An Abundance of Flowers

January 1, 2018

Oxford University-educated physician-turned-horticultural historian Taylor continues her exploration of plant breeding and the men and women who created new hybrids of flowers in this extensively researched companion volume to Visions of Loveliness: Great Flower Breeders of the Past. Here, the author includes poinsettia, chrysanthemum, penstemon, gladiolus, dianthus (carnations and pinks), clematis, pansy/viola, and the water lily. For each flower, Taylor shares facts about the botany, classification, and places of origin of the plant, its commercial importance, and early breeding efforts. This is followed by short biographies of the men and women who created new flower hybrids as well as lists of the names of their hybrids, many of which are no longer available today. Biographical entries within each plant chapter are arranged by country and range in length, from a page or two to only a sentence for those hybridizers who are a name in the historical record but whose work may have been lost to the past. VERDICT A well-researched volume for those who are deeply interested in the history of plant breeding and past plant breeders, the development of horticulture as a profession, and the flowers featured.--Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove, IL

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