Sempervivum: A Gardener’s Perspective of the Not-So-Humble Hens-and-Chickens

Sempervivum have long fascinated gardeners and are useful plants for gardening situations in which other plants might fail. Many people are aware of only a single, rather uninteresting green cultivar, but selections from the wild and the work of hybridisers have resulted in over 7,000 cultivars with a range in size from ½ in. to over one foot in diameter and colours from gold to black. Clearly the gardener has never had a better choice. This book covers all aspects of their history, taxonomy, culture, propagation, hybridising, people involved in the production of Sempervivum, and a long list of cultivars that are recommended for the gardener. Colour illustrations show not only the cultivars, but garden uses and cultural practices. AUTHOR: Kevin Vaughn has been breeding and growing Sempervivum since he was nine years old. From his hybridising work, he has introduced about 80 cultivars to the market, including the award winning Lipstick and Jungle Shadows. These early experiments in plant hybridising led to a PhD in botany and a career with the USDA. Since moving to Oregon in 2010, he has organised a yearly Hybridizers Clinic and produces from 4-6,000 new seedlings each year from his breeding efforts. SELLING POINTS: . Essential garden subjects for rock gardens, pots, and many other garden situations for easy-care plantings . Information for beginners to succeed and for advanced gardeners . Varieties in gold, red, pink, and near black in sizes from ½ in. to over a foot in diameter 137 colour images