The Timber Press Pocket Guide to Japanese Maples describes and illustrates 300 of the most widely available Japanese maples in North America and Europe. Along with basic information on cultivation and maintenance, it provides lists of trees for specific landscape uses, enabling gardeners to select the best trees for various garden conditions. Fifty newer cultivars are presented, including four outstanding trees that are expected to become very popular in the near future. The guide is a valuable complement to the 3rd edition of J. D. Vertrees' Japanese Maples (updated in 2001 by Peter Gregory). Its handy format makes it an ideal reference for taking to the nursery or garden center.
Peter Gregory, retired manager at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, England, is the chairman and co-founder of the Maple Society and the editor of its journal. He has been involved with tree research, including maples, for more than five decades. He lives in the UK.
J. D. Vertrees (1915--1993) was an entomologist, nurseryman, and educator who collected rare and unusual maples in southern Oregon. He was probably the most knowledgeable grower of Japanese maples in his time, amassing an impressive list of awards. His 1.5-acre arboretum at Maplewood Nursery had the largest collection of Japanese maples in the United States. In 1997, Japanese Maples was selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of the 75 Great American Garden Books.