From Book News, Inc.
The president of England's Magnolia Society and curator of the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden at Wisley presents an expanded and revised edition of a volume first published in Britain by Cassell in 1989. He discusses magnolias' introduction to the West, hybridization history (including new introductions), folklore, and general cultivation information, followed by a detailed alphabetical treatment of the species and hybrids to grow in climates with average winter temperatures as low as 0 degrees F. Fine and abundant color photographs.Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR


Homeground 2000
For magnolia lovers who don’t or can’t grow them, Jim Gardiner’s monograph yields vicarious pleasure very nicely indeed.


— Eileen Wheeler, The Rhododendron, Camellia and Magnolia Group Bulletin, May 2000
Altogether this new book should be high on the wish list of every magnolia gardener.


SciTech Book News, September 2000
Fine and abundant color photographs.


The Gardening Shelf, August 4, 2000
A recommended pick for any serious horticultural library."


Mark Flanagan, The Garden, November 2000
This admirable volume contributes in a positive and original way to the rich tradition of magnolia literature.


The American Gardener, September/October 2001
Magnolia growers, particularly those living in cooler climates, will find this... a valuable reference.


Pacific Horticulture, Fall 2000
There can be no more welcoming introduction to the great genus Magnolia than this beautiful and gracefully written volume.


Book Description
Gardiner starts out by giving a brief introduction into magnolias relationship with mankind, including exploration, the beginning of cultivation and hybridization, medicinal and economic uses, and their role in art and folklore. He touches on their distribution and methods of pollination. Speaking from his own wide experience and that of his colleagues, Gardiner provides detailed cultivation advice, specific even to particular countries or regions. Ideas on garden uses, hints on dealing with pests and diseases, and information on propagation round out the introductory chapters leading up to the real meat, the chapters on species and hybrids. Detailed species and hybrid descriptions include the origins of the plant, information about its habit, hardiness, flowering times, and any special cultivation requirements.


From the Publisher
Jim Gardiner is president of the Magnolia Society and curator of the renowned Royal Horticultural Societys Garden at Wisley, Great Britain, so is well suited to write such a handbook. A skilled photographer, Gardiner has assembled a collection of more than 150 breathtaking color photographs from his own and others collections. Gracious line drawings and maps also complement his text. For all its beauty, however, the chief strength of Magnolias: A Gardeners Guide is its detailed examination of the charms and challenges of growing the variety of magnolias available to contemporary gardeners. Full treatment is given to all significant species and hybrids, and particular attention is paid to cultural concerns such as siting and selecting, propagation methods, and coping with pests and diseases. Where to see and buy magnolias, who to contact, and a guide to selecting the best magnolias complete the book. No keen gardener will want to be without this vital information on such an esteemed family of garden shrubs and trees.


About the Author
Jim Gardiner began his career in horticulture at the age of 18 as a trainee at the Royal Gardens and Great Park, Windsor. Today he is the curator of the Royal Horticultural Society at Wisley. His botanical interests extend beyond his job as curator. In addition to being the president of the Magnolia Society and a Fellow of the Institute of Horticulture, Jim continues to lecture and write articles for such publications as The Garden Magazine, The New Plantsman and Readers Digest. He is also the author of several books, including his newest, Magnolias: A Gardeners Guide. Jim says his interest in magnolias originated when I first saw the majestic tree magnolias in the Valley Gardens, Windsor. He has been working on this new book, a revision and expansion of his earlier work on magnolias, since 1989.


Excerpted from Magnolias : A Gardener's Guide by James M. Gardiner, Jim Gardiner. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
In the journal of the Magnolia Society (1994) Dick Figlar of Pomona, New York, related how in 1971 Francis Krenbaum had been grading a section of his land near Clarkia, Idaho, in the valley of the St. Maries River, when he uncovered the best-preserved Miocene (5-25 million years ago) plant fossil site in the world. What he had exposed were black leaves being turned in the soft shale; some were even blowing in the wind. Charles Smiley of the University of Idaho at Moscow over the ensuing years discovered more than 130 plant species of Magnolia thought to be 17-20 million years old. As well as those trees associated with the modern-day North American flora, including species of Liriodendron, Liquidambar, Taxodium, Diospyros, Nyssa, and so on, they also found several genera confined to eastern Asia, including Metasequoia, Cunninghamia, Zelkova, and Paulownia. Figlar related how in 1991 he and his wife, Anita, were allowed to visit the main site and to dig for fossil leaves including those of Magnolia latahensis and a second species that resembled M. acuminata. Also discovered by Smiley was an immature fruit aggregate resembling M. grandiflora. Close examination indicated nine tepals, about 250 stamens, and 120 carpels, all well within the ranges of today's M. grandiflora.

FROM THE CRITICS

Booknews

The president of England's Magnolia Society and curator of the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden at Wisley presents an expanded and revised edition of a volume first published in Britain by Cassell in 1989. He discusses magnolias' introduction to the West, hybridization history (including new introductions), folklore, and general cultivation information, followed by a detailed alphabetical treatment of the species and hybrids to grow in climates with average winter temperatures as low as 0 degrees F. Fine and abundant color photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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