NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS FOR YOUR GARDEN

by Jill, Duchess of Hamilton & Christopher Humphries
with drawings by W. Keble Martin

Publisher:  Frances Lincoln (2006)
ISBN   0-7112-2215-0

Paperback £9.99

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Unlike the previous book, this is a book about trees and shrubs you can grow in your garden in Britain, and how to do so.  As the title says, it describes 65 of the best shrubs and trees, all indigenous and so low maintenance, low cost, and good for wildlife.  Each plant’s entry covers its historical use, suitability, growth habit, propagation, description and attraction for wildlife. The book concludes with useful lists of trees:  for hedging, by size, and posing potential danger to house foundations, and lists of suppliers and helpful publications.

There’s an index by common name of the plants but no other index, making it difficult to find out which trees and shrubs are best-suited to a garden in Cornwall.  In fact, reading the entries for trees that are in our and surrounding gardens, it would seem that the authors haven’t really considered areas south-west of Somerset!  Nevertheless, this is a useful addition to a gardener’s reference shelf.

Shirley Barnes