Legends in the Garden: Who In The World is Nellie Stevens? [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Linda L. Copeland (Author), Allan M. Armitage (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2001

If you've ever wondered about the people and places immortalized in plant names, this enlightening and entertaining book will provide some answers. Legends in the Garden introduces 46 people and places — some familiar, others unknown — associated with popular garden plants. Rosa 'Burbank' honors Luther Burbank, the "plant wizard" of Santa Rosa. John Champneys and Philippe Noisette, key figures in the development of the rose, gave their names to R. 'Champneys' Pink Cluster' and R. 'Blush Noisette'. But who were Nellie Stevens (Ilex 'Nellie Stevens') and Frances Williams (Hosta sieboldiana 'Frances Williams')? This delightful book combines accounts of the lives of these intriguing characters with descriptions of the plants that bear their names and the stories of their chance discoveries or deliberate breeding.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"People and plant stories intertwine, greatly enlivening the history of horticulture."
—Horticulture, January 2003 (Horticulture )

"Those curious about the origins of plant names like Annabelle hydrangea and Arnold Promise witchhazel will enjoy Legends in the Garden."
—Marty Hair, Detroit Free Press, December 15, 2002 (Detroit Free Press )

"A unique little hardcover that will put faces with the names of a number of those cultivars, or hybrids, that have become so popular ... Stimulating, educational reading."
—Joel M. Lerner, Washington Post, November 30, 2002 (The Washington Post )

Review

"...welcome to a feast of interesting, enjoyable and romantic anecdotes and open further the doors to that intellectual garden where our lives become entwined with the men and women who first recognized the special virtues of our garden plants."
-Richard. W. Lightly, Ph.D.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 194 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press; First Edition edition (October 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930897081
• ISBN-13: 978-1930897083
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legends in the Garden: Who In The World is Nellie Stevens?, November 25, 2002

By 

Kinsey Smith (Jacksonville, Fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Legends in the Garden: Who In The World is Nellie Stevens? (Hardcover)

I have always wanted to know how various plants got their names. This book is a great source for discovering the stories behind plant names. It is quite enjoyable and interesting. A delight to read! I highly recommend this book to everyone!... Even people who do not know much about plants will love to read these fascinating stories!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Entertaining, November 24, 2004

By 

Greg Speichert "garden guy" (Cedar Lake, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Legends in the Garden: Who In The World is Nellie Stevens? (Hardcover)

This book is a great read for anyone wanting to know where the names of plants evolved from. Linda Copeland and Allan Armitage skillfully put this book together by sharing the stories of the people plants were named after.
Learn the stories behind `Baths Pink', Calycanthus `Michael Lindsey,' or Heuchera `Montrose Ruby,' just to name a few.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of getting to know these great people behind the plant. This book is a great read on a rainy cold day.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who is that plant named after???, March 14, 2005

By 

W. Oliver (Alabama) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Legends in the Garden: Who In The World is Nellie Stevens? (Hardcover)

If you've ever wondered who the "Betty Corning" clematis or the "Carol Mackie" daphne was named after, then here's the book for you. Over 40 individuals who've had plants named after them are profiled here. Each person's biography and how their namesake came about is covered in a 2-4 page chapter. A photo of each person is included. A section in the middle of the book features color photos of the plants.

Among those included are Jane Bath (Bath's Pink dianthus), Molly Bush (heuchera), Vince Dooley (hydrangea), Katie Ferguson (rhododendron), Azilda Gerbing (rhododendron), Kim Hawks (echinacea), Frank Meyer (lemon), Jane Platt (magnolia), Betty Sheffield (camellia), Nellie Stevens (holly), George Tabor (rhododendron), Frances Williams (hosta) and many more.