Old Garden Roses and Selected Modern Hybrids : PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSH WESTRICH TEXT BY EVA DIERAUFF AND ANNY JACOB (Thames & Hudson; 1988)

PUBLISHED FIRST IN Germany, “Old Garden Roses” is a collection of 83 photographic portraits of classic roses from the days before hybridizing--moss, gallica, alba, shrub roses, floribunda, centifolia, damask, bourbon, climbing, sweet briar. And old they are: The earliest rose dates back to before 1300, though the majority are 19th-Century beauties. The introduction includes a survey of the rose in history, legend and the arts. At the end of the book, the origin and history of each rose pictured is detailed. But the main attractions are the photographs themselves. Intimate and larger than life, they are so engaging as to bring a heightened appreciation for all roses. ($50)