The Tropical Look: Encyclopaedia of Landscape Plants for Worldwide Use - Softcover

Riffle, Robert Lee

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0500018804 ISBN 13: 9780500018804

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1998

Synopsis

This is a compendium of nearly 2000 plants that evoke landscapes of swaying palms and frangipane blossoms. The author draws a distinction between tropical plants and tropical-looking plants, some from cool climates but with foliage or flowers that would not look out of place under a Costa Rican sunset or by a Balinese waterfall. Each entry includes information on whether a plant can survive cold weather, whether it will spring back from its roots, its light requirements, soil preferences and techniques for propagation. Over 400 photographs show the plants in all their glory. An A-Z encyclopedia has entries representing every kind of tropical planting, including trees, bamboos, palms, ferns, perennials, shrubs, water plants, vines and much more. Also featured are cacti, succulents and xeric plants that can conjure up the tropics in dry landscapes. There are lists that put all the plants into categories: fragrant plants, shade-tolerant plants and so forth.

About this title

Review

This is a huge reference book containing nearly 2,000 plants, conjuring up images of tropical scenes, beautiful seas, blue skies, palm trees, and fragrant blossoms. So why, might you ask, is it featured here in the UK? Quite simply, the author has highlighted the difference between tropical plants and tropical-looking plants and as a result the book appeals not only to those living in the tropics but also to others in colder regions.

The author, Robert Lee Riffle, is a well-travelled gardening and writing consultant and formerly a manager of a nursery which specialised in tropical plants. He defines the tropical look as: "In short, one of flamboyant form and control." The book is arranged alphabetically from Acacia to Zombia, the colour photograph plates (about 400) being arranged in two batches rather than with their descriptive information. Included are trees, bamboos, palms, ferns, shrubs, perennials, vines, water plants, etc; also catcti, succulents and xeric plants. Each plant entry contains detailed information which includes tolerance to cold, whether it will spring back from the roots, soil and light preferences and requirements and propagation techniques. Botanical terms are carefully explained in a glossary and there are lists further categorising the plants for fragrance, size, leaf colour, fast growers, etc. It is certainly not a book for browsers, but is one for people requiring specialist information. --Susan Naylor

Edition details

• Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0500018804
• ISBN 13: 9780500018804
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 428