Association of Australian Begonia Societies (Inc)

Begonia Books

The following books may be available at bookstores throughout Australia or direct from their authors.
Growing Begonias by Peter Sharp. This book is written by Peter Sharp a well known and respected grower in New South Wales, Australia. This is a useful guide to growing a wide range of begonia types. Peter can be contacted direct at petersharp@bigpond.com Peter advises that this book is now out of print. Copies occasionally come up for sale at Amazon.com and on Ebay.
Begonias by Mike Stevens. This book is written by Mike Stevens from Christchurch, New Zealand. It includes subjects such as: history and key discoveries, culture of non-tuberous begonias, cultivation of tuberous begonias, basket begonias, pests, diseases and disorders, fertilisers and soils, watering, propagation, creating your own hybrids. Mike's book is published by Lothian Books and is available for A$ 29.95. Aust ISBN 1865344964. Check the above web site for details. Also available through Amazon.com.
Know Your Begonias by Jack Krempin. This book was written by the late Jack Krempin who resided in Queensland. This is an excellent reference for all types of begonias with plenty of photos of different species and hybrids. This book is now out of print. Copies occasionally come up for sale at Amazon.com and on Ebay.
Growing Tuberous Begonias In Australia by Ralph Willsmore. Another excellent book for the tuberous grower. You can contact Ralph direct regarding obtaining this book. Ralph can be contacted at: Blockers Road, Myponga, South Australia. Phone (08) 8558 6217 Costs around $10.
Begonias of Peninsular Malaysia by Dr. Ruth Kiew This book is written to interest the naturist and gardener in the wealth of wild begonias that grow in rain forest but without sacrificing scientific accuracy. The profusion of photographs, watercolour paintings and botanical drawings, and the minimum use of technical jargon intend to make this book accessible to all. This book is comprehensive including 52 native species as well as two garden escapes. Twelve new species and one variety are described here for the first time. The author is Dr. Ruth Kiew who is currently Keeper of the Herbarium and Library and Assistant Director of Botanical Research in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Publisher: Natural History Publications (Borneo) in association with Singapore Botanic Gardens and National Parks Board. First Published: 1 February, 2005. Pages: 308pp. Price US $60 For more details or to purchase go to www.nhpborneo.com and click "Publications".
Begonias - cultivation, Identification and Natural History. by Dr. Mark C. Tebbitt in conjunction with Brooklyn Botanic Garden Published by Timber Press 2005. 336 pages: 212 Colour photos: 104 Line drawings. Dr, Mark Tebbitt is a botanist at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, where he manages a research program on the systematics of cultivated ornamental plants, with a special emphasis on Begonias. The book contains concise descriptions, keys, and elegant illustrations of more than 300 commonly grown species and their popular cultivators. Additional chapters cover their cultural history, cultivation, natural history, and distribution.
Seeds of Fortune - A Gardening Dynasty by Sue Shephard. Published by Bloomsbury, New York & London. Published 2003 While not specifically about Begonias, this book describes the Veitch dynasty fortunes from when John Veitch went to London to train as a nurseryman in 1768 until the early twentieth century. Pearce, who discovered several of the tuberous species in South America, is featured, as well as others who were responsible for the early hybridisation of x tuberhybrida such as B. 'Sedenii' and the use of B. socotrana in the development of winter flowering begonias. This book is available from amazon.com.