Customer Reviews

Gardener's Guide to Growing Cannas

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book deserves more than five stars! I had searched for a book on Cannas for a long time. As Ian Cooke points out, this book is the only comprehensive work published on Cannas since 1903. It has become one of my treasured plant bibles, along side with "Heliconia: An Identification Guide" by Fred Berry & W. John Kress and "Exotica" by Alfred Graf.

I live in the tropics and Cannas are indispensable in adding colours to an otherwise overpowering green garden. This book is aimed at gardeners in temperate climate countries, who have a more challenging task in growing Cannas. Ian Cooke is obviously an authority on these plants. The book has valuable information on Canna species, cultivation including common pests and diseases, and propagation by rhizome division and growing from seeds. There is even a list of websites/nurseries dedicated to this genus and is an alternative avenue for sourcing of new species by keen gardeners.

Finally a book on the long-awaited gardening subject:
CANNAS , with the fine writing and photoes we expect from
Ian Cooke. A very useful book for gardeners who love
that exotic garden look.

Cannas are thought of in terms of their beautiful color. Ian Cooke's Gardener's Guide To Growing Cannas presents a canna expert's complete review of the plant, from an A-Z listing of varieties to the history of cannas, their cultivation and species, and cannas in the garden. Gardener's Guide To Growing Cannas is an appealing, colorful, comprehensive guide which gardeners and horticulturalists will appreciate.

I was very surprised at how much I learned about Cannas. I have approximately 40 different cannas. I learned more from reading the book than I have from raising cannas for the last 10 years. I also discovered some new ones that I plan on ordering.

The Gardener's Guide to Cannas is a perfect place to start if you have any interest in one of the easiest plants to grow. The book covers everything you need to know, covers all the unique varities, and has wonderful pictures.

Detailed descriptions of Cannas including leaf and petal colors. Great color photos. Nice book!

Propagation. The comes the main bulk of the book, the descriptions of first the Species and then An A-Z of Cannas. The reaming chapters consider Cannas in the Garden; Commercial Propagation of Cannas; Canna Hybridization; Cannas in the British Isles, Cannas in the USA; Cannas Worldwide. The book includes a number of appendices including a glossary, where to buy.

The descriptions of the individual plants are quite brief and occasionally include the personal comments of the author. There are over 80 colour photographs of the plants ranging in size from about a quarter of a page to full page, and about 10 of them double page spreads that show the individual flower or sometimes the foliage of a dozen or more plants each, so the total number of plants illustrated must be in the region of 150 or more.

The quality of the photographs is generally good. Of course it would be good to have all the plants illustrated, and with the pictures appearing alongside the descriptions. However this is a useful and accessible book written by an experienced canna grower and holder of the national collection of cannas.

We received the book promptly through Amazon, and our interest and knowledge about Cannas was increased. The book gives an all inclusive coverage about Cannas. Ian Cook has a definite committment to Cannas and gives a very detailed account of varieties and planting basics.

The graphics are fantastic, and we bought both the hard cover and soft cover editions, one which we plan to give to a good friend, we found both in excellent condition though they were purchased as "used like new." They appeared brand new. We are pleased with these and several other books that we have bought from Amazon.