Growing Hardy Orchids

Description

This is a book for adventurous gardeners with an appreciation for temperate orchid species and native wildflowers. A surprising number of terrestrial orchids are hardy, some able to withstand temperatures down to minus 50-F or minus 45.5-C. Though they have a reputation for being challenging to cultivate, in truth, most hardy orchids are no more so than a rose. This is great news for gardeners, who will enjoy filling their gardens with their enchanting fragrances, vibrant color displays, and long-lived blooms. At the center of the book is a catalog of 103 hardy and half-hardy orchids. In addition to detailing the techniques of cultivation and propagation, the book covers conservation and includes lists of suppliers and organizations offering nursery-propagated plants - an especially critical issue for species in danger of extinction.

John Tullock is a writer, photographer, orchid fanatic, ichthyologist, and long-time conservationist who has been growing orchids and wildflowers for thirty years. John is an active member of the Nature Conservancy, American Orchid Society, North American Plant Protection Council, and Tennessee Native Plant Society, and until recently operated a mail-order orchid business from his home near Knoxville, Tennessee. John says: "Part of the reason I first became interested in growing native orchids stemmed directly from their reputation for fussiness in cultivation. In no reference book could I find any encouragement for including native orchids in my wildflower garden; in fact, most of the books I consulted contained numerous exhortations to avoid even attempting to grow them. Eventually, after tramping along miles of woodland trails in search of orchids to photograph, I decided these books must be wrong." John has worked as a bookseller and event coordinator for Barnes and Noble, gardens at his home in Tennessee, and is passionate about protecting native orchids.

In this detailed and informative volume, the author seeks to persuade the reluctant gardener that anyone can raise orchids successfully. Bookseller 20050415 An exquisite treatment of hardy orchid cultivation and an indispensable addition to every gardener's library. -- Bart G. Jones Tennessee Native Plant Society 20050830 John Tullock's book is thoughtful ... presenting his personal views on orchids in nature, their conservation, and the problems with previous efforts to grow hardy species. -- Larry Mellichamp American Gardener 20051101 An eye opener, more than just a how-to book, although there's a lot of that. The author also offers his readers a thought-provoking lesson in conservation ethics. -- Karen Preuss Northwest Garden News 20060601 A delightful horticultural book that should give lovers of native plants the encouragement to grow some of the most charming of native plants: temperate orchids. -- Root Gorelick Plant Science Bulletin 20060601 I can recommend this book to anyone who is interested in growing hardy orchids. ... It brings together a lot of previously scattered information about basic growing requirements of 104 species of hardy orchids. -- Barbara Gravendeel Blumea 20060701 Imparts the basics of orchid cultivation and propagation through easy to follow tips and beautiful, illustrative photos. ... A great gardener's companion in that it provides the tools necessary to start- cultivating, and catalogs 103 hardy and half-hardy plants as well as an extensive list of suppliers and organizations. -- Megann Daw Chesapeake Home 20061001