Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia of Hydrangeas

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This Encyclopedia of Hydrangeas is written by father and son team who own and run a 140 year old nursery in the Netherlands, and who have also written books on each of maples, conifers and rhododendron.

The brief opening section discusses the name of the genus Hydrangea, Distribution of the Genus, Hydrangea Collections, the Flower Colour and what causes its change on different soils and dispelling a few myths in the process. Also covered are: Moisture and Hardiness, Pruning, Pests and diseases, Propagation, Hydrangeas in the Garden, Dried Flowers, Leaves for Tea or Medicine, Taxonomy, Synopsis of the Genus Hydrangea and Nomenclature. All of this is covered succinctly in the first 25 pages. The book also includes a section on Genome Size in Hydrangeas, a list of Hydrangea names for which no description could be found, References (bibliography) and indices.

The bulk of this publication however is devoted to the plants, around 220 pages cover over 1,000 species, subspecies, varieties and cultivars. The descriptions are illustrated with around 800 photographs in full colour. The descriptions are brief yet clear, and the corresponding photographs appear on the same page as the descriptions. Arranged loosely by species or group such as species Hydrangea, Hortensia (mopheads), lacecaps and more, the vast array of photographs clearly illustrates the diversity within the genus, from some of the more subtle species to the blousy mopheads, as well as the interesting foliage of possessed by Hydrangeas.

This is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the genus Hydrangea, updating some of the information in Haworth-Booth's monograph of 1984, and far more comprehensive than other recent publications.

In preparation for hosting my garden club friends and teaching them about growing hydrangeas, I decided to research the subject extensively. This book is very thorough in covering the classes of hydrangeas, and contains many hints and tips on growing them successfully.

For a large review of hydrangeas, this is a good book. For USA gardeners, it is good to have it and Dr. Micheal Dirr's hydrangea book.