The Himalayan Garden : Growing Plants From the Roof of the World

In this unique resource, Jim Jermyn offers not the usual botanical travelogue but instead a horticultural handbook that allows gardeners at far-lower-than-Himalayan elevations to successfully grow those plants that are native to the high Himalaya mountains. The highlights include species of Euphorbia , Gentiana , Meconopsis , Primula , Rhododendron , and more. Interest in the plants of this region is at a peak. These plants are guaranteed to add an exotic touch to any garden in which they are successfully grown, and with Jermyn's expert instructions and tips, they can be easily maintained. Whether documenting a well-known garden plant or an uncommon species, Jermyn supplies tried-and-true instructions on garden site preferences and care based on his own extensive experience. Excellent photographs round out an introduction to the plants, and the book includes a comprehensive list of recommended sources from which to purchase specimens both in Europe and the United States. "Few areas on earth deserve as many superlatives as the Himalaya. Home to the world's highest mountains (its name in Sanskrit means "abode of snow"), the Himalaya has long topped the list of mysterious and breathtakingly beautiful travel destinations. Plant explorers as diverse as Ludlow and Sherriff, Roy Lancaster and Dan Hinkley have shown that the region's magnificent plants are easily the equal of their dramatic surroundings. Though few of us may be fortunate enough to follow in these explorers' footsteps, hundreds of Himalayan plants, from blue poppies to dwarf rhododendrons, are available for the home garden. Any gardener who wants to steal a piece of Shangri-la can find it in a nursery catalogue if he or she knows where to look." "The Himalalyan Garden is unique in its exclusive focus on Himalayan plants as garden plants. Never losing sight of the dramatic landscape of which they form a part, author Jim Jermyn sets out to offer practical information on a range of Himalayan plants for every garden situation. Adamant that these plants are not worth growing if they are not grown well, he gives gardeners the tools they need to try primulas, gentians and many other plants with a reputation for being difficult to grow." "Photos of plants, many taken in the Himalaya, have been contributed by Dieter Schacht, retired curator of the alpine and herbaceous department at the Munich Botanic Garden. Helpful chapters on propagation and dealing with pests and diseases round out the book."--BOOK JACKET A horticultural handbook that allows gardeners at far-lower-than-Himalayan elevations to successfully grow those plants that are native to the high Himalaya mountains. It highlights species of Euphorbia, Gentiana, Meconopsis, Primula, Rhododendron, and more.