| Winton Harding has for many years been the foremost writer on
the genus in English. With his wide experience of horticulture as well as plants in the
wild he has produced a marvellously well-informed and highly readable introduction to the
genus. The origin of this book was a series of articles in the 1960s which were written
for the Alpine Garden Society's Quarterly Bulletin and this has helped determine
the structure both of the original and of the second edition. After a brief introduction
to the sections (Engler & Irmscher's in the first edition, Webb & Gornall's in the
second) there is a detailed consideration of each section in turn through the medium of a
wide range of the species in those sections. There is an even-handedness in the approach
to each section which makes this extremely valuable for those who are more adventurous in
their approach to the genus. The special fascination of species from horticulturally
less-known sections is well exemplified in these volumes.
For many of today's enthusiasts the first edition provided their key text in their
developing interest. One of its key characteristics is the feeling that Winton is
genuinely sharing his knowledge of these plants, approaching them from personal
experience, commenting on them with an easy going authority. It is this, almost
conversational, feel that makes this such a pleasure.
It is interesting to compare the two volumes in terms of their printing and production.
Both editions reflect the production standards applied to the A.G.S. Bulletin at
the time. The first edition uses a small heavy type on matt cream paper, with interspersed
black-and-white photographs. The recent edition, unfortunately not case-bound but stapled,
has art paper throughout (so that the colour photographs are not on different paper), has
a slightly wider page (A5 taking over from an imperial size), and has then gone on to cut
down the left and right margins so that lines of text are notcieably longer than in the
first edition (it also means that marginal notes - something to which some people are
addicted - are almost impossible). Although this new layout is less easy to read quickly
than the original (margins are not just wasted space), this new edition is an attractive
volume with the colour photographs adding greatly to its popular appeal.
There are two aspects to the selection of photographs which need to be noted however.
One is the changed balance of the photographs: in the first edition 8 of the 15
sections of the genus were illustrated with 30 of the illustrations being of Porphyrion,
mossy and silver saxifrages and 7 showing plants from 5 other sections; in the second
edition 21 of the 31 photographs are of Porphyrion saxifrages alone - 4 silver, 3 mossy
and 3 Ciliatae saxifrages make up the rest. Porphyrion saxifrages (Kabschia, Engleria and
Oppositifoliae) may be pretty but the imbalance is a loss in what is, as far as the text
is concerned, a very well-balanced volume.
The second criticism is that given the range of photographs available it is unfortunate
that some of the photographs chosen by the volume's editor were badly colour-balanced
(particularly those of 'Aretiastrum' and 'Faldonside'), although this is more than offset
by beautiful photographs of such plants as S. serpyllifolia, S. caesia, S.
biflora, S. longifolia and S. aretioides (a photograph of a plant with
as many seed heads as flowers). That these latter are all of plants in the wild is wholly
appropriate because, although Winton does deal with garden hybrids (in the second edition
there are 16 pages on Porphyrion hybrids, 3 pages on Ligulatae hybrids, and 2 pages on the
Mossy saxifrage hybrids), his clear enthusiasm and concentration is on the species. And on
these he is a joy, writing from his own experience with authority and grace.
A comment on S.nivalis in the earlier volume displays this well. "It
is", Winton writes, "not a plant of any garden value nor one that takes kinly to
normal garden conditions. Seed is, however, occasionally offered in the Seed List and, in
spite of my comments, I am currently attempting to grow it!" All his optimism,
enthusiasm and knowledge are displayed in such a comment. That Winton was asked to compile
the entry on saxifrages for the AGS Encyclopedia of Alpines, 1994 (ed.
Kenneth Beckett) is, to those who know his range, not in the least surprising. For the
average enthusiast however this is unfortunately prohibitively expensive: the two volumes
cost £190.00. The entry on Saxifraga does deal with a very wide range of species but not
that much wider than in the AGS monograph.
As those who know Winton will appreciate these volumes are generous in their approach
as well as with the knowledge they display. They well reflect Winton's generous nature and
must be wholeheartedly recommended to anyone with the least interest in saxifrages.
- Malcolm McGregor
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