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Restoring American Gardens: An Encyclopedia of Heirloom Ornamental Plants, 1640-1940 | 
| Author: Denise Wiles Adams
Publisher: Timber Press, Incorporated
Category: Book
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $10.96
You Save: $28.99 (73%)
New (18) Used (16) from $10.96
Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 132336
Format: Illustrated
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 420
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.7
Dimensions (in): 11.1 x 8.4 x 1.3
ISBN: 0881926191
Dewey Decimal Number: 635.90973
EAN: 9780881926194
Publication Date: February 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Today's gardeners have more plants and design ideas to choose from than ever before. But is there something missing in their gardens if they ignore their ties to the past? Denise Wiles Adams has written a remarkable book of history and horticulture that documents the changing plant palette of American gardens. From the colonial era to the pre-World War II period, no region of the country is neglected and no major plant group unrepresented. From a database of more than 25,000 plants and hundreds of antique nursery catalogs, she has distilled a unique survey of American ornamental gardens. Nobody concerned with historic homes and properties can afford to be without it. An important resource that will be consulted for generations, Restoring American Gardens is a vital link between gardeners and their predecessors throughout history.
Book Description
Denise Wiles Adams has written a remarkable book of history and horticulture that documents the changing plant palette of American gardens. From the colonial era to the pre-World War II period, no region of the country is neglected and no major plant group unrepresented. From a database of more than 25,000 plants and hundreds of antique nursery catalogs, she has distilled a unique survey of American ornamental gardens.
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| Customer Reviews:
A treasure trove of information on heirloom ornamentals May 3, 2004
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
Gardeners who enjoy a healthy dose of gardening history in their guides will find Denise Wiles Adams' Restoring American Gardens a treasure trove of information on heirloom ornamentals from 1640-1940. Small color photos of each plant abound, but it's the paragraphs of description for each, including garden design notes and special remarks, which sets this apart from competitors.
Amazing piece of research, well presented April 15, 2004
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
This is an amazing piece of research and one of the few books whose appendices are a "must read".The bok is about American ornamental plant history - the story of garden plants from their introduction, usually from Europe, or from the local fields and forests. It answers questions such as "Who first cultivated it in America?", "How was it used?", "Who propagated or sold it?" and "Why was it popular?". The writer consulted over 300 seed and nursery catalogues from all over the US and ended up with a data base of over 25,000 different taxa. The first chapter of the book looks at the historical detail of the garden landscape and it is illustrated with well-selected photographs, many taken from postcards. The second chapter links the gardens to the architectural styles from different time periods and the third chapter looks at the way garden styles evolved in different regions of the country. The largest part of the book is a catalogue of over 1000 heirloom plants - trees, shrubs, vines, perennials and roses that were offered for sale between 1719 - 1939. For each plant there is given common names, family, date of introduction, earliest American citation, zones and description, taken from the garden writers of history. This book presents a vast amount of material and it's a treasure trove for the garden historian. Even the most casual reader will enjoy the historical and botanical illustrations. It really is a treat to find such a well-organized work of scholarship that is so readable and attractively presented.
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