Description

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The Jade Garden is an authoritative guide to 130 of the most fascinating yet little-known ornamental trees, shrubs, and perennials from "the green mantle" of Asia. Based on detailed research and observation at one of the largest and oldest collections of Asian plants in North America, the subjects of this book were chosen for their superior garden qualities, their rarity in everyday horticulture, and their commercial availability. From an extraordinary, nearly black geranium with reflexed petals, to a ground-creeping honeysuckle with bicolored flowers and blue berries, gardeners are sure to find something new and exciting in these pages. Although plants included are from the "cutting edge" of plant exploration and discovery, the authors have included only those selections that have undergone thorough evaluation at the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden for hardiness and garden appeal. In addition, the authors have taken special care to exclude potentially invasive plants, allowing readers to be confident that any selection from the book will be an environmentally responsible one. With many of its plants appearing in a garden book for the first time, The Jade Garden is certain to be a groundbreaking horticultural event.

About the Author

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Peter Wharton has been curator, since 1975, of the David C. Lam Asian Garden, a component of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research. Peter's professional career has been centered on the development of this unique forest garden in concert with extensive plant exploration in China.
Brent Hine has been curator of the E. H. Lohbrunner Alpine Garden at the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research since 1997. Away from the garden setting, the natural sciences—from the microscopic to the very macroscopic—have alwyas held his fundamental fascination.
Douglas Justice is associate director and curator of collections at the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research. A teacher and writer with an abiding interest in all things green, he considers the knowledge of trees to be "way up there."

Praise For…

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“Calling upon their vast knowledge of Asian perennials, shrubs and trees, the authors have compiled an encyclopedic guide to a bevy of garden-worthy specimens. This valuable resource on cutting-edge Asian species includes photographs of plants in the wild as well as detailed shots of alluring characteristics.” —Booklist

“An authoritative, groundbreaking work that will delight horticulture connoisseurs and those interested in Asian flora and natural history.” —Library Journal

“A clever and highly recommended book for garden enthusiasts wishing to increase their knowledge of Asian vegetation.” —Garden Compass

“An authoritative guide to 150 of the most fascinating yet little-known ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials from ‘the green mantle’ of Asia.” —The Professional Gardener

“A jewel box of suggestions.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer

“The Jade Garden will appeal not only to gardeners with dirt under their fingernails and a hankering for the exotic in the backyard, but also to the armchair gardener and traveler.” —Asian Reporter

“The very informative descriptions often cover a variety of subjects, including details on where the plant was found, its unique morphological characteristics, its growth over time in the botanical garden and taxonomic considerations where controversies exist.” —Plant Science Bulletin

“A treat for the serious gardener.” —Salem Statesman Journal