Peter Beales is one of the most recognized names in the rose world and his previous book "Classic Roses" is still one of the best reference books for roses on the market. His latest, "Passion for Roses" is not a reference book but a good introduction to roses. In the first chapter, Beales writes about how his love affair with roses began and how it has progressed since he first discovered them as a teenager working in a nursery. He has traveled the world photographing roses and many of them are included here. He also remembers some of the most memorable gardens he has visted.
Subsequent chapters describe the different types of roses (species, old roses, modern roses, climbing roses, ramblers and scramblers, etc.) The last section of the book is an encyclopedic directory of roses mentioned in the book. The photographs are lovely and this is a beautiful book to browse through. However, if you are just looking for reference information about individual roses, then you would want to buy his "Classic Roses" instead.