Product Description

"In The Gardener's Guide to Growing Cannas, Ian Cooke describes just how easy it is to grow and propagate these plants. He provides information on the history of the genus, as well as its botanical make up, its role and versatility in the garden and its popularity world wide." "A key feature of the book is its comprehensive A-Z of plants. The list concentrates on the hybrid forms for which the genus is famous, but there is also a selection of species, many of which are worth growing and all of which are interesting in that they have provided the genetic material for the wealth of flower and leaf colours available today. For those keen to experiment, Ian Cooke also details how hybridization is carried out and provides an insight into the world of modern canna breeders." Illustrated with gorgeous photographs and specially commissioned botanical drawings, this is an informative and fascinating book for both established canna growers and newcomers alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1207096 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

From Booklist
Bold and brazen, lush and lurid, cannas are in-your-face plants, which might make their garden use limited. Cooke, however, thinks otherwise and has compiled an encyclopedia of canna culture, background, and species identification to prove it. Although the typical canna may be large and flashy, more suitable as dynamic focal points or creating a tropical atmosphere, there are smaller, more demure versions that can fit into other garden settings. Indigenous to the tropics, cannas are mistakenly assumed to be difficult to grow in cooler climates; however, thanks to extensive hybridization, ornamental cannas can withstand a wide range of conditions and make excellent and easy additions to almost any garden. Cooke carefully explains the cultural requirements, from siting and soil conditions to propagation and pests. An extensive list of all the generally available forms offers canna fans a definitive reference and introduces canna cowards to the variety, versatility, and value of these garden gems. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"I was quite thrilled to find [this book]."Leanne Cook, California Garden, November/December 2002

"This book provides basic data for beginners, abundant facts for canna fanatics, lavish color photos and detailed descriptions of dozens of varieties."Debra Lee Baldwin, Decor and Style, August 2002

From the Back Cover
Cannas are among nature's exhibitionists. Their large, lush leaves are accompanied by flamboyant blooms for a long period over summer. To the gardener in cooler countries, the plants look impossibly exotic, as if they would wilt at the merest hint of a fresh breeze. However, cannas are capable of flowering prolifically in temperate climates and, although usually lifted for frost-free winter storage, will even survive outside all year round in mild areas. Their strong forms and eye-catching colors make them perfect for planting in small numbers as focal points or in bigger groups to create a subtropical ambience. Best known for their brighter hues, there are also plenty of cannas in subtle tones for a more refined effect.

In The Gardener's Guide to Growing Cannas, Ian Cooke describes just how easy it is to grow and propagate these plants. He provides information on the history of the genus, as well as its botanical makeup, its role and versatility in the garden, and its popularity worldwide.

A key feature of the book is its comprehensive A-Z of plants. The list concentrates on the hybrid forms for which the genus is famous, but there is also a selection of species, many of which are worth growing and all of which are interesting in that they have provided the genetic material for the wealth of flower and leaf colors available today. For those keen to experiment, Ian Cooke also details how hybridization is carried out and provides an insight into the world of modern canna breeders.

Illustrated with gorgeous photographs and specially commissioned botanical drawings, this is an informative and fascinating book for both established canna growers and newcomers alike.

Customer Reviews

Presents a canna expert's complete review of the plant
Cannas are thought of in terms of their beautiful color. Ian Cooke's Gardener's Guide To Growing Cannas presents a canna expert's complete review of the plant, from an A-Z listing of varieties to the history of cannas, their cultivation and species, and cannas in the garden. Gardener's Guide To Growing Cannas is an appealing, colorful, comprehensive guide which gardeners and horticulturalists will appreciate.

The only book dedicated to Cannas
This book deserves more than five stars! I had searched for a book on Cannas for a long time. As Ian Cooke points out, this book is the only comprehensive work published on Cannas since 1903. It has become one of my treasured plant bibles, along side with "Heliconia: An Identification Guide" by Fred Berry & W. John Kress and "Exotica" by Alfred Graf.

I live in the tropics and Cannas are indispensable in adding colours to an otherwise overpowering green garden. This book is aimed at gardeners in temperate climate countries, who have a more challenging task in growing Cannas. Ian Cooke is obviously an authority on these plants. The book has valuable information on Canna species, cultivation including common pests and diseases, and propagation by rhizome division and growing from seeds. There is even a list of websites/nurseries dedicated to this genus and is an alternative avenue for sourcing of new species by keen gardeners.

the gardeners guide to growing cannas
Finally a book on the long-awaited gardening subject:
CANNAS , with the fine writing and photoes we expect from
Ian Cooke. A very useful book for gardeners who love
that exotic garden look.