Here are some excerpts from a review for Rocky Mountain Wildflowers Field Guide that appeared in "The Mountain Mail"---Salida, CO--- Friday, March 14, 2014.
Review by Dr Arlene Shovald <writerarlene@optimum.net>
It won’t be long before Rocky Mountain wildflowers are back, and for those who enjoy the outdoors, A South Park couple has compiled a Field Guide to identify many of the blossoms you might encounter.
Linda S. Nagy is the author of the recently published "Rocky Mountain Wildflowers Field Guide," with photographs by her husband, Bernie Nagy.
Linda edited Bernie’s previous award-winning coffee table books, “Colorado’s South Park – High Country Paradise,” “South Park, Colorado – Nature’s Paradise,” and “Park County, Colorado – A Photographic History.”
“I decided after that it was time to do my own book,” she said.
“Rocky Mountain Wildflowers Field Guide” was several years in the making, with photos taken throughout the state over four summers....
The field guide fits easily into a pocket or backpack and an e-version that can also be downloaded onto a phone, I-pad or computer is available through Amazon.
Each flower has a clear color photo and information on the plant as well as its common, family and scientific names. The front of the book has sketches of leaves and other plant parts to further help identify them. Flowers are separated by color with sections in white, red/pink, blue/purple and green. Each flower is also identified as to the mountain zone it grows in, from the foothills (5000 to 8000feet) to Alpine (above 11,500 feet.) There's even a handy "ruler" in the back of the book for measuring the size, height, etc. of blossoms.
Photographing flowers can be a daunting task. Often Bernie had to lie on the ground or get with his camera under a flower to get the image he wanted. The field guide became a labor of love for the couple who laugh as they say they are surprised they are still married after working together so closely on projects in which they often had different points of view.
This year, for the fifth consecutive year, Bernie was voted best photographer and best author in Park County and Linda, in addition to her own work, illustrated last year a watercolor motivational book, "If You Tell Me, I Can Fly", for author Sharon Thayer.
The 224 page 4” x 6” “Rocky Mountain Wildflowers Field Guide” is worth its price of $11.95 for the photography and information alone, even if one never ventures outside the living room. But for nature enthusiasts who want to identify wildflowers throughout Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, it’s a must.
It is available at www.highcountryartworks.com and at The Book Haven in Salida and The Book Nook in Buena Vista.
My thanks to Dr. Arlene Shovald for her contribution. Bernie, Arlene, and I along with 9 other local authors will be signing our books at the "Meet the Authors" event at the Salida Community Center, Salida, CO from 2- 6PM on March 29, 2014.