Rhs Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers

Love this book and all the plants great reference book.

This is the biggest reference book I own. All the images are Fantastic and show the distinctive differences between the species which helps in identifying. I am a Horticulturlist and find this book to be a valuable resources to have in my library. Its easy to read and understand, the only thing I would have liked to see is the actual height for the trees instead of the scale on the side. You must buy this book if you are a plant lover or a keen gardener.

Makes identifying plants and flowers as well as taking care of them, much easier.

Firstly I'm reviewing the 2006 edition.Two-thirds glossy paper with lots of photographs, with expanded sections on common families, and the remaining 1/3 plain given over to the Plant Dictionary and glossary. Well laid-out introductory sections with good explanations and lots of beautiful colour photography, making identification and comparison easy. Sections include:PrefaceHow to use the bookPlant names and originsColour in the gardenPlant SelectorPlant CataloguePlant Dictionary including common namesGlossaryThe Plant Catalogue is divided into the following sections:TreesShrubsRosesClimbersPerennialsAnnuals & BiennialsRock plantsBulbsWater plantsCacti and other succulents.Each section includes easy-to-understand explanations about classification and identification, etc. The Plant Dictionary is a complete listing of more than 8000 plants suitable for growing in temperate gardens worldwide. It includes full descriptions of the characteristics and cultivation of over 4000 plants not already covered in the Plant Catalogue. The 2010 edition includes an additional "how to" section covering aspects of cultivation, pruning and care, etc.One of my all-time favourite books and an essential addition to the home library.

I bought this book after my first season as a qualified gardener to further my knowledge of plants/trees/shrubs. The book was everything I expected it to be.The pictures are very clear ,and the information given about them is easy to understand, and easy to absorb. I got this book in Early January and it's now early February, and my knowledge has increased greatly, not only from identifying plants/trees/shrubs, but how to care for plants/trees/shrubs, and which conditions they grow best in, and when they will bloom.I can not in all honesty, think of anything about this book to dislike.I would recommend this book, to anyone who wants to know what plants/trees/shrubs look good in their garden, or who is interested in gardening as a career.

As a relatively novice gardener I was looking for a book which would help me identify the plants in my garden and assist with planning planting etc. If its identifying plants that your after then this book isn't great; the pictures are too small to really identify all but the obvious plants, the way its laid out is a bit weird and not really very helpful. A shame as a lovely hardback book like the others rhs do, just not very useful as a usable plant guide.

Unpleasantly surprised that the overwhelming emphasis of this book is on gardening, it catalogues plants by the colour of the flower petal, and gives little description or insight into the plants, but instead gives advice on their place in an aesthetic garden layout. The second part of the book which is the more bare bones encyclopedic part, is also limited in any degree of information about the plants beyond what they look like.If you're going to make a book for the primary purpose of giving gardening advice, you should not call if 'Encyclopedia of plants and flowers'.

Without doubt, the best book for planning a beautiful garden you could hope to buy.Daughter thoroughly pleased with her present.New house, new home, new expectations.This book is a must.

I find this encyclopedia is a fantastic guide to plants that will thrive in my type of garden soil. I wish I had purchased a copy much sooner as it would of saved me a lot of heartache and money on plants that weren't suitable and perished in their first season.