Garden Bulbs for the South [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Scott Ogden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0881928135 | ISBN-13: 978-0881928136 | Edition: 2nd Edition

There are hundreds of choice bulbs that revel in southern warmth and humidity, and Scott Ogden profiles the best of them in this fascinating, comprehensive volume. In a series of chapters that takes us through the gardening year, Ogden introduces the plants that help to give southern gardens their distinct regional flavor, many with charmingly descriptive names: rain lilies, oxblood lilies, jonquils, crinums, and scores of others. Weaving in bits of history and lore, Ogden details each plant's appearance and growing requirements. Originally published to widespread acclaim in 1994, Garden Bulbs for the South has been updated and significantly expanded in this edition to include information on new varieties as well as nearly one hundred new photographs.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ogden's book concerns what he calls "the historic, neglected, and little-known" warm-climate bulbs that grow well in the South. There are 133 genera listed in the appendix, with notes on their species, origins, and culture. Ogden opens with a chapter on rain lilies and continues with chapters on bulbs that bloom in the fall (Guernsey and oxblood lilies, lycoris, cyclamens, alliums, etc.), on winter blooms (paper-whites, Roman hyacinths, blue starflowers, etc.), on jonquils and daffodils, on bulbs that bloom in the spring (trout lilies, tulips, grape hyacinths, etc.), on irises, gladiolus, and shellflowers, on crinums and spider lilies, on so-called summer glories, and on cannas, arums, and gingers. The book is a treasure, packed with information and 200 color photographs. George Cohen --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"An essential gardening book—but not only for the South...And where many authors merely repeat what has already been written, Ogden's closely observed pecularities of his subject make it outstanding horticultural literature." Jerry Flintoff, American Gardener

"Written in the style of the late, great Southern garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence, this updated second edition is a must for all Texas bulb enthusiasts. There is none better." Greg Grant, Dallas Morning News

"This is a must-have reference for warm climate gardeners who want to enjoy the annual phenomenon of bulbs." John Bagnasco, Garden Compass July/August 2007

“Author Scott Ogden weaves a welcoming web of personal observations, common sense, historical references, lore, and inspiration.”

Ornamental Outlook

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 396 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press; 2nd Edition edition (February 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881928135
• ISBN-13: 978-0881928136
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #227,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book overlooked, for overlooked plants, May 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Garden Bulbs for the South (Hardcover)

From Sarah B. Duke Gardens' Flora newsletter:
"Ogden is a plantsman familiar with all the bulbous (and cormous and tuberous) plants that can be grown out-of-doors in the South. He imparts his erudition lightly and with a flair uncommon in garden books today.
This book is worth buying for its 30-page chapter on Crinum and Spider lilies alone, a subject never treated properly in the usual books on bulbs because these beauties can't be grown in the North... The author also discusses myriad species of Gladiolus, Hippeastrum, Iris, Lycoris, Trillium, and Zephyranthes, as well as numerous genera with only a single cultivated representative, such as Ipheion. In addition, there are nearly 200 colored photographs, most of them smaller than a playing card, that vary from fair to excellent."
Very useful to a new gardener: in addition to telling me about bulbs I'd never heard of (and then immediately noticed in all the older gardens nearby), Ogden makes variety-specific recommendation about which daffodils (not King Alfred!), tulips (very few), muscari, etc., are going to thrive i.e. multiply rather than fade away. Some bulbs need colder winters than they will find in my part of Eastern NC. I've already saved the price of the book by not buying flowers that won't be happy in my yard!

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for every Southern 'Bulb Lover!', May 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Garden Bulbs for the South (Hardcover)

Garden Bulbs for the South is simply a great book. The vast majority of books on bulbs deal extensively with Tulips, Grape Hyacinths, Daffodils and other cold climate bulbs and only give cursory information about warm climate bulbs and the information often pertains to container gardening. Every northerner moving South is tempted to try growing cold climate bulbs. Reading this book is both a delight and a time and money saver. It will also assist you in trying a lot of bulbs that you might otherwise overlook. It has been one of the most read books in my gardening library.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes Virginia, There Are Bulbs We Can Grow In The South, August 5, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garden Bulbs for the South (Hardcover)

My copy of Mr. Ogden's book is already dog-eared from use. Any gardener in the South who is interested in adding perennial bulbs to the garden must read this book. The information on every type of bulb, tuber or corm, including those of wild Southern heritage, is generous, well written and easy to understand. Garden Bulbs for the South is useful not only as a gardening reference but as a field classification manual when trying to identify that lily blooming at the old farmhouse down the road. After reading the chapter on rain lilies, I was finally able to determine what that tiny little lily growing wild in my front yard really is. Highly recommend.