Treading Boldly Through the Flowers

Just a few of the books recommended by Flange readers to while away those hot afternoons this summer - click on the picture if you need a closer look

As a reader of Gardeners' World magazine, I always look forward to the We Love (insert current month) for.. feature, not only for the luscious pictures of must-have plants, but also to read the accompanying words of the 'master of the simile', James Alexander Sinclair (JAS).

Now Gardeners' World has branched out into the world of books, bringing out a series of (largeish) pocket guides for less than a fiver on the theme of 101. Thankfully these have nothing to do with the Orwellian room of doom and are much more useful, brimming with ideas for projects, pots, shady or problem places and growing to eat. JAS brings us the latest in the series, the pictured 101 Bold and Beautiful Flowers.

The book is divided into colour-themed sections, thus helping gardeners to easily match flowers into their current plantings, or to produce a whole border or garden from scratch. There are selections of choice bulbs and perennials and I'm glad to see annuals have not been left out of the equation - providing those welcome fillers whilst a garden develops or this year's fireworks highlight. Many of the plants will already be familiar to most gardeners, but the book's strength is to suggest a less well known variety - take the pictured front cover as an example. The usual Helenium on offer is 'Moerheim Beauty'. Nothing wrong with it, but it's in pretty well everyone's border. JAS suggests 'Rauchtopas' instead, describing its daisy shaped flowers as 'the reddish buff of burnt toffee, while the dark brown centre of each flower could be a chocolate-covered caramel rolo'. Doesn't that make you want to buy it right now (along with some accompanying chocolate perhaps)?

In this case you can judge a book by its cover - the standard of the photography throughout is high and the choice of plants throughout never fails to please. Flowering times and cultural notes are also provided, though I would have liked a one-liner summary at the bottom of each page (along the lines of what's seen on plant labels perhaps) to help with garden planning. They can be a little difficult to find at times amongst the sumptuous prose. That minor quibble to one side, it's a book to return to and I'll be using it to help replan some of my borders next year.

I'll leave you with a favourite description of mine - it's for Kniphofia 'Ice Queen'. Now I grew some of the usual Kniphofia from seed when I first had my garden, but ripped the whole lot out a couple of years later as they were an ugly mess for most of the year. I vowed Kniphofia would never darken my door ever again, but this had made me reconsider:

In the case of Kniphofia 'Ice Queen' you could call it Chic Poker. It may not roll off the tongue as easily, but instead of glowing harlot-scarlet flowers there are modish pokers wearing tasteful frocks of greenish-yellow, and the unsophisticated foliage is swapped for neater, spined leaves. It is a poker more likely to be found taking tea at musical salons than loafing around with disreputable sharks in basement billiard halls.