American Rose Society Encyclopedia of Roses

Rating:
Summary: I was pleased
Review: I bought three books on roses and rose growing and this is my favorite of the three. It's a bit too big to carry to the nursery but it has loads of pictures and details on specific roses. Wish it had an index at the back by name but other than that, a good resource book that I end up reading at night before falling off to sleep to dream of my rose garden < :

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Compendium
Review: I consider myself an avid rosarian with a large library of rose books. This is the one I refer to again and again. One thing I particularly like about this book is that they will tell you if a rose has a known weakness, not all books will.

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Compendium
Review: I consider myself an avid rosarian with a large library of rose books. This is the one I refer to again and again. One thing I particularly like about this book is that they will tell you if a rose has a known weakness, not all books will.

Rating:
Summary: Valuable rose reference
Review: I have quite a large library of books on roses and I think that this is one of the best I've ever seen and one that I will refer to again and again. 2,000 roses are listed here in an A-Z format and it includes all classes of roses, including the recent David Austin and Romantica introductions. Unlike many rose reference books, this one seems to include roses familiar to us here in the U.S. (although I must note that the authors are British). Each entry includes basic info, like parentage, flower size, flowering habits, height/spread and hardiness. This is followed by a description of the rose and the type of climate it excels in. And, I'm happy to see that the authors have indentified individuals who have roses named after them and explains who they were! This information has always been rather difficult to locate. A photo of the rose is included and, for the most part, they are very good (there are a few that are so-so).

Other notable features are articles and sidebars that deal with the history of the rose, notable hybridizers in the profession and famous nurseries and rose gardens. A brief concluding section covers planting and caring for roses with good demonstration photos.

This is a big book, 448 pages, and one that will be very helpful to refer to when considering a rose.

Rating:
Summary: American Rose Society Encyclopedia of Roses
Review: The Quest-Ritsons' substantial resource is an authoritative guide to choosing and growing roses. The first section provides a brief history of the rose--its origins and development throughout the centuries--and describes the various types and groups of roses cultivated worldwide. The 400-page main section is a detailed alphabetical catalog of almost 2,000 rose species and cultivars available worldwide. Individual roses are listed alphabetically by name; each entry includes a color photograph, a description of the growing habits, cultivation needs, and breeding, and an explanation of the origin of the rose's unique name. Sidebars identify people and places of interest throughout the rose world; e.g., breeders and renowned or historic rose gardens. The final ten pages provide practical, straightforward advice on the care of roses, from choosing and buying to planting, pruning, propagating, feeding, watering, and keeping them disease-free. Appendixes include a glossary, a general and species index, and lists of Web sites and international rose societies. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Large horticultural collections and nonprofessional practitioners.