Essential rose books

My  heroes have always been garden writers

Sorry, a picture of Willie came up as I was searching for images of the Fortuniana at Mercury Hall.  Many of my heroes are musicians, poets, artists, and follow sundry other trades in addition to garden writing.

Liz Druitt

The Bible of organic rose gardening is The Organic Rose Garden by Liz Druitt (Taylor Trade Publishing (April 1, 1996).  Druitt was in at the founding of the Antique Rose Emporium in Central Texas and gardens in Central Texas [Zone 8].  She writes clear, easy-to-read prose.  Everything you need to know is in this book.

For her knowledge and her humorous, no-bullshit tone, Liz Druitt is my big hero.  I have been searching for anything else she has written [she cowrote Landscaping With Antique Roses (1992 Taunton) with Mike Shoup], a blog or anything more recent.  All I have been able to find is that she now raises Rhodesian Ridgebacks, an ancient and noble kind of dog.  I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a few and know one, and they are marvelous beasts.

I messaged her via her Etsy shop, Copperrose1, and asked where I could find something to link to.  We’ll see if she responds.

Jeff Cox

I had read his organic gardening books and his writing in Organic Gardening magazine before I discovered his rose books.

Landscaping with Roses: Gardens Walkways Arbors Containers by Jeff Cox (Taunton (January 15, 2002).   Jeff Cox wrote for the late lamented Organic Cardening mag.  He gardens in Iowa or somewhere and really knows his stuff.   Since this book is from Taunton, it’s also beautiful.

Jeff Cox’s main page is here.

Derek Fell

This guy is an ass-kicking photographer as well as an amazing gardener.  He has produced so much work that he must be 150 years old and never have slept since the Civil War.

Impressionist Roses: Bringing the Romance of the Impressionist Style to Your Garden by Derek Fell (Co-Edition (September 1, 2000).  This guy has the right ideas about the importance of organic gardening and about garden design.  He’s big on letting the rose plant grow into its natural shape, using the growth habit to its best advantage.

Derek Fell also wrote several books on Monet’s garden, explaining what effects Monet was trying to get and how he got them.  Incroyable!

I have The Magic of Monet’s Garden: His Planting Plans and Color Harmonies (Firefly Books, 2007).

Fell’s homepage is here : About Derek Fell