Re: My reference books (was Under-cover Acacias

John MacGregor wrote:
> 
> Moira,
> 
> It would be helpful if you would give a full citation of your "NZ book" and
> your "Ozzie" book so that those of us who have access to good libraries can
> get more information.  I always enjoy and learn from your posts, but
> sometimes I would like to carry them a but further.  Thanks.

Here they are:-

Ozzie book
The Australian Gardener's Wildflower Catalogue Denise Greig
(Angus and Robertson 1987)

I don't know if there is later edition.

Australian correspondents will of course know of others, but this is
pretty informative including nice clear illustrations of almost every
plant mentioned.

NZ Books
New Zealand Trees and Shrubs (A comprehensive Guide to cultivation and
identification). L.J Metcalf. 

This has appeared in numerous reprintings since 1972 with a second
edition in 1975  and a complete revision of this which came out in 2000

Laurie Metcalf is undoubtedly THE expert on this subject.
A useful supplementary book by him I can also recommend is ;-

The Propagation of NZ native plants (Goodwit) which came out firat in
1995.

The only problem with Metcalf is that his book is strictly on trees and
shrubs, so a new publication which also includes forbs is most welcome. 

The Gardener's Encyclopedia of New Zealand Native Plants  Y Cave and V
Paddison
(Godwit 1999)

Another good and authorative book and copiously illustrated in colour,
though I find it mildly irritating the pictures are separated from the
text. However it does allow them to be a bit bigger than the average
text illustraton which must count as a plus, I guess.

And finally after these glossies two old favourites:-

Handbook Of Trees and Shrubs for the Southern Hemisphere  R E Harrison. 
(Three editions first published by Reed, second by Angus and Robertson
and the third by Harrison himself!)
I think there was one more edition/revision after my third which was
published in 1963.

This is of course not only on NZ plants, but is still very useful with
such things as hardiness and particularly what will move (transplant)
and what won't.

Palmers Catalogue of Trees Shrubs and Climbers  Stanley J Palmer
(Lancewood - Australia)  Revised Edition 1990.

Again not only NZ plants but excellent  summarised information about
hardiness and growing conditions.

Both Harrison and Palmer were practical nurserymen and were I guess more
interested in growing plants than in the details of their botany..
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata (near Wellington, capital city of New Zealand)
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index