Hellebores are some of the best perennial flowers, blooming especially in the dead of winter, and easy to grow, but American gardeners don't seem to know much about them. Here's the best book on the subject, by wellknown garden writer Graham Rice and plantswoman Liz Strangman, who celebrate an extraordinary variety of types and species.

Beautifully-illustrated (with many excellent group shots of single flowers), the text sparkles (as is Graham Rice's penchant), covering such topics as hybrids in the wild and in gardens, an encyclopedia section of the species, how to breed hellebores, the national collections in britain, cultivation, plant associations, with an entire chapter devoted just to the orientalis hybrids. There's also a chapter devoted to "people and their plants" with such sections as "confessions of a hellebore addict" and "margery fish and hellebores at East Lambrook".

Even though these are British authors, this is an easy book to transpose into American growing, with a chapter devoted to "Hellebores in America".

This is a splendid book, well worth buying.

Warning: if you read -even browse- this book, you're in danger to get hooked to hellebores for life. The authors know what they are writing about, and shovel sage advice in every page. Several expert growers offer also their knowledge. Not to talk about the simply wonderful colour photographs, that will let you dreaming on hellebores for weeks and weeks and... Simply the best book to enter in Hellebore Land.

This beautiful book tells the story of the wonderful murals that you see all over Philadelphia. It is more than just a pretty book,however, because it is also the story of Jane Golden and how the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network started and how it has grown over the years. The pictures are photographed with amazing accuracy, and the authors have maintained a professional attitude while making the reader feel compelled to continue reading. The book makes you want to see in person all the wondrous walls that Jane Golden and her muralists have created. A great gift and an even greater find.

What a surprise I had in learning that Philadelphia, a city I've lived in for over ten years, has over 2,000 murals. And,in this book, they are beautifully displayed (well, not all 2000) and discussed. I learned about the artists who created the murals, the communities where the murals are, and just lots of interesting details about the mural arts program in Philadelphia--the most prolific in the country. And, I can't say enough about how spectacularly beautiful the photographs are. If you're ever in Philadelphia, you must buy this book and take a stroll through some of the neighborhoods that house the murals. There's even a map.

I am so happy to know that Margery Fish's books are finally available here in the States. Margery Fish is one of the most famous English gardeners, and her books are invaluable resources for any gardener - both beginner and advanced.

Read this book if you want a wonderful garden!

Graham Rice is one of my very favorite garden writers, always personal, funny and extraordinarily knowledgable, and in this new, gorgeously illustrated book about annual plants, he absolutely shines.

Rice makes me agree that I too hate dumpy boring marigolds, for instance, and then hands me wonderful information about using the old-fashioned striped Victorian heirloom types instead. Banished also is the lump-style plantings that usually go hand in hand with annual flowers; Rice shows me how to combine looser, more lovely kinds so that they intermingle and entwine intimately. (His prose is almost purple on this point, and I love it!)

This is a great book, enriching the mind, heart and eye. It will make you look at gardening in an entirely new light.

What a lovely gardening book! The tips are perfect for both gardening experts and novices alike. This book is a great complement to my other Margery Fish books - "Gardening in the Shade," "An All-Year-Round Garden," and "A Flower for Ecery Day." This is a perfect gift for gardeners.

This book's selling point for me is its emphasis on whole foods. It is great for anyone who is trying to de-emphasize meat in their diets and build up the grains, fruits and vegetables. The recipes are fairly easy to follow--a beginner might be left guessing how big a "medium" zucchini really is, but technique is explained well. The ingredient list is within reach of most supermarkets. The recipes themselves are original and come out looking like the pictures. Many are naturally low-fat and those that are not use the healthiest fats when called for. Butter is scarcely used and I don't think cream is mentioned anywhere. I enjoy reading and cooking from this. My only criticism is negligible: for far-sighted people, even those assisted with monovision contacts or bifocals, the type in which ingredient quantities are set, particularly the fractions, is difficult to read.

This is not the type of book that captured my interest. I found it too basic and of limited appeal, although it is a solid work and may be more useful for a beginning gardener.

This splendidly written book not only gives you how-to, but why and wherefore, interspersed generously with noted plantsman Graham Rice's wry humor and keen observations. A true pleasure to read, this is at the top of my list for perennial perusing.

Of note: the British Garden Writers Guild named this "Best book on a single subject" the year it was published, and I find it as useful here in the United States - or anywhere in the world plant lovers might live. Do yourself a favor and buy this book.

I borrowed this book from the library and would love a copy of it. Reading this book is like sitting with a favourite Aunt discussing gardening. Her descriptions of flowers are at times hilarious and always filled with useful information. She lists a lot of the "old" flowers. The ones to watch for and beg from any gardener who might be willing to part with them.