The Encyclopedia of Dahlias [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Bill McClaren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2004

Known for their bright colors and dramatic forms, dahlias are enjoying a surge of popularity in today's gardens. From "pompons" to "waterlilies" few flowers can boast such a variety of choices for every garden and gardener. In this delightful and profusely illustrated encyclopedia, noted hybridizer and nurseryman Bill McClaren provides an authoritative account of garden-worthy dahlias for every garden design. Nearly 700 selections are included, complete with notes on their history, awards, and cultural peculiarities. Additional chapters on dahlia care and propagation, dahlia species in nature, hybridizing, and showing dahlias add to this well-rounded overview. Thorough appendices with resources on dahlia societies, nurseries, and gardens complete the book. Gardeners at every level will appreciate the author's clear and useful explanation of the classification schemes for dahlias, which can often intimidate even determined enthusiasts. Every dahlia lover will gain years of reference and enjoyment from Bill McClaren's definitive encyclopedia.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Draws on McClaren's 50 years of experience in growing dahlias."—Valerie Sudol, Newark Star-Ledger, September 9, 2004 (Valerie Sudol Newark Star-Ledger )

"In addition to being a mine of information it is attractively presented and most generously illustrated."—John Grimshaw, Herbertia, September 2005 (John Grimshaw Herbertia )

"After reading this book, I may have to dig a new bed just for the varieties I know I have to have! Another terrific encyclopedic reference for your gardening library."—Mary Ann Newcomer, Garden Themes, Summer 2005 (Mary Ann Newcomer Garden Themes )

Book Description

Known for their bright colors and dramatic forms, dahlias are enjoying a surge of popularity in today's gardens. From "pompons" to "waterlilies" few flowers can boast such a variety of choices for every garden and gardener. In this delightful and profusely illustrated encyclopedia, noted hybridizer and nurseryman Bill McClaren provides an authoritative account of garden-worthy dahlias for every garden design. Nearly 700 selections are included, complete with notes on their history, awards, and cultural peculiarities. Additional chapters on dahlia care and propagation, dahlia species in nature, hybridizing, and showing dahlias add to this well-rounded overview. Thorough appendices with resources on dahlia societies, nurseries, and gardens complete the book.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 212 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press (September 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881926582
• ISBN-13: 978-0881926583
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,274,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Encyclopedia of Dahlias by Bill McClaren, October 1, 2004

By 

Alan A. Fisher "Alan A. Fisher, Membership Ch... (Rockville, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Dahlias (Hardcover)

Bill McClaren's Encyclopedia of Dahlias is the first full length book about dahlias written in North America in the past 50 years. For the serious dahlia grower, a book based in North America is important, because many cultivars from other continents are either difficult to obtain in North America or may not perform well in our area. In addition, the book has the most up to date history of the dahlia published anywhere. The book corrects lots of misinformation from other sources. For anyone interested in taking seeds and trying to hybridize new dahlias, the chapter on hybridizing is also the best available treatment of the subject.

A useful feature of this book is hundreds of color photos of the top scoring dahlias, arranged in order by classification by the American Dahlia Society. One can find good color photos of the vast bulk of dahlias from the Cream of the Crop and Fabulous Fifty lists of the most recent (at the time) American Dahlia Society lists (based on show results for 2002, as published in March 2003). Since these lists turn over fairly slowly, one should find most of the top dahlias from North America for the next few years.

The approach in this book is for a backyard gardener who wants high quality blooms but also wishes to avoid using harsh chemicals. This organic gardening approach is a useful supplement to the "organic chemistry" approach of the Bulletin of the American Dahlia Society.

Dahlia enthusiasts in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand have had volumes based on their countries from top experts in these areas. Because classification can be quite different between North America (American Dahlia Society) and these other countries (which follow the National Dahlia Society of the United Kingdom), many dahlias that are popular here are of no interest in NDS countries. For example, in NDS, the interest is in miniature ball dahlias that grow a bit more than 4 inches or ball dahlias that grow a bit more than 6 inches in diameter. A dahlia with a diameter of 5 or 3 inches is of no interest for exhibition in these countries -- yet dahlias of these sizes are valuable for exhibition in North America. Many prize dahlias in North America therefore would not appear in any publication from Australia, New Zealand, or Europe, yet one would find them as cherished dahlias in North America. One would need to go to Bill McClaren's book to find these dahlias.

The author is one of the most highly respected and outstanding mentors and teachers in the American Dahlia Society. He received the Gold Medal of the American Dahlia Society in 1994 for a lifetime of achievement in dahlias and service to the American Dahlia Society. He has been a leader in starting dahlia societies (Montana and North Idaho), training judges from Spokane to eastern Montana, and every other aspect of dahlia culture and exhibition. He was responsible for numerous growers in Kalispell, MT becoming commercial growers. A few years ago, Kalispell, MT had more commercial dahlia growers than any other metropolitan area in North America!

Bill McClaren's Encyclopedia of Dahlias is an essential part of the library of anyone interested in dahlias. I cherish my copies of this outstanding book.

Alan A. Fisher
Rockville, MD
Membership Chairman, American Dahlia Society

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedia of Dahlias by Bill McClaren, October 11, 2005

By 

D. Schleuse (Birch Bay,WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Dahlias (Hardcover)

After attending a dahlia show in Bellingham,WA, we had to find out more about these beautiful flowers. This book should be rated a "must have" for anyone considering adding dahlias to their garden. The pictures are beautiful and the information is excellent.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Encyclopedia of Dahlias, July 13, 2006

By 

J. Angle - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Dahlias (Hardcover)

The book is a listing of the many varieties of dahlias with photographs. I purchased the book as a gift to a dahlia lover and it was a hit. There is information on growing dahlias and showing dahlias. A good book for a flower gardener.