Begonias

Rating:
Summary: How to handle and successfully grow a variety of begonias
Review: North American gardeners who want to learn about begonias now receive all the information in Begonias, a book devoted to this one plant alone. From its history and key discoveries to its culture and propagation, Begonias packs in details on how to handle and successfully grow a variety of begonias.

Rating:
Summary: Very good, but not what I wanted.
Review: This is a very good, concise book covering history, cultivation, propagation and even hybridizing methods of tuberous begonias. When I purchased this book, I didn't know the difference between tuberous and non-tuberous begonias so I was a bit disappointed to discover that begonias of my primary interest, the non-tuberous type, are barely covered. This review is mostly a warning to those who might not know the difference. The focus of the book is tuberous begonias which are primarily grown for their flowers (and are well-represented by the excellent photos). The author includes a brief chapter covering the various types of non-tuberous begonias (which interest me because of their foliage) and short propagation notes. Non-tuberous begonias include varieties which are cane-like (including the "Angel Wing" varieties), thick-stemmed, rhizomatous, trailing-scandents, Rex and semperflorens (wax leaf - common bedding begonia). If you are interested in these types, you should keep searching for another book.