Product Description

Lilies are among the most glamorous and exotic of plants, yet they are surprisingly easy to cultivate in a wide range of temperate climates -there is a lily perfect for almost every region in North America! The lily's increasing popularity as both a cut flower and a garden subject is well deserved, and this handsome volume combines the flower's unrivaled visual allure with a wealth of practical information on growing and gardening with these romantic garden favorites. The book is organized into three main sections. The introduction examines the history of lilies and explores their versatility in the garden. The second section, "Choosing Lilies," is a photographic portrait gallery of over 100 different lilies, capturing their essential beauty and showcasing the vast range of flower forms and colors. The third section, "Growing Lilies," contains a wealth of practical information on planting, nurturing, and propagating lilies with clear, step-by-step photographs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1531875 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03-18
• Released on: 2004-03-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

From Library Journal
In this introduction to the history and culture of lilies, Jefferson-Brown, a British breeder and grower, and Howland, former chair of the Royal Horticultural Society Lily Group, describe both the various lily species and the best currently available hybrids and detail how to grow and propagate them. There are suggestions for including lilies in a mixed border, planting in containers, and even growing varieties in rock gardens. Instructions for producing new hybrids round off the work. Written for gardeners at all levels of expertise, this volume contains more detail than Jefferson-Brown's earlier work, Lilies (Trafalgar Square, 1989), or Richard Bird's Lilies (Chartwell, 1991). A good purchase if neither of these two works is owned.?Molly Newling, Piscataway P.L., N.J.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
In the whole lily spectrum, there is something for everyone, from easy-to-grow, long-lived garden plants to the more difficult and rare species. The authors first explain the plant's ecology and life cycle and then give advice on planting and grouping for effect. There's information on cultivation and propagation, along with techniques for breeding. But the bulk of the book is a list of species and hybrid species; each listing gives detailed data on the plant's foliage, flowers, flowering times, size, and soil requirements. There are 70 color photographs and 40 black-and-white line drawings in this comprehensive guide to the genus Lilium. George Cohen

Review
Lilies are one of the most popular cut flowers in the world, their beauty, scent and luxuriousness drawing admiration from all quarters. Around since Christianity began, they are spread wide across the globe and hybridization has resulted in many variations to suit all situations and uses. Best placed in a mixed border surrounded by a supporting cast, they are also ideal for container growing, being easy to place and adding instant impact to a patio or conservatory. Gold medal winner, Michael Jefferson-Brown, brings his knowledge of the Liliaceae family to this study. From the pernickety species to the easy new hybrids, he gives detailed botanical facts, cultivation details, propagation information (a very amenable family for this), pest and disease advice and ideas on their uses in the garden. From the popular Lilium candidum and Lilium longiflorum to the rarer Lilium nepalense and Lilium dauricum. The towering Lilium henryi to the diminutive Lilium formosanum. The trumpet flowers of Lilium regale, the recurved martagons and the splashy diva appearance of the oriental hybids, there are lilies to suit every taste and situation. Part of the RHS Wisley handbook series, this is a comprehensive and concise look at the genus Liliaceae, fully illustrated and clearly written. Aimed at both the amateur and professional grower, this is an invaluable addition to any serious horticulturalists bookshelf. - Lucy Watson

Customer Reviews

Very good
This book is a very good resource for everybody who wants to get informed about lilies in general. It's biggest advantage is it's very accessible language, even beginners won't have a problem to understand. It covers all important topics and is richly illustrated, though it sometimes suffers a bit of the "coffee-tablebook-syndrome".

It is a perfect work for beginners and advanced hobbyists who want to be well informed, but don't intend to use much too advanced techniques. For those it is quite usable and a very valuable source of information. Only experienced collectors and professionals might sometimes feel a bit unsatisfied.

quite interesting
I would recommnend this title, there are a lot of pictures, and therefore a bit less written information, but on the whole I think this book is worth buying.