ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ROSES - THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Scent, elegance, colour, and abundance - roses boast such variety in form, foliage, height, and habit, they can be used to enhance any style of planting in any size of garden. This magnificent A-Z catalogue includes nearly 2000 of the world's best rose species and cultivars, lavishly illustrated with sumptuous photographs. Special features showcase famous and well-loved roses and influential rose breeders. Clear step-by-step photographs and techniques guide gardeners through all aspects of cultivation.
The most romantic and enduring of all garden plants, roses have been prized for their intoxicating perfume and exquisite beauty of their blooms sonce pre-Roman times. Roses offer an extraordinary diversity of flower shape, colour, and fragrance, ranging from the graceful simplicity of a species rose to the soft hues and intense scent of old garden roses or the jewel-like intensity of the modern hybrids.

THE A-Z CATALOGUE of almost 2000of the best rose species and cultivars available world wide makes up the heart of this book. Every entry is illustrated with a full-colour photograph and describes the rose's growing habit, cultivation needs, and breeding, as well as explaining the origins of its unique name. Special feature panels highlight the world's best-loved roses and their breeders.

THE INTRODUCTION reveals the fascinating history of the rose. The classification system of the rose family, its flower anatomy, and variety of shapes are explained in full.

CULTIVATING ROSES is a practical reference section offering expert advice on buying and choosing roses, growing conditions, propagation, and pest and disease control. Step-by-step photographs show the latest simplified methods of cultivation and challenge the belief that roses are delicate and difficult to grow.

BRIGID QUEST-RITSON is a former director and trustee of the Royal National Rose Society, with a special responsability for the Society's gardens and rose trials. She was also a long- standing judge of new roses. She has been chairwoman of the Historic Roses Group since 2001 and has a special interest in roses bred in Britain.

CHARLES QUEST-RITSON is a lawyer turned writer and translator. His monograph Climbing Roses of the World describes every climbing rose still in existence - some 1600 species and cultivars. He is a former council member and director of the Royal National Rose Society, a trials judge, and founder- secretary of the Historic Roses Group.

Brigid and Charles were partners from 1983-1993 in Corsley Mill Nurseries, specialising in own-root roses, and have travelled the world in pursuit of the rose. They live in Wiltshire and garden Normandy.

THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY has been Britain's premier gardening charity for more than 200 years, promoting excellence in horticulture through its shows, gardens, and expertise. Membership of the RHS brings many benefits to anyone interested in gardening, whatever their level of skill, and membership subscriptions represent a vital element of the Society's funding.