Witch Hazels

Description

Witch hazels rank among the best and most alluring of all winter-flowering shrubs and have captured the hearts of many gardeners. Shrugging off several degrees of frost, their distinctive flowers held on bare branches cannot fail to light up a garden in the depths of winter. Yet, despite their attributes, only a small number are widely grown outside the gardens of enthusiasts. This book promises to change all that by turning the spotlight onto these magical shrubs, highlighting their diversity and providing practical, comparative information that will thrill enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Reviews

Has many details and photographs of numerous named varieties. -- Michael Martin Mills Philadelphia Inquirer 20050311 It's a fascinating book with a wealth of detail and should be read by anyone with an interest in the genus. -- Martyn Rix International Dendrology Society Yearbook 20040101 Constitutes the most up-to-date monograph on this valuable but often overlooked ornamental plant. -- Peter Kendall American Rhododendron Society Journal 20060201 The author's advice on plant culture and suitable companion plantings shows his lengthy experience and close association with his favorite plant. -- Marilyn K. Alaimo Chicago Botanic Garden 20060101 Mr. Lane ... has compiled all the known species and varieties into what is now considered the witch hazel bible, complete with color photographs. -- Anne Raver New York Times 20080214 The latest and most extensive reference. ... If anyone can coerce a gardener to think outside the season, it's Lane. The book's gorgeous photographs offer a close-up of flowers that often are passed by or go unnoticed. -- Jean Starr Munster (IN) Times 20081023

Author description

Chris Lane has worked in professional horticulture all his life both as a nurseryman (currently production director for Coblands Nurseries Ltd.), and also as a lecturer at Hadlow College, Kent, England, where he first became interested in witch hazels. He started collecting them seriously after the cold winter of 1979 - 1980. Chris is a long-serving member of The International Plant Propagators' Society, becoming international president in 1995. He serves on the Woody Plant Trials Committee for the Royal Horticultural Society and on the committee for The Horticultural Development Council representing the Hardy Nursery Stock Industry.