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Book Reviews Three books on plants from British naturalists in Qing China the Tibetan Marches (fi rst published China Science, empire, and cultural encounter in 1945 and subsequently reprinted). By Fa-Ti Fan. Bretschneider was physician at Reviewed by Ross Ferguson Hardback, xi + 238 pages the Russian Legation in Peking for Published by Harvard University nearly 20 years and he had the great Gifts from the gardens of China Press, Cambridge, Mass, 2004 advantage of knowing personally By Jane Kilpatrick ISBN 0-674-01143-0 many of those about whom he wrote Hardback, 288 pages $US52.00. or, at the least, had corresponded Published by Frances Lincoln, with. History of European botanical London, 2007 discoveries in China is a detailed ISBN-10: 071122630X, ISBN-13: 978- and unusually accurate work and, 0711226302 although it stops at the end of the £35.00 (available from Touchwood 19th century, it and Bretschneider’s Books for $NZ100.00) other botanical writings are essential for anybody with a serious interest in plant collecting in China. However, Bretschneider is by no means an easy read and the excitement and challenges of plant collecting, particularly plants of horticultural merit, are more apparent in Cox’s Plant hunting in China. Cox was himself a plant collector and likewise he knew personally many of those about whom he wrote. The one serious failing of his book is that he provides no references or citations The great plant collector E. H. Wilson even though he is likely to be correct. entitled one of his books China, mother of gardens. This was a little Initially, many of the Chinese plants Hortus Veitchii self-serving because Wilson had that were introduced to Europe were By James H. Veitch himself collected predominantly in those grown by the Chinese in their Hardback, 648 pages, 1906, China, but there was also an element own gardens. Access to the interior reprinted 2006 by Caradoc Doy, of truth. China has an extraordinarily of China was restricted and plant Exeter, England rich and diverse fl ora and it has collectors were largely limited to Limited to 1000 numbered copies contributed more to the temperate visiting Chinese nurseries or gardens. ISBN: 9780955351501, previous gardens of North America and Europe Gifts from the gardens of China; the ISBN: 0955351502 than any other equivalent area. We introduction of traditional Chinese £95.00 ($NZ295.00) can understand why Wilson said garden plants to Britain 1698–1862 “China is the country to which the covers this initial period from the visit gardens of all other lands are so of Dr James Cunninghame in 1698 indebted.” We need only to think of until the last of Robert Fortune’s trips magnolias, camellias, rhododendrons, in 1862. Chinese nurserymen would primulas, gentians, hydrangeas, take advantage of the Europeans, ‘Japanese’ anemones, forsythias, charging exorbitant prices or wisterias, clematis, peonies and substituting common plants for the tiger lilies. In New Zealand with rarities requested. Seed would often our temperate gardens we too can not germinate and it was frequently acknowledge the debt to China – we suspected that the seed had been can also be grateful for kiwifruit. killed. Taking the plants back to Europe was also a challenge. Dr John The two best general accounts Livingstone, a surgeon at Canton for of plant collecting in China are 20 years at the beginning of the 19th probably Emil Bretschneider’s century, estimated that for every plant magisterial History of European that survived the trip back to England, botanical discoveries in China (fi rst a thousand had been lost and that published in 1898 and subsequently each plant that had been successfully reprinted), and E. H. M. Cox’s introduced had cost at least £300, an Plant hunting in China: a history of astonishing cost. Kilpatrick includes botanical exploration in China and delightful engravings of potted plants New Zealand Garden Journal, 2008, Vol. 11(2) 25 being watered on the deck of a achievements. It is particularly transport could be overcome. British ship and of a traveller determinedly interesting for the accounts of their naturalists in Qing Chinaa again carrying ashore his treasured plants travellers in China, Charles Maries emphasises how dependent the at the end of the voyage. Perhaps (1877–1879) and E. H. Wilson Europeans initially were on Chinese it is telling that he carries only two (1899–1905). Plant collectors were nurseries at the ports. Once travel small plants – how many had died no longer limited simply to acquiring to the interior became possible after on the way? It is impressive how plants from nurseries close to the the Opium Wars, naturalists, who quickly information became available ports; travel was now possible into the generally had other responsibilities, in Europe as to which Chinese interior of China and a great wealth of were still dependent on Chinese plants were worthy of collection; this new plants was becoming accessible. workers to collect specimens. is shown by the detailed ‘shopping Hortus Veitchiii describes the plants Augustine Henry relied on his lists’ prepared