by T.K Bose, D. Mukherjee

Floriculture and ornamental horticulture play a very important role in regional and town planning. At present numerous horticulturists are, therefore, actively engaged in beautification programmes throughout the country. Many agricultural universities and colleges have also been established in recent years to cater to the need of trained persons in various branches of horticulture; and ornamental horticulture is being considered and important subject both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Amateur gardeners, professional horticulturists and students of horticulture have been seriously feeling the need for a book on this subject.It is indeed, a difficult task for any expert floriculturist to write on the various aspects including growth behaviour of numerous species and varieties of plants which constitute the more important material for a garden design. Yet to replenish the blemishes Mr S Percy-Lancaster former secretary of the Agri- Horticultural Society of India and a devoted and keen gardener wrote a book entitled An Amateur in an Indian Garden in 1945. The book contained much valuable information on practical floriculture. Unfortunately, within two years of publication the book went out of print and had not been reprinted since then. The Agri-Horticultural Society felt the need for publishing a book on ornamental horticulture and gardening to cater to the growing needs of amateur and professional gardeners and took the decision to revise the book of Mr. S. Percy-Lancaster.Accordingly the task of revising a major part of the book was taken up in a rather systematic way incorporating some additional information, wherever necessary, on various aspects of gardening and culture of garden plants. The present edition aims at fulfilling the course curriculum of undergraduate and postgraduate students of horticulture and to satisfy the needs of amateur and professional gardeners in making better use of their aesthetic and commercial interest.