There are at least two kinds of gardening books – coffee table tomes and practical guides – and the Miracle-Gro Complete Guide to Roses is surely one of the best handbooks on our favorite flower. To say that it’s comprehensive is undoubtedly an understatement. The large paperback book, which came out in 2008, appears much like similar references, which belies its extraordinary content: There’s no identified author; the publisher, Scotts, is a commercial one; its unassuming cover seems to have been designed by a graphic artist, and its content runs the usual gamut from choosing, planting, tending, and describing roses. This ordinary framework of a handbook, however, has been developed and designed to include an extraordinary amount of information and number of visual aids. This guide goes into far more detail than usual on the necessary subjects like those listed above. In addition, it includes substantial sections on the varieties of roses, the better choices for around the country, and gardening with roses in a range of settings. For example, the book not only provides a full page chart about the types of roses, but it also follows up with a half-page of description of each glorious variety. The lengthy chapter on designing rose gardens covers virtually all options, such as mixed beds, mass plantings and hedges, and provides numerous photos that illustrate the different layouts and effects. Surprisingly, the section on creating formal rose gardens and the one on planting in containers are about the same length, which suggests the editors of this guide know the range of interests rose lovers have. The chapter on choosing roses concisely explains a number of regional climates and conditions as well as a variety of situations (like light and soil) that are present anywhere. The chapter on basics not only covers all that beginning gardeners need (like soil amendments and planting instructions), but also discusses equally important but often omitted topics like shade, microclimates, and air circulation. The section on pruning is also quite detailed and instructive. In addition, the Miracle-Gro Complete Guide to Roses includes a number of graphic organizers that include both explanations and illustrations, so they tell us something and show us examples. For instance, a timeline with photos explains the history of the rose; a chart with photos depicts which roses bloom to what degree in which months, a color wheel of open blooms shows the range of hues developed; and a mono-chromatic drawing shows the shape and size of various rose bushes growing in relation to one another. There’s also a year-long calendar identifying which tasks should be done at what month around the country. The guidebook’s gallery of roses is organized by type, with introductory descriptions followed by beautiful photos of and facts about scores and scores of both favorite and newer roses. Throughout, useful information is also provided in brief tips, and sidebars provide longer explanations of related topics. The photographs are also highly helpful and include both close-ups of blooms and other items like prickles and mulch as well as larger images of rose bushes in a variety of lovely garden settings. With so much detailed, useful information and such a variety of illustrations, it’s appropriate that the book’s cover bears the “endorsed” emblem of the American Rose Society. The Miracle-Gro Complete Guide to Roses is comprehensive in both its scope and content and belongs in the library of all rose gardeners. Whether they are novices or experts, they will certainly find valuable information and illuminating illustrations in this impressive guide. Please comment and let us know if you found this book review helpful or if you have any gardening guides that you recommend. Please also feel free to attend one of our meetings for more useful information about roses.
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Patti Dee, Archives
December 2018
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