Book excerpt: Phillips and Rix are the coauthors of 25 other books. In this one, 850 of their favorite roses are described and are divided into 25 categories--wild roses, tea roses, climbing roses, floribundas, ramblers, miniatures, and shrub roses, for example. Within each category, the authors offer information on their history and number of species and give a general description of the flowers. Each entry includes the flower's scientific and common name, country of origin, a detailed description of its flowers and leaves, hardiness, flowering times, color, height, and the conditions in which it will perform best. Companion planting is also discussed. The book's "Visual Key" show the characteristics of each group, and a typical example of each is illustrated. The book, with more than 1,000 color photographs, will appeal to any gardeners interested in growing these popular flowers. colour throughout