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Re: ANyone know where I can get this book?

First an aopolgy... I thought you meant the John Brookes Index of Plants and Flowers (1987!), rather than the Mark Griffiths book of 1994.

Anyway, the Mark Griffiths book itself is ten years old and a great many plant names have changed since then. The most up-to-date reference on accurate plant names is undoubtedly The RHS Plant Finder. Published annually in spring, the plant nomenclature is supervised by a committee which has, by its own account, vowed to err on the conservative side in approving changes.

The 2003/2004 edition lists about 70,000 different plants (and relevant synonyms) and can be ordered from amazon.co.uk for £14.03 (about $22.50) including shipping to the US by air mail.

The RHS Plant Finder book does not include plants that are no longer available in Britain, and its cross reference to plant names which have been superceded for some time is limited - it's already 960 pages. However, the FREE online version includes a great deal more information; it can be found at http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder.asp.

I have to say that for a publisher to willfully eschew the most up-to-date reference on correct plant names in favour of a ten year old book seems perverse. However, The RHS Plant Finder does not include many tropicals grown in warmer zones in the US (they're not grown in Britain) and the Mark Griffiths Index (or a recent US book - is there such a thing?) would be a good choice for back-up. However, the four volume RHS Dictionary from 1992, on which the Mark Griffiths Index is based, sells on amazon.co.uk for the relatively modest sum of £149 (c$238) + shipping.

Publishers, and writers, are, I think, failing their readership if they continue to publicise and popularise long out-of-date names although I admit that it's a tough battle when we cannot convince nurseries and label manufacturers to use any scientific name (valid or otherwise) to accurately describe their plants.

Graham Rice

http://GrahamRice.com



The publisher made the decision to go with the names as presented in  that
book as their final authority.  I feel like pointing out that they won't
get many freelance editors if those editors need to find an out of print
book to qualify. But for the moment that is their policy and so what I must
go by.
Carol

Virtually Gardening
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/virtually_gardening




 [Original Message]
 From: Graham Rice <garden@tiscali.co.uk>



 Subject: Re: [GWL] ANyone know where I can get this book?

 Is there any reason why you especially need that particular book? The
 plant names are certainly out of date and I also find that the
 hardiness ratings are unreliable (but then it is written by a Brit!)

 Graham Rice

 http://GrahamRice.com

 >I can have a nice little editing job if only I can come up with a copy of



 > >the RHS Index of Garden Plants - which unfortunately is out of print.
Even



 >the RHS doesn't have any copies and I have tried all the used book



searches



 >with no luck. But I know sometimes garden writers manage to accumulate



more



 >than one copy of a book - and if anyone has a spare of this one I'll be
 >happy to buy it.
 >Carol
 >
 >Virtually Gardening
 >http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/virtually_gardening
 >Sign up for Coping with Fibromyalgia at SuiteU
 >http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/16603/overview/79
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 >
 >
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 >Post gardening questions/threads to
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at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
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