Magnolias were the first flowering plants on earth. Today the enthusiast can enjoy hundreds of species and varieties. Magnolia flowers can be seen over nine months of the year, starting in early spring with the precocious Asiatic species and ending with Magnolia grandiflora, which will flower until the frosts of autumn. Graham Rankin"s clear text and beautiful, full-color photos provide the reader with a superb step-by-step guide to the cultivation and care of these magnificent tree shrubs. He has cared for and worked with a greater variety of magnolias than anyone else in Britain; among his prominent posts was his work with "The National Collection" within the Valley and Savill Gardens, Windsor Great Park. Also in the Care Manual series: Roses, Bonsai, Cactus and Succulents, Clematis, Fuchsia, and Rhododendrons.