The Garden Plants of China [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Peter Valder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1999

It is hard to imagine gardens without peonies, flowering peaches, camellias, gardenias, azaleas, wisteria, forsythia, crabapples, and the host of other ornamentals that were introduced first in Chinese gardens. And the development of the modern repeat-flowering roses would not have occurred had the so-called monthly roses not been brought to Europe from China. In spite of the romance and excitement generated by the discoveries of the famous plant hunters in the wilds of China, the Chinese plants with the greatest impact on the gardens of the world have actually come from Chinese gardens and nurseries.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Gardens have long been an integral part of Chinese culture, written about by scholars and prized by emperors and priests; think of Chinese scrolls traced with plum blossoms and wood-block prints etched with pine branches or bamboo. The West has not only received a great number of fine plants from China, it's also been influenced by the Chinese appreciation of plants, by their ideas on striving to have something in bloom year-round, and by their treasuring shape as well as bloom. A surprising number of our showiest and favorite plants are native to China, brought to the Western world by early plant explorers. Many varieties of crabapples, chrysanthemums, lilacs, wisteria, azaleas, rhododendron, camellias, and peonies originated in China, where they have been important in gardens, literature, and art for centuries.

Peter Valder's discussion of more than 400 garden-worthy plants includes color photographs, history, information on native habitat, and cultural suggestions. The photos are large and lovely, the information thorough and useful, and to help us remember the origin of each plant he has included the Chinese letters and common names, which are charming. The Chinese name for mock orange (Philadelphus) translates as "peace and tranquility flower"; "beautiful woman banana" is the translated common name for canna lilies. No matter what the name, Chinese plants deserve space in our gardens, and Valder has written a book that intrigues us with their history and educates us about how best to grow them. --Valerie Easton

Review

"This is a splendid and detailed book, profusely illustrated in colour with excellent modern photographs and a few reproductions from early Chinese and classic European journals."—Martyn Rix, Gardens Illustrated, July 2000 (Martyn Rix Gardens Illustrated )

"Outstanding academic title."—Choice, January 2000 (Choice )

"Valder gives us a window on a sophisticated garden ethic very different from Europe's, and an encyclopedia of more than 4000 Chinese garden plants. Many will inevitably become more widely seen here because of their natural resistance to pests and diseases now arriving from Asia via global trade."—Boston Globe, December 1, 1999 (Boston Globe )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press (May 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881924709
• ISBN-13: 978-0881924701
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #387,985 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photographs, great historical info, February 12, 2000

By 

Angel Lee "Liocorno Amethyst Moonstone" (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Garden Plants of China (Hardcover)

This is a fabulous, beautifully photographed, survey of the decorative plants native to China. The book opens with details of China's rich horticultural heritage and the role of plants in Chinese culture.

Further chapters are broken down by type of plant. These include bamboos, fruit trees, orchids, roses, chrysanthemums, aquatic plants and more. Items both familiar and exotic to the western gardener will be found here.

Many specific varieties are described in each chapter, with Latin, Chinese and common names. History, native habitat, and uses for each plant are described.

The photography is outstanding with several close-up color photos on each page. There is also a nice smattering of old botanical illustrations and Chinese art. I highly recommend this book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Garden Book of the Year, December 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Garden Plants of China (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully produced and immensely readable work of considerable scholarship . Its subject matter is intriguing and the author writes in a style where one finds oneself going quickly from one section to another. The wonderful photography certainly enhances the text. My views would seem to have been borne out by the recent decision of the British Gardens Writers Guild who have just awarded it the Reference Garden Book of the Year. I'm sure this will become the standard reference work for this engrossing subject for many years to come. I highly recommend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful presentation for horticultural collections., April 5, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Garden Plants of China (Hardcover)

400 pages and over four hundred color photos pack an in-depth examination of plants used in Chinese gardens for ornamental purposes. Listings appear using both Latin and common names and Chinese names, presenting the history, myths, horticultural information and uses of the plants. A beautiful presentation recommended for horticulture collections.