Tales of the Rose Tree: Ravishing Rhododendrons and Their Travels Around the World

by Jane Brown

The history of rhododendrons is full of swashbuckling plant collectors and visionary gardeners, colonial violence and ecological destruction, stunning botanical successes and bitter business disappointments. And it is here related with consummate skill by Jane Brown, an English garden writer clearly besotted by these “glorious and scented strangers, with their mouth-watering candy colors, their cascades of way bells or iridescent globes proffered in ruffs of green leaves.”

320 pages, Hardcover

Published May 1, 2006

Reviews

[Cara Conroy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I really wanted to like this and give it a chance. I would have liked more about the different Rhododendron species, what makes them unique and distribution, and less about every single person who planted one in the past 200 years. Fortunately, this didn't kill my fondness for my Rhody friends but this book is unreadable.

[Godine Publisher & Black Sparrow Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Painstakingly, she tracks the rhododendron through history, myth, art, literature."
-Dana Goodyear, New York Times Book Review

"Brown's entertaining homage to the majestic rhododendron provides a voluminous exploration of the development and significance of this luciously romantic and elegantly exotic garden gem."
-Booklist

"This well-researched romp through the horticultural history of a widely grown ornamental plant is highly recommended for all libraries and for general readers and specialists alike."
-Brian Lym, Library Journal

"A quick dash through Jane Brown's chatty book will make you feel like royalty."
-Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History Magazine

[Alison Kagen]

Almost unreadable. Don't believe the cover ("learned & lively paean to the rhododendron") - the only reason it gets more than 1 star is the additional material: list of rhody gardens, some nice photos & other illustrations. But even there - poorly referenced. Worst is it's wordy, vague, off-topic, in serious need of a focus once she's worked out who her audience is. Big disappointment.

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

marvelous book! please read! you owe it to yourself and your candles! a tale of how people must look into themselves before others.

[Brody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't think of anything better on God's green Earth. If you read this book (which I suggest you do) you will be a better person for it.

[Devarajan]

gfdg