Classic Roses: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia and Grower's Manual of Old Roses, Shrub Roses, and Climbers

by Peter Beale and Peter Beales

Book Overview

This is a landmark work by the world's foremost authority on roses. Both a definitive history and an essential manual for all growers and lovers of roses, it contains a wealth of expert information on... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0030060222
• ISBN13: 9780030060229
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Holt McDougal
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 3.90 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful encyclopedia of rose information.

I have both the newer and older versions of this book and enjoy them both. I have noticed that Mr. Beales' experience with certain roses differs from mine. Especially I have noticed this with tender tea roses and species roses. I think this is likely due to big differences in our climate. (I am in a very hot and humid/mild winters climate) I often re-read this book before bed and will probably buy another someday when my copy wears out.

Beales Chooses the Best; Forget the Rest

This is not a coffee table book. Though the pages are high-quality paper, the photos excellent and plentiful, and the binding high-quality, the book is essentially a meaty reference. If there were a college course on roses, this might serve as a texbook. Beales starts as most authors do by talking about rose history, culture and using roses in the garden. It is clear that Beales is not so interested in roses as show-bench trophy fodder but as vital elements of a user-friendly and colorful garden. This sentiment shows in his selection of cultivars. The bulk of the book is descriptions of roses. Beales has developed the most complete shorthand available for expressing all the things you wish to about a rose: how well it does in the shade, which diseases it gets, when it blooms, how big and bushy the plant is. This means that his text entries can focus on the facets of the rose that make it unique in the garden. In other words, he manages to convey the same amount of information as would a book twice the heft of this very hefty tome.The book does a commendable job covering all old rose classes, climbing roses, shrub roses, species, and near-species cultivars. It is the over-fat classes of Hybrid Perpetuals and Hybrid Teas, that have pricipally recieved the editorial hatchet. And since Beales considers only 2000 or so cultivars, this book is good for culling out the considerable amount of dross among roses - especially among hybrid teas.If you know you will never use roses for any purpose than cutting or showing on a bench, this book will be of only peripheral use. But if you yearn to understand how roses can work in a garden setting, this is one of the best buys around.

I never knew how many different kinds of roses there were

Publishers, please bring "Classic Roses" by Peter Beales back into print! I bought a copy for a friend and now I can't bear to give it up. It has everything for the rosarian: thousands of enticing color photographs and descriptions (the author's own collection of roses numbers well over 2,000 species and varieties); extensive chapters on using roses in the landscape (even if your 'landscape' happens to be an apartment terrace), the care and cultivation of roses, the history of roses; and at the back of the encyclopediac text, there are extensive appendixes, indices, a glossary of terms, and suggestions for further reading.Peter Beales is also a pleasure to read--very British; very knowledgeable; and it is very obvious that he loves his subject. I have only two minor suggestions for "Classic Roses" if it is once again revised: include U.S.A. climate zones for the roses; include photographs of all (not most) of the roses (I'll bet the author wanted to do this and the publishers wouldn't let him).As fond as I am of my friend, "Classic Roses" and I are never going to part company.

Not just a pretty face.

From pictures to propagation this "the" book to own about old and new classic roses. It is equally at home on the coffee table or in the garden. The illustrations are beautiful and accurate. But it is above all a well planned comprehensive garden guide.If you have ever planted two roses, both labled 3 to 4 feet, only to find you have Tom Thumb and Audrey from the "Little Shop of Horrors" growing side by side, you will love the a handy color and height chart.Beales is as dedicated as an English nanny to the uniqueness of each rose's culture and care. Diseases and resistance, pruning, sun or part shade are all listed with each rose in a handy icon format. Especially helpful for problem spots in the garden or problems specific to regions.Its one drawback is that it discounts the higher zones 7-10. If one lives in these zones the "easy" rose may be the rose from hell to grow and a "delicate rose" may be a Charles Atlas. This is not a problem except in specific cases. It is easily overcome by checking local nurseries or rose growers. However, it is worth noting for those of you who buy roses on line or by mail order.A wonderfully well organized and helpful book for the beginner or the experienced gardener.If you want to landscape, plant or simply look as roses this book covers all bases.

Beales' Classic Roses a book for all seasons

If you want from pictures to propagation this is one of the best books I own. Equally at home on the coffee table or in the garden. If you have ever planted two roses both 3 to 4 feet only to find you have Tom Thumb and Audrey from the Little Shop of Horrors growing side by side,you will appreciate the simple color, size and height chart. Beales gives each rose its own set of likes dislikes etc. in a handy icon format. He is as dedicated as an English nanny to the uniqueness of each rose's culture and care.The only drawback to the book is that it is directed to the English climate. So if one lives in zones 7-10 in the United States or elsewhere some of the roses listed as hardy will the rose from hell to grow. Others may be easy that are listed as delicate. But this is a fairly minor problem. If you want to landscape, plant or simply look as roses this is a great book.