new edition of Grey-Wilson's "Cyclamen"

Judy Glattstein jglatt@ptd.net
Thu, 06 Mar 2003 12:20:30 PST
I adore cyclamen, from the little seed-raised C. coum flowering in my cool
greenhouse to the two pots of Big Box white cyclamen still flowering
profusely since mid-December, to the 30-year-old C. persicum my sister sent
to me from Israel in 1973. Of course, the thing to do is read up on them so
I'll know what next to covet.

Well, Timber Press has done it again - my already over-crowded bookshelves
must bear with the  new edition of Christopher Grey-Wilson's "Cyclamen, A
Guide for Gardeners, Horticulturists and Botanists." Marginally larger (224
pages vs 192 pages in the earlier edition) with a different type face, there
are more photographs (200 vs 140.) And it is not just a numerical change,
there appear to be some replacements. This is not just a re-warming of the
previous book (what my daughter calls "the week in review" rather than
"left-overs.") For example, an earlier line drawing captioned "Cyclamen X
atkinsii, from the Journal of Horticulture and Cottage Gardener: 150, Aug
25, 1861" is now presented with the caption "Cyclamen "Atkinsii", now known
to be C. coum subsp. caucasicum." Excellent that it is now taxonomically
correct, but I regret the loss of original publication and date. I have not
had time to read it thoroughly. However the new edition offers advice on
cultivation rather than basics of cultivation, includes the North American
Rock Garden Society as one to join (especially helpful now, what with the
obligatory USDA phytosanitary certification that makes seed from abroad more
expensive - if the organization/ nursery is even willing to provide one.)
Excellent, thorough, detailed information of species, subspecies, forms,
cultivars - charming line drawings of flowers, often including leaf and
sometimes even seed capsule. A dozen distribution maps as well. The
appendices now include generic subdivisions and Latin diagnoses of new
subgenera and new series as well as an excellent identification key for
gardeners.

Hard cover, available April 2003, $39.95 plus shipping and handling.

Now, the question is, how do I shelve both copies, when even one was
squeezed?

Judy Glattstein in New Jersey
Today, March 6 started with rain, then sleet, and finally, once again, more
snow. Enough already.



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