Following on from the remarkably successful ‘Trees and the New Zealand Countryside’ the Hamilton based Mortimers now produce another exceptional offering. This is a nicely illustrated book about bark a neglected side of our appreciation of trees, and the text contains a rich storehouse of fact and well researched anecdotes making for truly fascinating reading. This book is going to be around for along time and will have readers far beyond our shores. Look no further for a Christmas present.

(NZ House and Garden)

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It is a lovely lovely work and I have to eat my earlier words that may have suggested that reading about bark was akin to watching paint dry. I actually find it a more compelling book than ‘Trees for the New Zealand Countryside’ bark is on the evidence here extraordinarily poetic; romantic even. The pictures are superb. It’s a lovely book and I find it strangely comforting to own a copy.

Letter from a past Katherine Mansfield Scholar, University Write in Residence and author.

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Your beautiful book is a real credit to you and we are delighted to own a copy. The literary contributions are great and make it such a joy.

Letter from retired horticulturists.

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The title suggests a rather dry subject with rather limited appeal, but I can assure the reader that nothing could be father from the truth. This delightfully written and illustrated volume is beautifully produced in a slightly old fashioned way but charming way. It is a selection of the authors’ choices of interesting trees that display the special characteristics of bark that has to be touched to make sure it is real. Each subject has a personal story of discovery, history, and use and garden value all wrapped up in a short description accompanied by one or more mouth watering photos, often taken in the wild. Many common trees will be seen in a new light after reading this book, whilst others will be sought after as a ‘must have’ treasure for the garden. I found it a hard book to put down once I had opened it and I’m sure most readers will feel the same. John and Bunny are to be congratulated and supported for this exceptionally fine addition to our horticultural bookshelves.

The Trust Director, in the Newsletter of the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust