Magnolias: A Care Manual
by Graham Rankin
from Laurel Glen Publishing
It is curious that there are not more books devoted to magnolias, which are surely some of the most magnificent garden trees. Magnolias combine elegant shape, delectable fragrance, and stunning blossoms with being easy to grow--what's not to love? The only tricky thing about magnolias is sorting out all the different kinds and deciding which to choose for your own garden. Graham Rankin's book will help in this process, but will no doubt influence many readers to grow a few more magnolias than they ever intended.
First of all, it is a beautiful book. Oversized and filled with glorious color photos, Magnolia is a public relations document of the first order. And the color! Magnolias come in pure yellow, glowing white, softest petal pink, and even wine red. It is easy to believe pastels were invented just for magnolias. These photographs show off the waxy texture of the flowers, their cupped or spidery shapes, and their colorful center stamen to the extent that you'll be tempted to put your nose up close to the page to try to get a hit of their lemon-sweet perfume. But this is more than a celebration of the beauty and variety of magnolias: Rankin gives detailed and knowledgeable information on care, when to prune, how to plant, disease and insects, and staking and transplanting. He recommends spring bulbs, lilies, ferns, and hostas for companion plantings.
Thumbing through the directory section of the book, you'll find that there is a magnolia for nearly every situation that requires a tree: star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) stays small, has charmingly plump and fuzzy buds in winter, and blooms early in pink or white; Magnolia grandiflora is a statuesque and most useful evergreen, its glossy green leaves trimmed with undersides in furry bronze, blooming in midsummer with huge, fragrant flowers. And those are only two of the hundreds of magnolias presented in this sumptuous guide to growing this most desirable of garden trees. --Valerie Easton
Magnolias were the first flowering plants on earth. Today the enthusiast can enjoy hundreds of species and varieties. Magnolia flowers can be seen over nine months of the year, starting in early spring with the precocious Asiatic species and ending with Magnolia grandiflora, which will flower until the frosts of autumn. Graham Rankin's clear text and beautiful, full-color photos provide the reader with a superb step-by-step guide to the cultivation and care of these magnificent tree shrubs. He has cared for and worked with a greater variety of magnolias than anyone else in Britain; among his prominent posts was his work with "The National Collection" within the Valley and Savill Gardens, Windsor Great Park. Also in the Care Manual series: Roses, Bonsai, Cactus and Succulents, Clematis, Fuchsia, and Rhododendrons.
Magnolias: A Gardener's Guide
by Jim Gardiner
from Timber Press, Incorporated
Revered by gardeners since ancient times, when they were brought into cultivation in Asia, magnolias have lost none of their allure. In fact, a steady supply of new magnolias has become available in recent years, from both newly discovered species and newly created hybrids, making the genus a source of greater horticultural excitement than ever before.Though loosely based on the author's 1989 book of the same name, Magnolias is so extensively revised and expanded as to be considered an entirely new book. This highly illustrated survey of the genus includes species and hybrids, extensive information on cultivation and propagation, and more than 150 fine photographs. The appendices list societies, plants for specific landscape situations, plants that have received awards, and places to see and buy magnolias.
The Curator of the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden at Wisley, England, presents a thoroughly horticultural approach for the beginning gardener to these beautiful flowering trees.
The World of Magnolias
by Dorothy J. Callaway
from Timber Press, Incorporated
An up-to-date encyclopedic reference to all known species, with the most complete listing of cultivars yet published. Since most magnolias are highly ornamental their garden use is a primary focus of the book, though every aspect of magnolias from history to hybridizing is treated.
An up-to-date encyclopedic reference to all known species with the most complete listing of cultivars yet published. Since most magnolias are highly ornamental, their garden use is a primary focus of the book, but every aspect of magnolias from history to hybridizing is treated.
Magnolias
by Rosemary Barrett
from Firefly Books
Magnolias hold a special space in the hearts of North American gardeners, particularly those in the South where spring is heralded by the arrival of the magnolia blooms. "The Queen of Flowers" is also the favorite of author Rosemary Barrett, whose garden features dozens of magnolia trees. She shares her expertise and passion for magnolias, offering readers practical and enthusiastic guidance on growing these extraordinary trees.
Surprisingly, in contrast to their sophisticated beauty, magnolias are easy to grow. This guide for hands-on gardeners is full of useful advice and ideas, including:
- the history of magnolias cultivation and propagation landscaping with magnolias in small and large gardens Soulangeana hybrids companion planting the best whites, pinks, reds and purples, yellows and others rare and special magnolias magnolia relatives, michelias and liriodendrons over 95 beautiful full color photographs
Magnolias includes traditional species and newer varieties, magnolias that flower quickly and those that take some time to bloom, magnolias for any size garden, perfumed magnolias, and many related plants. Wonderful photographs, nursery sources, a bibliography, hardiness zones and a full index complete this inspiring guide to this most beautiful tree.
The Illustrated Flora of Illinois: Flowering Plants: Magnolias to Pitcher Plants (Illustrated Flora of Illinois)
by Robert H Mohlenbrock
from Southern Illinois University Press
This volume, the eighth devoted to flowering plants in the IllusÂtrated Flora of Illinois series, is the third of several devoted to dicotyledons, which include such well-known plants as roses, peas, mustards, mints, nightshades, milkweeds, and asters.
Mohlenbrock here represents four orders and fifteen families of plants. The orders are the Annonales, Berberidales, NymphÂaeales, and Sarraceniales. The fifteen families that comprise them are generally conceded by most botanists to be among the most primitive living plants in the world today. These orders can be characterized generally as woody in the Annonales (except for the Saururaceae and some Aristolochiaceae), herbaceous in the Berberidales (except for the Menispermaceae and some BerÂberidaceae), aquatic in the Nymphaeales, and insectivorous in the Sarraceniales.
As in previous volumes in this series, the common name, or names, is the one used locally in Illinois. Each species is illusÂtrated, depicting the distinguishing features and the habitat in Illinois.
Magnolias (Classic Garden Plants)
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