Orchids: A Complete Guide to Cultivation and Care (Gardener's Guide) [Paperback]

Rittershausen (Author)

Book Description

Series: Gardener's Guide | Publication Date: April 1, 2001

With invaluable advice on where and how to care for your orchids, this is a beautiful gardener's guide to all the main orchids, with over 300 specially commissioned illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian and Sara Rittershausen are a father and daughter team well known throughout the orchid world. Brian has been writing and lecturing for many years and is an active member of the Royal Horticultural Society's Orchid Committee. Sara is involved with the running of Burnham Nurseries in Devon and writes for the National Orchid Journal, and many other publications. Sara also travels to shows and special events in the UK, including the Chelsea Flower Show. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Anness (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842153854
• ISBN-13: 978-1842153857
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,943,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gardener's Guide To Growing Orchids, May 17, 2001

By 

Suzanne L. Smith (San Francisco CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Orchids: A Complete Guide to Cultivation and Care (Gardener's Guide) (Paperback)

I have 5 or 6 books on basic orchid care and this supasses all of them in depth of content. It is simple to understand and the pictures are breathtaking. More importantly, they examine every part of orchid care, not just the basic air, light, water. There are detailed instructions on how to hybridize your own orchids, which I have only seen before in costly advanced books. I feel this book is an excellent resource for the beginner who has an orchid or two and wishes to know more. It's a handy reference for "just the basics" as well.

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars True Beginners & Beginners w/ High Aspirations, April 8, 2003

By 

Julie - See all my reviews

This review is from: Orchids: A Complete Guide to Cultivation and Care (Gardener's Guide) (Paperback)

As a windowsill orchid hobbyist who already owns a few beginner's books, I found this one to be beautifully designed with gorgeous photos and photographic step-by-step directions on full repotting (including root trimming), dropping on an orchid (moving a healthy but overgrown plant to a larger pot w/o touching root system), orchids in baskets, and mounting orchids on bark. The section on pests/disease is also very clearly articulated with large photographic examples.

The book does, however, go into quite a bit of detail about different types of orchid pollination, propagation, as well as greenhouse construction. While these topics might be interesting for the first-time grower, I'm a little unsure as to whether most "newbies" starting out with a handful of plants have THAT kind of space, time, or money to devote to the hobby, at least at first. I was also hoping for a bit more info on miniature orchids. Then again, coming from a f/t grad student who has to relocate herself and her orchids every 6-10 months, you may want to take that with a grain of salt! Buy this book? Yes! But you may later want something else that suits your specific growing conditions.