Wildflowers, (The New England Wild Flower Society) (Hardcover)

by William Cullina (Author) "Plants are wondrous things..." (more)
Key Phrases: British Columbia, New Mexico, North America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The New England Wild Flower Society is the oldest plant conservation organization in North America. It celebrated its 100th birthday by publishing this beautiful and useful guide to identifying, growing, and propagating native wildflowers.

Cultivating and appreciating native flora is a first step towards ecological gardening, a concept whose time has come. By choosing to grow the plants that thrive naturally in the conditions your garden offers, you are working with rather than against nature, resulting in easier maintenance and a reduced need of water and chemicals. A great many of the very loveliest flowers are available as natives, such as columbines, iris, trout lilies, violets, trillium, and even orchids. The delicacy of the native species, their simple forms and unadorned beauty, make many of the cultivars we see in the nursery appear overdone and blowzy, like a girl who has overdressed for a party. Horticulturists have worked for years to make new colors, double forms, and larger, brighter flowers, but these small natives have all the appeal of the original, plus they naturally thrive in appropriate conditions.

More than a thousand species of flowers are discussed and pictured, with thorough information on native habitat, cultural requirements, propagation, and design considerations. At the back of the book are lists of plants ideal for specific situations and with certain characteristics; look here to find what species have large leaves or attract butterflies, as well as which do best in dry shade, rocky areas, bogs, and, perhaps most useful of all, which wildflowers are deer-resistant. --Valerie Easton

From Library Journal
Cullina, nursery manager and propagator for the 100-year-old New England Wild Flower Society, shares his experiences growing and propagating temperate North American wildflowers. His comprehensive treatment begins with sections on how to use the book, ecological gardening, and an explanation of the floristic provinces of North America. This introductory material is followed by the heart of the book, the "Encyclopedia of Plants," covering 200 genera and 1000 species. Arranged by genus, each entry includes a beautiful, close-up color photo of a representative of the genus, common names, a general description of the genus, cultural techniques, propagation difficulty, uses in the landscape, and any benefits for wildlife. This general description is followed by a listing of selected species. Each species entry includes hardiness zones, soil type, where the plant is native, size, flower color, and bloom time. The text continues with a section on propagation techniques, then detailed information by genus on how to harvest seed and propagate the plants by seed, division, or cutting. Appendixes include wildflowers for various sites, sources of propagated native plants and seeds, and native plant societies in the United States and Canada. Packed with information on growing and propagating wildflowers and laced with interesting personal observations and tidbits, Cullina's beautifully descriptive book makes fascinating reading while also providing extensive factual material for novice or experienced gardeners. Nothing with this scope is currently available. Highly recommended for circulating and reference collections.DSue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 314 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (April 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395966094
• ISBN-13: 978-0395966099
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #144,583 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ., April 26, 2000

By	Jeremy Franceschi (Uxbridge, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Whether you're experienced or just starting out, this book tells you everything you need to know to garden with wildflowers. Introductory sections discuss terms, issues and general cultural requirements. More than 200 color photos illustrate the over 150 genera and 1000 species covered. The info on individual plants is encyclopedic in structure and scope, but conversational in tone. This unusual and happy combination results in a reference that is at once informative and friendly, technical and anecdotal, never pedantic, and often very funny. Each entry begins with a photo of the plant, followed by a paragraph or two relating (mostly) to the genus, then small sections on culture and uses. Important or representative species of the genus (as many as 20 in the cases of Trilliums and Penstemons), with Latin and common names, each have an at-a-glance descriptive section & list of preferences, and further comments. The appendices include lists of wildflowers for specific uses, sources of plants and seeds, & plant societies. If you're considering buying a book on this subject, look no further. This one is the most current, most complete, and most fun.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide To Wildflowers By A True Expert, February 1, 2004

By	Timothy Kearney (Hull, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

If you happen to be visiting The Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA, you will probably notice a man puttering in the gardens or working in the nursery. More than likely he will instinctively know that you have a question about the wildflowers you are examining and he will be more than happy to share his knowledge. This amiable person is William Cullina of the New England Wildflower Society. For those who are unable to visit the garden, or have a question about wildflowers, Cullina's book GROWING AND PROPAGATING WILDFLOWERS is the next best thing. This coffee table style book is filled with lavish photographs and wonderful commentary about many wildflowers found in North America. The book not only assists the reader in identifying various wildflowers, but helps the reader who wishes to incorporate wildflowers in a home garden. Cullina mentions in the introduction that horticulture has been a life long passion. This is evident in his writing style. The information in the book is informative and while it is presented in a formal manner, it is non-threatening for the novice gardener. This work is not helpful just for gardeners. Photographers will appreciate the wonderful shots of the flowers, many of which were photographed by Cullina himself.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Pro, April 8, 2000

By	Lynn A. Dickason (Tulsa, Ok Zone 6B) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Four of us took this book along when shopping at an amazing nursery...not that it failed to dissuade us from shopping to the max, but because it was the best yet information on wildflowers in cultivation and answered some of our (pretty much experienced) questions about propagation failures. This is a nice adjunct to Phillips' propagation book. Also great photography, but as usual, prefers bloom to leaf and habit.