BOOK REVIEWS

Subtropical Plants
for New Zealand Gardens

Jacqueline Sparrow and Gil Hanly
Godwit Gardening Guide
$NZ34.95

SUBTROPICAL plants have never been more popular - for bold foliage and blooms in gardens in warmer regions and for wonderful scents and exotic flowers in conservatories in cooler climates.

This authoritative guide to subtropicals combines the considerable talents of two well-known names in the local gardening scene: leading photographer Gil Hanly and writer Jacqueline Sparrow, both of whom have already published a string of garden books.

If you are interested in subtropicals, this handy guide to what can be grown in New Zealand conditions is quite simply a must-have.

With 200 photographs and extensive cultivation pointers, it covers every aspect of subtropical gardening, from trees and shrubs to cycads, succulents, orchids, bulbs and bromeliads.

The chapter on climbers is truly stunning - you will want to smother every fence and wall in your garden with these amazing blooms.

Then there are all those delectable fruits, from sweet pawpaws to creamy casimiroa, which has the flavour of pineapple mixed with custard apple. Also known as white sapote, the fruit of this medium-sized tree are fantastic in fresh fruit salads, ice cream and smoothies.

Many of the featured plants have fascinating histories too, which makes this book not only a useful reference, but a good read too.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 93, February 28-March 13, 2002, Page 28

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH