Reviews of Buried Treasures: Finding and Growing the World's Choicest Bulbs

I recently reviewed this book for "BULBS, The Bulletin of the International Bulb Society" and it is probably the best book on bulbs I have in my extensive bulb book collection. Buried Treasures is a unique and very different bulb book. It is basically divided into two parts--bulbs in the garden and bulbs in the wild. One of the best qualities about this book is the exhaustive amount of research Janis has contributed to the actual location in which these bulbs were found growing in the wild; and then transferring that knowledge into practical garden settings. This is what is so missing from most bulb books that just march though the species.

In the first part of the book, Janis has probably presented some of the best information available about growing bulbs from seeds. Other methods of bulb propagation he has experimented with and then perfected to a fine art have now been adopted and are the standard practice by the Dutch. A lot of practical advice about planting, harvesting bulbs, viral diseases, fertilizing, watering, pollination, and seed harvesting is also included.

In the second part of the book Janis describes his many adventures as a bulb explorer--and these are the real treasures of this book! Janis lives and owns a nursery in Latvia specializing in rare and unusual bulbs including hundreds of his own introductions. Janis explored and researched behind the former iron curtain in a time that will never be replicated and the tales of his plant explorations/collections are simply remarkable. Nothing compares with his stories about finding Juno Iris species in minefields and trying to convince the KGB that correspondences about bulb varieties are not talking about importing arms into the former Soviet Union. Throughout the book his enthusiasm (which borders on obsession--as it does with all serious bulb growers) about growing bulbs from seeds and offsets is apparent.

Another great quality of this book is the phenomenal photography which is keyed to the text making looking at what he is talking about super easy.

Janis Ruksans is a world treasure himself for the collecting, exploring, propagating, hybridizing, researching, and introductions he has contributed to the world of bulbs. He is also one of the best plantsmen, grower, and bulb explorer living in our time. Let's hope Janis Ruksans also has more buried treasures of books inside himself!