Some bamboos make great screening, some are useful for erosion control, others are just nice to look at. Ted Jordan Meredith introduces us to the gamut. -- Mary Beth Breckenridge Akron Beacon Journal 20090905 [There are] plenty of superbly photographed bamboos to savor, and Meredith's expertise and enthusiasm shine in his ability to identify a defining characteristic in each, however similar it might look to another at first glance. -- Tom Gard Gardens Illustrated 20091001 Stunning - which is not surprising because Timber Press does an outstanding job with color photos, and Meredith with his knowledge and precise language. -- Betty Shor Bamboo 20091001 Why this book? Because bamboos are excellent plants for erosion control. -- Todd Major North Shore News 20091209

Ted Jordan Meredith has written books on viticulture, enology, wine appreciation, garlic, and bamboo. His Bamboo for Gardens (Timber Press 2001) was awarded the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries Literature Award and The New York Times Editor's Choice for Best Books for Gardening, and his The Complete Book of Garlic: A Guide for Gardeners, Growers, and Serious Cooks (Timber Press 2008) has become the standard reference for garlic enthusiasts. When a housing development suddenly took away his privacy, Ted became interested in bamboo as a beautiful, rapidly growing, evergreen screen. He quickly became captivated by bamboo in all of its aspects and began to grow, research, and write about bamboo. A native of Montana, Ted recalls the daring use of fresh garlic in the family kitchen. In later years, as his interest in cooking grew, Ted enthusiastically incorporated garlic into much of his cuisine but initially regarded garlic as a supermarket commodity with little distinction. It was at a farmer's market that he purchased a few heads of a Rocambole garlic, 'Spanish Roja'. Ted realized then that all garlic was not the same, and he never looked back, voraciously exploring a new-found world of hundreds of cultivars in nearly a dozen different horticultural groups. Ted and his wife garden and grow bamboo at their home in Washington state. In addition to writing and photography, Ted enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking, and music.