To many people the word begonias conjures up thoughts of village flower shows - maybe even of Chelsea Flower show itself - or of the massed bedding displays seen in municipal parks and gardens. These are the large-flowered forms of tuberous begonias, and they are spectacular indeed. This book describes their history and development from the discovery of their primitive forebears in South America by plant hunters in the middle of the last century through to the present. In addition, it explains how to grow begonias and even how to achieve show-bench standards of perfection. There is explanation of how to raise begonias from seeds, how to propagate by cuttings and how to hybridize and raise new varieties. The more unusual forms, such as the Pendula types, are also described, and there is advice on coping with pests and diseases.