulb gardener, but this is one outstanding bulb book, it doesn't mince words in advocating one species or variety over another, and I find out that some tulips don't just look like all the other tulips and reading this book could lead someone into some very interesting areas of bulb growing. Makes me want to get some bulbs and try it. Photos outstanding. British.

As a keen grower of the smaller bulbs I found this book to be excellent value. Apart from the many types of bulbs both illustrated and written about, the information provided on container sizes and potting mix types was most useful. I can recommend this book to all bulb growers

I know I'm not the only person who buys books for the purposes of drawing/painting reference material. That's why I'm doing this review.

The photographs are okay except they're so dark that it's hard to see a lot of detail. If I had a scanner, I'd scan them in and try to brighten them up a bit. I don't know how that would work, though. Maybe someone else would like to try. I think they'd be good photos and just what I was looking for if I could see more detail.

As for the text content of the book, that may be excellent--I don't know. I just bought the book for the photographs and that's all I'm reviewing. Started to give it fewer stars but decided that wouldn't be fair. Won't give it five because the photos are, after all, part of the book.

P.S. Incidentally, if you've looked "inside the book" and you wonder why I think the photos are dark, it's because the ones in the book I received don't look quite the same as on the screen. I guess it's something to do with the printing process.