Catherine Horwood is a social historian specializing in horticultural history. She has published widely in the gardening press and her previous books include Gardening Women: Their Stories from 1600 to the Present (2010) and Potted History: The Story of Plants in the Home (2007).
"In Rose, a cultural history of the flower, author Horwood traces
how roses have been woven into traditions, rituals, and symbolism
since the ancient civilisations. But it was during the nineteenth
century that plant hunters, collectors and breeders all contributed
to a boom in their cultivation; when the China roses were brought
to Europe it opened up new possibilities--they had a long flowering
season, distinctive scent, and a new palette of colors, all of
which could be bred into new hybrids."-- "Financial Times"
"Horwood devotes her whole book to how the flower evolved, starting
with fossilized roses millions of years old and ending with modern
DNA research. She looks, of course, at botany but also at
philosophy, literature, and symbolism, painting, the perfume
industry--even the White House Rose Garden. . . . Like all the best
books, her treatment of the great sweep of rose related history
leads the reader to make unexpected comparisons. . . . Horwood's
choice of illustration is as wide-ranging as her content. . . .
Rose is the latest in a series of excellent plant biographies
published by Reaktion."-- "Historic Gardens Review"
"Horwood tells us that, in 2017, viewers of the BBC Gardeners'
World program voted the rose as the most important and influential
flower of the last fifty years. Having now read Horwood's
engagingly-written, abundantly-illustrated, and
extensively-researched social history of the plant, I can
understand why."-- "Botany One"
"The author takes a fresh perspective on the subject from
historical and botanical contexts tempered by her own interactions
with and knowledge of specific rose varieties, including many grown
by herself. . . . Horwood expertly organizes the book into eleven
chapters plus a useful timeline of rose history that should be
ingrained into every rosarian's mind. Beautifully written and
riveting at times, Rose can be read cover to cover, section by
section, or simply opened to find a historical vignette about
roses. Throughout the book, a refreshing hint of femininity comes
through to offer new insights into this otherwise over-done
subject."-- "Quarterly Review of Biology"
"Rose is a well-researched and riveting history of the world's most
popular flower. From the fossil record to the rose garden at the
White House, this book takes the reader on an epic history of the
rose in civilization from ancient times through the patent rules in
contemporary times. Historical accounts are spellbinding and
include the harrowing tale of the escape from Europe in the midst
of a military invasion during World War II of a world-renowned
hybrid tea rose, 'Peace.' The book properly attributes the
important contribution of Josephine Bonaparte, whose appetite for
roses and access to her husband's wealth and privilege prompted her
to construct the world's greatest rose garden; her influence is
still found in today's gardens. Medicinal uses, cultural
importance, and the role of roses in medieval paintings are
academically addressed but never difficult to comprehend. This is a
small book that packs a huge punch regarding roses in human
history. Recommended."-- "Choice"
"It is no surprise that the rose is the world's favorite flower,
and in her new book, simply called Rose, Horwood dances us through
every aspect of its botanical, cultural, and literary significance.
. . . It offers many interesting nuggets, too--not least that we
should all add the European Rose Garden in Sangerhausen, Germany,
to our bucket list, as it has 8,600 varieties. There's an enticing
recipe for rose vodka, too."-- "Country Living"
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
