Peonies the Imperial Flower

by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall

Book Overview

With 200 colour photos, illustrations and plans this book celebrates the beauty and influence of the peony and its place in art and history as well as providing comprehensive information for gardeners... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0297824244
• ISBN13: 9780297824244
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Trafalgar Square
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 3.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 1.8" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Peonies - a love affair

If you are a peony lover, you will treasure this book. Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall not only knows her peonies and traces their fascinating history through the imperial courts of China and Japan, but she interweaves this with a history of how peonies have been used in paintings and porcelain. The beautiful pictures included not only show the various peony cultivars, but show the peony as it is used in Asian porcelains, paintings and European paintings. This book and its photographs are so lovely, that I expected to pay much more for it. It's a bargain, if you are a peony lover. Al Rogers "Peonies" is a bit more explicit about growing and cultivation, but this book compliments his, because of the romance it brings to the peony. It is also practical, listing the cultivars, showing many pictures, and recommending the more successful cultivars. If you love peonies and want to know more about their place in history, I heartily recommend Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall's "Peonies."