Product Description

Maples are an asset to any garden for their year-round ornamental qualities --- but which to choose? With an unprecedented depth of photographic detail, Antoine le Hardÿ de Beaulieu has compiled the definitive guide to the beauty of maples. Supplementing the concise and practical descriptions are 1200 gorgeous photos showing different aspects of each plant. Landscape architects, garden designers, plant enthusiasts, and home gardeners will find this photobook a delightful and invaluable tool for making informed decisions about choosing the right tree or shrub. No other reference offers more photos on this beloved and versatile group.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #874664 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: French
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 464 pages

From Booklist
De Beaulieu describes 250 species and varieties of maple trees and shrubs, giving their height; the shape and color of their leaves, flowers, fruit, trunks, and branches; and the method of propagation. In an introduction, the author gives general information on their geographical distribution, bark, growth, and hardiness. Supplementing the text are 1,250 color photographs showing different aspects of each plant, and there are 32 black-and-white botanical drawings. For gardeners who may want to know: the Latin name for the maple genus is Acer (sharp, pointed), and the author tells us that paleobotanists have found traces of trees resembling our present-day maples dating back 70 million years. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Although the detailed botanical information makes this a first-rate reference guide, the sumptuous photos make it equally desirable as a coffee-table book."
—Linda Hillegass, Fine Gardening, March/April 2005 (Fine Gardening )

"Le Hardy de Beaulieu discourses on a perenially popular tree."
—Publishers Weekly, May 17, 2003 (Publishers Weekly )

"Now you'll know what your maple will really look like when it grows up."
—Garden Design, September 2003 (Garden Design )

Although the detailed botanical information makes this a first-rate reference guide, the sumptuous photos make it equally desirable as a coffee-table book. Linda Hillegass, Fine Gardening, March/April 2005 (Fine Gardening )

Le Hardy de Beaulieu discourses on a perenially popular tree. Publishers Weekly, May 17, 2003 (Publishers Weekly )

Now you'll know what your maple will really look like when it grows up. Garden Design, September 2003 (Garden Design )

About the Author
Antoine le Hardÿ de Beaulieu is a landscape designer, nurseryman, and publisher. His nursery specializes in ornamental trees and shrubs. He is a member of the International Dendrology Society, and works and gardens near Brussels, Belgium.

Customer Reviews

The Connoisseurs Guide to the Maple Family
THE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO MAPLES is far more than the definitive book on all of the 250 species of this favorite tree for all seasons. It stands solidly as an art book for environmentalists, arborists, and lovers of color photography.

In his Introduction Antoine Le Hardy De Beaulieu presents a warmly written history of the maple trees, with special attention to the areas of the world where this ubiquitous genus appears. Then follows a beautifully organized guide to each of the many species, with not only lush color photographs of the trees in the environment but also with close up views of specifics that assist the gardener in identifying each tree. Then at the end of this large volume considerable space is devoted to landscape placements of these magnificent trees that not only offer suggestions to planners, but also can be viewed as fine art photography. Highly Recommended volume. Grady Harp, January 2005

Really magnificent
The Timber Press has been putting out lavishly printed volumes (full color on glossy paper) for awhile now. With this book they appear to have lifted the publishing of fine books to a new level. They not only found a group of people dedicated to their subject and to fine photography who captured the saillant features in almost invariably excellent pictures, but also managed to find a layout to do these pictures full justice. Basically (almost) every maple species (or subspecies) has two pages devoted to it (or a multiple of that): a page of text and a page of pictures. Where more pages are devoted to a single maple sometimes a full page is devoted to a single picture, but this is the exception. Usually there are several pictures per page with large pictures of habit and smaller pictures of detail. The effect is quite splendid. A quick browse through the text reveals nothing out of place, with a recent classification being followed, although I suspect that a really close look will show up nitpickingly small errors. All in all this is really magnificent maple book, with a considerable wow!-factor.

Wonderful Full Gloss Pictures
This is a wonderful book that provides more pictures than text. It was just perfect, showing close up pictures of the leaves, seeds, fruit, branches and trunks for the different seasons. The pictures assist with the identification of the species (or subspecies). The pictures are full gloss on a high quality paper.