Designing With Roses

Explores the versatility of roses and offers advice on planting, feeding, and pruning

The English have always been way ahead of Americans when it comes to using roses in the garden. Granted, not many of us are lucky enough to have as much space as the English for gardening. However, roses, especially the antique varieties, have recently regained great popularity here, and a book on how to integrate them into our gardens is badly needed. Lord (Gardening at Sissinghurst) has written a worthy treatment if readers can take their eyes away from the sumptuous photos accompanying the text. He begins by describing how roses have been used in gardensAfrom the old method of growing roses alone in individual beds to the current practice of using them in mixed borders. He continues with chapters that illustrate a specific use of roses in the garden. The last chapter discusses how roses should be used in wild gardens. Lord concludes with a very helpful list of rose varieties that can be used for specific situations (e.g., fences, walls) and a short list of international rose nurseries. For all gardening collections.APhillip Oliver, Univ. of North Alabama Lib., Florence
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