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 BOOK
REVIEWS
Irises
for New Zealand Gardens
By Karen Glasgow
Publilshed by Godwit
Press, New Zealand, 1996
Reviewed
by Peter Berry
Not since Jean
Stevens book "The Iris and its Culture" written in the 1940's has
an iris book with a local flavour been published. In a country with
so many skillful and talented gardeners the time gap of 50 years
is too great. Jean Stevens' book is still widely used and consulted
if you are lucky enough to have a copy but it is dated in style
and photographs and an update was well overdue.
Many people have
over a life time of study and observation developed a knowledge
that is of immense value to others but few have the dedication or
talent to convert it into a readable and valuable publication. Karen
Glasgow has in my opinion achieved that. Sadly she died prior to
its publication and her work was brought to fruition by her many
friends in the New Zealand Iris Society. I did not have the pleasure
of meeting her but knew of her from reading back copies of the Iris
Society Bulletin when I first became absorbed by tall bearded irises
about ten years ago.
The book is truly
a home gardeners' companion. Written in simple but effective language
it gives the amateur gardener an excellent insight in to the iris
family. The first chapter Iris — the year round flower, dispels
the myth that iris are a short season flower. By planting a range
of the species, flowers are possible throughout the year. During
1961 I had tall bearded iris in a vase in the house every month
of the year. This is a little unusual but not impossible.
Chapter 2 gives
a very brief but essential explanation of the genus covering the
rootstock, flower and foliage. The opening sentence really invites
readers to broaden their knowledge about iris. It says "Irises are
a diverse genus of around three hundred species, but extensive hybridisation
has given rise to many more garden forms".
The next chapter,
"Irises in the Garden" starts with the succinct sentence
"Irises are beautiful and versatile garden plants". There is
a wealth of knowledge in a few pages that would allow any gardener
to select what they wanted to grow and then to achieve it. The variations
in the plants requirement with regard to soil type, light and shade,
water, and fertility are all adequately explained in straight-forward
language.
The following two
chapters explains the difference between rhizomatous iris and bulbous
iris and the divisions within each group. They will probably be
the most referred to chapters in the book and the mastery of the
knowledge they contain will lead to excellent displays of iris around
New Zealand.
The final two chapters
on "Pests and Diseases" and "Propagation" round off an excellent
home gardeners guide to iris growing.
The book is generously
enhanced with photographs throughout which support the text and
will I am sure create many enquiries from plant shops. All in all
a valuable edition to the library of garden books that is written
for our conditions and talks in our time zones. It will, I am sure
be widely read and referred to for many years.
New
Zealand Garden Journal: Journal of the Royal New Zealand Institute
of Horticulture 1997 2(3): 23-24
Reviews Main Page
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