by Sir Joseph Banks collected by Maries and Wilson, Chinese workers to collect his many and the London Horticultural Society, although at the time of publication thousands of herbarium specimens; with an emphasis on plants that were most of Wilson’s plants had yet to E. H. Wilson travelled with a large hardy in Britain. prove themselves. The original edition entourage of workers and collectors. of Hortus Veitchiii was not for sale There is also the distinction between Gifts from the gardens of Chinaa is a but complimentary copies were sent naturalists and plant collectors. well-written and balanced account of to universities, libraries, eminent Henry collected thousands of plant the early efforts of mainly British plant botanists and good customers. specimens but introduced very few collectors in China, although Kilpatrick Copies come on the market only plants into cultivation; Wilson was a also describes the activities of some very occasionally and now fetch plant collector with clear commercial Jesuit priests such as Incarville. high prices. This facsimile edition is goals. It is well referenced and there are therefore most welcome and makes many apposite quotes. I particularly I found British naturalists in Qing an important reference work much enjoyed the illustrations, especially Chinaa a most rewarding book. It is more accessible. The nomenclature is those of Chinese fl owers from clear and well written. It is the best now often outdated, but Caradoc Doy painted wallpapers or porcelain and account I have read of 19th century is intending to prepare a supplement of Chinese export paintings. There British naturalists in China and listing name changes and indicating are also many fi ne reproductions supplements the information available the status of the plants in the wild. of illustrations from early botanical in other works with their greater magazines of the plants successfully British naturalists in Qing China emphasis on natural history. My only introduced. This book is beautifully emphasises just how dependent regret is that Fan restricted himself produced and is a most useful European plant collectors and to British naturalists and did not also reference source. naturalists were on the Chinese. consider the great French collectors The Europeans’ knowledge of as it would be interesting to compare Hortus Veitchiii is also beautifully desirable plants to collect was mainly the activities of these priests, such produced, with great care taken to based initially on export paintings as David, Delavay and Farges, ensure the appropriate paper and by Chinese artists working in a often living for years in the interior binding, even if the page size is different tradition, aiming to please of China, with the British collectors, somewhat reduced. The subtitle of aesthetically, not to be ‘scientifi cally normally associated with trade or the Hortus Veitchiii is A history of the accurate’ as understood by western Chinese Maritime Customs. There rise and progress of the nurseries botanists. It is not surprising that is a wonderful reference list which of Messrs. James Veitch and Sons, the Horticultural Society in London will provide reading for several years together with an account of the hesitantly instructed Robert Fortune and the use of Chinese sources adds botanical collectors and hybridists on his fi rst voyage in 1843 to enquire greatly to its value. This is one of employed by them and a list of the about “peonies with blue fl owers, those rare stimulating books providing most remarkable of their introductions. the existence of which is, however, many new ideas. The title just about says it all and doubtful” or “camellias with yellow this must be the most sumptuous of Each of these very different books fl owers, if such exist”. The information any vanity publication prepared by a should be in any comprehensive available was at best patchy but the nursery fi rm. Veitch and Sons were for horticultural library. paintings (and the porcelain) did, many years the greatest of all British however, indicate the wonderful and nursery fi rms and Hortus Veitchii enticing range of plants that might is an exhaustive and extravagantly be available, if only the problems of prepared description of their many 26 New Zealand Garden Journal, 2008, Vol. 11(2) Good Gardens with Less Water habits, as well as offering practical Tips on garden design, choosing a By Kevin Handreck solutions and tips for anyone who landscaper, selecting good quality CSIRO Publishing wishes to reduce water use in their plants at the nursery and garden Paperback, 166 pages, 190 × 240mm, garden. centre, dealing with too much water Australia, 2008 and types of drainage follow. The Beginning with a short chapter on ISBN 9780643094703 chapter on lawns is one where much the causes of water shortages the $NZ40.00 of the detail is very Australian-specifi c author discusses such topics as Reviewed by Andrew Maloy but the information on preparing, changing weather patterns, increasing sowing and maintenance of a new populations and lack of political vision lawn is relevant to New Zealand.

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