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This large format hardback Batsford book uses her watercolours to help identify varieties.
Author Rosie Sanders is author of books on roses and other flowers and has exhibited at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew.
Identifying apples is a science that is well explained. Skin has 13 definitions, from mottling to stripes. The eye can be erect or flat. Internally, the tube is the cavity behind the eye. Trees can be spur or tip-bearers, or both such as 'Discovery'. The book also lists size, shape, skin, stalk, cavity, eye, basin, tube, stamens, core line, core, cells, seeds, leaves and pollination group.
To pick one example, the 'Keswick Codlin' is a very old second early cooking apple found growing in a pile of rubbish at Gleaston Castle, near Ulverstone and introduced by Keswick nurseryman John Sander in 1790. The long and angular apple is coarse-textured and cooks to a froth. The tree is hardy and vigorous. The aroma is faintly acid.
There is also an essay on growing apples by HA Baker, including climate, soil, frost, site, cultivar, form, rootstock, planting and cultivation tips.
Rosie Sanders’ The Apple Book is an essential companion for both the serious pomologist and the casual gardener. It successfully bridges the gap between a high-end art book and a practical field guide, ensuring that the rich history and diversity of the apple are preserved for future generations.
