Taylor's Guide to Roses: How to Select, Grow, and Enjoy More Than 380 Roses

Taylor's Guides are popular tools for plant selection and this revised edition is no exception. The size of the new edition is a little larger than the old one but it is still a comfortable size for reading in bed or taking with you to the nursery. 380 roses are covered here, from all rose classes. 200+ pages are glossy and contain a color photograph of each rose. The gallery is followed by an "encyclopedia of roses" which gives basic information about growing the rose and how best to use it in the garden. A brief introduction covers the basics of buying roses, growing and caring for them. A chart is also included which explains pest and diseases and offers ecologically safe controls. This is a good guide but if you are seeking a book that is more comprehensive and includes a larger selection of roses, you might want to check out "Botanica's Roses" by William Grant. This book includes over 2000 roses and is priced similarly. Also, the just released "American Rose Society Encyclopedia of Roses" is also outstanding but much higher in price.

This book has lovely photographs, good descriptions of the plant, and suggestions on how to use particular rose varieties in your landscape. It is written with enthusiasm and is a pleasure to read.