Bridging the gap between scientific texts and everyday horticultural books, this guide provides an insight into the relationships between garden plants and their environments, the history of plant development (as studied through fossils), and DNA studies, set to revolutionize classification. Volume 2 focuses on herbaceous plants, covering over 550 genera of annuals, biennials, perennials, bulbs, and aquatic plants. DNA studies proved vitally important in the classification of these plants, which had previously been imprecise. Starting with the ancient mosses and ferns, the book moves through all the flowering plants closing with a separate section on distinctive reeds and grasses. It should provide a useful aid to any aspiring gardener.

Author Biography

In 1975 Roger Phillips began his life's major work of photographing and publishing pictures of the world's garden plants. He set out to develop an encyclopedic collection of books to show the difference between plants as diverse as mosses, roses and annuals. His first book, Wild Flowers of Britain (1977), was a huge success, selling 400,000 copies in the first year. He has since written numerous additional volumes (often with his co-author Martyn Rix) selling over six million copies worldwide. Roger has written and presented two major six-part TV series on gardening (BBC & Channel 4). Famed for his ebullient personality and garish red glasses, he has become a well-recognized figure in the world of gardening. Martyn Rix is a leading botanist, plant collector, gardener, independent botanical advisor and writer. Rix has traveled throughout the world to collect and photograph wild plants. He and award-winning photographer Roger Phillips have collaborated on over twenty-five books such as Roses and Vegetables. Martyn Rix also works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as editor of Curtis's Botanical Magazine.