Trees, wildflowers and plants: general interest Books

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Book SynopsisIn The Cabaret of Plants, Mabey explores the plant species which have challenged our imaginations, awoken our wonder, and upturned our ideas about history, science, beauty and belief. Picked from every walk of life, they encompass crops, weeds, medicines, religious gathering-places and a water lily named after a queen. Beginning with pagan cults and creation myths, the cultural significance of plants has burst upwards, sprouting into forms as diverse as the panacea (the cure-all plant ginseng, a single root of which can cost up to $10,000), Newton's apple, the African 'vegetable elephant' or boabab - and the mystical, night-flowering Amazonian cactus, the moonflower. Ranging widely across science, art and cultural history, poetry and personal experience, Mabey puts plants centre stage, and reveals a true botanical cabaret, a world of tricksters, shape-shifters and inspired problem-solvers, as well as an enthralled audience of romantics, eccentric amateur scientists and transgressive artists. The Cabaret of Plants celebrates the idea that plants are not simply 'the furniture of the planet', but vital, inventive, individual beings worthy of respect - and that to understand this may be the best way of preserving life together on Earth.Trade ReviewEnraptured, visionary, witty and erudite * Daily Telegraph *His language is as rich as the flora he describes ... he makes his case utterly convincingly * Times *A happy tangle of beautiful stories and studies from a career that has stepped between science and poetry ... We are lucky to have him. * Observer *One of this century's most influential passages of natural history writing ... meticulously detailed and rhapsodically narrated ... a magnificent book. -- Mark Griffiths * Country Life *A treat not to miss ... the prose is so gorgeous it makes you want to clap -- Dominic Couzens * BBC Countryfile *The finest current flowering of a great British tradition ... it makes you feel that your home is much bigger and stranger than you ever imagined and it makes you glad -- no, astounded -- to be alive. * The Sunday Times *Mr Mabey is the kind of person you wish you had with you on every country walk, identifying, explaining, deducing, drawing on deep knowledge lightly worn. * Country Life *Wonderfully thought-provoking... of all his 30-plus books this is surely among his finest, an eclectic world-roaming collection of stories... lacing colour, intimacy and emotional texture around the scaffold of hard facts. * The Spectator *Mabey is on eloquent form in this portrayal of plants not as dully functional components of natural capital -- a "biological proletariat" -- but as unruly, autonomous and endlessly fascinating. This engaging scientific and cultural tour takes in ice-age engravings of plant forms; ancients and giants such as bristlecone pines and baobabs; the vast biodiversity of maize (corn); and, as touched on by plant scientist Ian Baldwin (Nature 522, 282-283; 2015), Erasmus Darwin's discovery of "irritability" in Mimosa pudica more than 200 years ago. -- Andrew Jermy * Nature Microbiology *Left me delighted - and seeing the world a little differently -- Robert MacfarlaneThere are so many delights to be found in The Cabaret of Plants - from the hunt for the elusive Amazonian moonflower, to the wonder of self-rejuvenating yews that defy efforts to determine their age, to the sprouting of an extinct Judean palm from a 2,000 year-old excavated seed - and Mabey keeps us enthralled from first to last. -- Jennifer Bort Yacovissi * Washington Independent Review of Books *The summation of a lifetime of looking at plants and reflecting on them ... the book reads as a happy tangle of beautiful stories and studies from a career that has stepped between science and poetry -- Tim Dee * Observer *Mabey's book lets us see plants as subjects rather than objects, arrayed in all their colours, performing miraculous tricks, dances and acrobatics -- Jenny Uglow * Wall Street Journal *

