The Woody Plant

Glyn Church has spent a lifetime working with plants. He lives in New Zealand where he runs Woodleigh Nursery, specialising in rare species. His mission in this series of three books is to introduce the reader to new plants and to look at familiar ones in a different light. Using his own garden as a starting point, he has 2,000 species of woody plants; Glyn takes you on a journey of discovery.

These books provide a comprehensive directory of trees and shrubs, specially chosen for their range of flowers, foliage and fragrance. In each book, you will find over 100 genera described in detail, giving plant height and width, cultivation needs and much more. The stunning photography by Pat Greenfield makes these books priceless when planning planting in your garden and enables you to choose the perfect tree or shrub.

For quick access to the information, use the Ready-Reference Table at the back of each book. This helps you find the correct plants for your situation as they are defined by hardiness zone, colour and size. The table is especially useful if you have a rough idea of what you are looking for. The extensive glossary covers all the botanical terms used in the book.

Flowers play centre stage in any garden and with Glyn Church's assistance, you can enjoy flowers the year round. Trees and shrubs flower as a means of reproduction. Once pollination has occurred, the flower begins to fade but with a little help, the gardener can prolong flowering by deadheading. This stops the plant from making seeds, so it starts the process all over again. Notes on pruning and training techniques are invaluable.

Fragrance brings another dimension into the garden. Flowers release scent to attract the pollinators but provide great pleasure to the gardener. It is sensible to note that placing scented plants close to the house can be detrimental. Initially the fragrance can be wonderful and fresh but as the flowers fade, it can be replaced by mustiness. Some plants need the leaves to be touched before releasing their fragrance. Plant these by footpaths so that when you brush past, you can enjoy their scent.

Foliage bring shape and texture into our gardens, providing vital contrast. Leaves can act as an essential backdrop for flowers. In this book, Glyn pays homage to Ernest Wilson (1876 - 1930), who was responsible for introducing a great number of foliage plants into cultivation. Glyn Church sees this great man as one of the most successful plant hunters in history.

Publication details:
160 pp. Photography by Pat Greenfield. £14.95
Published by Garden Art Press
2003