Treasure trolling

This handsome volume is a wonderful surprise. As promised, it profiles 32 modern-day plant explorers who scour the globe for amazing flora, which, in time, they share with adventurous gardeners.

But how exciting that, in addition to the expected alpine and woodland specialists, we meet collectors in warm and arid climates with exciting plants that will thrive in our landscapes: wildflowers, bulbs, perennials, shrubs, ground covers and more -- from California and other western states, Mexico and Latin America, South Africa, Australia, Asia and beyond.

The index reads like a plant nut’s wish list, and the fact-packed text is embellished with jewel-bright photographs of plants, plus snapshots of the intrepid explorers, who all appear rather shy.

The author takes us to each person’s garden or nursery, describes their collections and details the challenges of propagating and distributing new horticultural gems.

Contact information is given for each plant hunter, so eager gardeners can obtain their treasures -- and thank them for their efforts.

Lili Singer