"A flower garden is intended for the cultivation and display of flowers; but any book upon the subject, however small, must treat of other matters, not as subordinate to the leading idea, but as necessary accompanying features. Hence, in the chapters that follow, some attention is paid to the shrubbery, the lawn, the walks, the greenhouse, and the window; for to pass them by, in order to treat of flowers only, would be to court imperfection, while, to bestow over-much attention on them would be to thrust into a secondary place the very feature that should take the lead."--Introduction.

Most colour wood-engraved plates are unsigned. One is signed: "AFL" [i.e. Alexander Francis Lydon]. All are with captions.

Most wood-engraved illustrations within the text are unsigned. Some are signed "EW Sc.", "E. Whimper Sc." or "E. Whymper Sc." [i.e. Edward Whymper?].

Colour plates were printed by Benjamin Fawcett. Cf. McLean, Ruari and Antonia. Benjamin Fawcett, engraver and colour printer, 1988.

Includes "Index.": p. [283]-284.

McLean, Ruari and Antonia. Benjamin Fawcett, p. 158.

MASS copy: Bound in blue-green patterned sand-grain cloth blocked in gold, black and blind in the same design as McLean D 0509 and McLean D 0510. Spine with imprint: "Groombridge". Boards with bevelled edges. With pale yellow painted endpapers.