The size of the book may be a little daunting at first, with the 951 pages, where do you start? To try and start on page one and read it all the way through is not really going to work.
I started by looking into several plant families I am already familiar with, first up was Aesculus. Many people will be familiar with the widely known horse chestnut but within this group are some wonderful species. At the end of last year I had bought an Aesculus indica, known as the Indian Horse Chestnut, so I wanted to see how my view on this plant compared to the authors. I was not disappointed although this is rare in North America (where Dirr hails from) he describes the magnificent specimens at Kew Gardens. Being familiar with these I am pleased he shares my opinion. Clearly such a large tree will not work in our own garden, but it is one I intend to keep small.
Exploring his selection of other Aesculus, I was drawn to Aesculus glabra var. nana, a delightful compact shrub I was not previously familiar with but one which may well find a home in our garden if I can find a source in the UK.
This book really does draw you in, flicking through and spotting interesting shrubs, which are described with lovely detail and multiple illustrations. The photography is superb and well over half the book is taken up by photos, both close up and from further back showing the detail and form of the trees and shrubs under consideration. Where trees have interesting autumn colour this is described and also illustrated.
Michael Dirr is a horticulturist and a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia, and the book is written with the North American garden in mind, however this does not preclude it from being an extremely useful addition to the British gardeners reference library. I can see myself and Mark referring to this regularly when looking for ideas or for checking the cultural requirements of potential new plants for our garden.
Published by Timber Press, Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs is available in all the usual shops.
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
Thanks for joining in! I actually have Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates (not exactly the same thing, but close). I agree with you that these books are wonderful to have. Not only fun to look through and dream, but also for the information it provides. Every gardener should have an encyclopedia like this in their library.
ReplyDeleteHiya, you are right, it is so much nicer to read these sort of books rather than look on line. The internet is great but it can be more relaxing to look though a book than use the net or an e-reader.
DeleteInteresting timing for your review as just last night I was thinking about downloading the app! Perhaps I'll give the book a look-see (I'm not sure why I haven't already) and then decide.
ReplyDeleteWell worth looking into the book it really is a lovely reference point.
DeleteOh that looks good - I need to do some research into a large shrub/small tree in the garden so maybe I should look at this
ReplyDeleteWorth having a look Helen,some great ideas contained within
DeleteSounds and looks like a good book for you guys to have.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, its a lovely volume, and useful for anyone with a keen interest in trees and shrubs.
DeleteI love your photos,very impressive and interesting blog. The book looks like one that would be invaluable to have for reference. I look forward to tomorrows photo. Thank you for commenting on my picture of the fungus not sure what its called though.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind comments, the fungus photo on your blog is great, it has such an interesting form.
DeleteSounds like a wonderful resource book. I immediately thought I would not enjoy such a large and thus heavy book, but, as a lover of trees and shrubs, you have me convinced it is worth it! Though perhaps they could have split it into two volumes!
ReplyDeleteIt is well worth getting as you have a keen interest in trees and shrubs. It is a heavy book, so best to read at a table rather than on your knee. Two volumes may have made it easier to handle.
DeleteFrom your description the book sounds like a most comprehensive resource. Will look out for it but firstly have to finish some serious weeding of my bookshelves before I allow myself to buy any more books :) Thanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteAnna, do have a look for it, we have re-organised our books recently, its amazing how many gardening books one can accumulate, of course one option other than weeding would be to get bigger book shelves!
DeleteCertainly this looks like a definitive bible on trees and shrubs. One for the list...
ReplyDeleteWell worth adding to your list, it really is a great way to identify new ideas.
DeleteSounds excellent, I always appreciate lots of photographs, particularly when they combine the close ups with the longer views. It drives me mad when books - and web sites - only show a detail of a leaf or flower, and give no sense of how the plant changes over the seasons or looks from a distance!
ReplyDeleteMichael Dirr has indeed 'done it again'. 'Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs' is an extensive re-write and amalgamation of the already indispensable 'Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates' and 'Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs'. The only draw back for British readers is that he is North American! This gives too problems. His views on hardiness are often not relevant to us [hotter summers give plants very different winter hardiness] and the range of what he discusses reflects American availability. That said, used in combination with the internet and ‘The Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs’ it will be THE authoritative guide for a generation.
ReplyDeleteHis ‘Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation’ is also going to be unsurpassed for a long time.
Chad.