There are around 1400 species of bamboo spread throughout the world's temperate, tropical, and subtropical regions. They grow from sea level to high mountainous regions and can be successfully grown in a range of climates, from coastal California to Minnesota, New England, the British Isles, and continental Europe. Versatile bamboos are both ornamental -- they have striking foliage and come in variety of colors and patterns -- and practical for providing screening and privacy and controlling erosion. They also play an important role in modern society: As a rapidly renewable resource, bamboos are an environmentally conscious solution for homes, gardens, construction, and manufacturing.

The Timber Press Pocket Guide to Bamboos covers 35 genera of bamboos in cultivation and describes more than 300 species and cultivars. Each entry includes the plant's maximum height, maximum culm diameter, light requirements, and minimum temperature tolerated. Includes 300 color photographs for easy identification. Packed with all the authority of an encyclopedia in a pocket-size format, the Timber Press Pocket Guide to Bamboos is a perfect reference for taking to the nursery or garden center.
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An essential element in cuisines around the world, garlic enjoys near mythic status among cooks, chefs, foodies, and enthusiasts of natural remedies. Worldwide, garlic cultivation occupies over 2 million acres of farmland, an area that has more than doubled since 1970. Yet even garlic fanciers may be unable to tell hardneck from softneck, or Purple Stripe from Rocambole, not to mention the hundreds of cultivated varieties grown today, many with distinct differences in taste and character.

In fact, the wealth of garlic varieties in nearly a dozen horticultural groups rivals that of corn, carrots, apples, and peaches. This book is the most comprehensive and in-depth guide available to what surely should be the next gourmet frontier. From 'Ajo Rojo' to 'Zemo', Meredith presents illustrated profiles of nearly 150 cultivars. Detailed chapters cover natural history, the history of garlic in cultivation, the nuances of cuisine and culture, therapeutic benefits, plant structure, how to cultivate, curing and storage, taxonomy, pests and diseases, and chemistry.

Especially useful are the Quick Guides, which summarize information on growing and buying garlic and provide recommendations for the best-tasting cultivars for specific uses and climates. Lists of garlic sources and organizations are a boon to the aficionado. Whether you share Ted Jordan Meredith's "garlic affliction" or just find the pungent bulb indispensable, you'll understand it as never before with this meticulously researched, lovingly written exploration.

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