In Search of Lost Roses [L0087]

1989 - HCDJ Excellent condition. Once upon a time-before the 1860s-people loved old roses like "Pearl of Gold," "Marchionesse of Lorne," or "Autumn Damask." Then along came the hybrid tea roses, which were easier to arrange, more dramatic, and longer-blooming, and the old roses were all but forgotten. Now the lovely, subtle-hued, richly perfumed old roses are making a comeback, thanks to the efforts of a stubborn band of eccentric characters who rescued them from back alleys, ramshackle cottages, and overgrown graveyards across the country. Thomas Christopher tells us the fascinating stories of the old roses-how they were created and made their way to America-and the unforgettable people who "rustle" them from abandoned lots and secret gardens today, reveling in the mystery of an "unknown yellow."

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "For the adventurous gardener! This book is the tale of rose rustlers and historians. Read if you are ready to strap on your pruners and ride the trail of old cemeteries and abandoned farmhouses. I LOVED this book so much that I read it twice. Lots of fun!";"Lost Roses is a treasure for everybody who loves roses. It is so good, that I read it every year before spring comes, and some times I go back to my favorite chapters, the ones that talk about those roses that interest me the most. The book is really full of adventure, and Tom Christopher travels all over the country to visit most interesting people who love and search for lost roses, people who have such a great stories to tell."; " I found this book utterly delightful, full of fascinating anecdotes about old varieties of roses, the characters who developed and distributed them, and the even wilder characters who "rustle" and propagate old roses with passion and gusto today. The chapters are thematic and geographical, rather than historical, but they're immensely fun to read. I learned all sorts of amazing historical trivia -- e.g., why the Grass Valley, CA public library owns a Cornish/English dictionary, and the political aspects of rose nomenclature. And, as someone interested in "heirloom" plants in general (I'm a card-carrying member of Slow Food), I found his discussion of rose genetics and propagation fascinating. Some of his stories are poignant, too -- e.g., the elderly black women in rural Texas who propagated roses over the centuries from sheer love, but were dying out even as he wrote. I enjoyed the book thoroughly, and recommend it even if you're not an old rose buff."