Books -> Flowers
Hydrangeas for American Gardens
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by:
Dirr, Michael A.
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Publisher:
Timber Press
Published: OR
ISBN: 0881926418
Format:Hardcover
Pages:240
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Book Description
From Publishers Weekly
Hydrangea is a broad and varied genus, one "difficult to compress under a small umbrella." University of Georgia horticulture professor Dirr casts a wide net to provide comprehensive information about these versatile plants. That
his passion for hydrangeas "knows no bounds" is clear from this enthusiastic combination of rigorous science, concise description and seasoned advice. The first chapter, "Characteristics, Taxonomy and Nomenclature," is the most academically oriented but
brief and readable enough for the home gardener. Ten well-organized and liberally illustrated chapters follow, each devoted to a single species and its subspecies, ranging from the familiar and hugely popular H.macrophylla and H. paniculata, to relative
rarities boasting flower buds that remind Dirr of "purple-brown cauliflowers" and are sometimes "quite large and Martian." Chapters on care and culture, propagation, pests and diseases, potpourri, and breeding offer a wealth of practical insights equally
valuable to the casual green thumb and the professional horticulturist, in every region of the country. Readers will learn the often-misunderstood chemistry behind pink/blue color shifts, how to dry and dye flower heads and where to register new
cultivars. A first-rate listing of resources and nursery sources and 160 luscious color photos complete this definitive and irresistible tribute to one of America's favorite shrubs.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier
Inc. All rights reserved.
Product Description:
Hydrangeas are among the best-loved flowering shrubs and vines for American gardens. Their long-lasting blooms provide months of color from spring to the autumnal frosts; their adaptability under
the extremes of cultivation (from USDA hardiness zones 3 to 10) makes them a sensible choice as well. However, the sheer number of Hydrangea species, hybrids, and cultivars can prove overwhelming even for the most advanced gardeners. How to choose from
the hundreds of mopheads, lacecaps, climbers, and oakleafs, to name just a few? Respected plantsman Michael A. Dirr has written the first book to accurately describe the selection, care, and culture of hydrangeas for the length and breadth of North
America. With practical "hands-in-the-soil" advice and detailed observation based on years of scientific research, Hydrangeas for American Gardens is an indispensable reference for all gardeners and hydrangea enthusiasts.
Professor Dirr
explains in understandable terminology the basic botanical categories of hydrangeas and how they've yielded the colorful hybrids that are treasured today. He enumerates the horticultural assets and liabilities of each type of hydrangea, and offers
invaluable advice on which choices are best for which regions of North America --- the optimum choice for Seattle's misty climate might melt like butter in the steamy heat of Atlanta. Professor Dirr even provides a futuristic glimpse of the interesting
and unusual species and hybrids --- including reblooming types --- that will be making their way into nurseries in the years ahead. With treatises on propagation, pruning, breeding, drying, design, and pests and diseases, this book will become the
classic reference for gardeners in the United States and Canada.
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