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Book SynopsisPlants and their essential oils have been used for healing since ancient times. Oils were used to anoint newborns and kings, care for the body, and treat the sick. In the Bible at least 33 different essential oils are specifically mentioned, and aromatic herbs, resins, and incense are referred to more than 1,000 times. Distilling the most significant of this healing wisdom, Karin Opitz-Kreher and Johannes Huber examine the ancient uses of essential oils, both in ritual and for health, and present an in-depth look at the 12 most important oils mentioned in the Bible, including how to use them for healing and well-being today. The essential oils featured in this full-colour guide are: cassia, galbanum, myrrh, myrtle, spikenard, onycha, sandalwood, frankincense, hyssop, cedar, cistus, and cypress. Each oil is explored in depth, beginning with the Bible verses that refer to it, followed by historical information about the oil, its botanical and chemical composition, its uses in folk medicine, and its modern uses for healing and well-being, including simple recipes and daily exercises. The book also discusses two alternative oils that can be used in place of rare or endangered essential oils. After looking at each essential oil individually, the authors describe how to create a blend of all 12 biblical oils, which promotes a high level of both physical and mental energy. The authors also examine other ancient references to essential oils, from Egyptian papyri to Ayurvedic tradition, showing how the sophisticated art of extracting plant essences has evolved over thousands of years.Table of ContentsIntroductionMedicinal Plants and Essential Oils in Evolutionary and Biblical History Twelve Essential Oils of the Bible Cassia, Chinese Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) Galbanum (Ferula galbaniflua) Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) Myrtle (Myrtus communis) Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi) Onycha/Frankincense of Java (also known as Styrax benzoin, benzoin, and gum benjamin)Sandalwood (Santalum album) Frankincense (Boswellia cateri) Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) Cedarwood, Atlas (Cedrus atlantica)Cistus (Cistus ladanifer/labdanum)Cypress (Cupressus) Alternative oils: Vetiver (Vetiveria zizaniodes)Elemi (Canarium luzonicum) General Tips Epilogue AcknowledgmentsBibliography About the AuthorsPicture Credits

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Book SynopsisIf you have tried to identify wildflowers, you'll already know exactly what is meant by the title of this book. Although a lot of plants are relatively straightforward to recognise, many others are not. Standard wildflower guides tend to provide as much guidance with identifying the easy and distinctive as they do with complex, tricky species. This ingenious book is designed to come to the rescue of the exasperated novice botanist and to help those more experienced who might be stuck on unfamiliar and complex groups. From willows to water-crowfoots, from eyebrights to dandelion look-a-likes, all of us have struggled with baffling specimens or the seemingly cryptic. Presented here is a fresh new approach to identifying difficult plants by giving an understanding of the biology behind their complexity. In simple language, you will be directed to the particular parts of the plant that you need to look at most closely. The tabular keys are more user friendly and evolutionarily valid than conventional dichotomous keys, which are often confusing and unwieldy. Each chapter contains illustrations of key diagnostic features, rather than of entire plants. Other novel aspects include coverage of the historical recognition of complexity within each group, which is used to inform debate about the level of resolution that may be most appropriate for your needs. This accessible guide is the perfect chance to get to grips with that challenging group you keep saving for 'next year' or for untangling a botanical mystery which keeps repeating itself.Table of ContentsForeword Preface Acknowledgments SECTION I. APOMICTIC SPECIES: SPECIES THAT PRODUCE SEEDS WITHOUT SEX 1 Brambles 2 Dandelions 3 Lady’s-mantles 4 Sea-lavenders 5 Whitebeams, rowans and service trees 6 Yellow composites – things that look a bit like a dandelion SECTION II. HYBRIDS: SPECIES THAT HAVE SEX WITH OTHER SPECIES 7 Docks and sorrels 8 Pondweeds 9 Roses 10 Marsh-orchids and spotted-orchids 11 Water-crowfoots 12 Willows SECTION III. INBREEDERS: SPECIES THAT HAVE SEX WITH THEMSELVES 13 Eyebrights 14 Fumitories 15 Violets and pansies 16 Short white-flowered crucifers: cresses 17 Tall yellow-flowered cabbages, mustards, rapes and rockets SECTION IV. POLYPLOIDS AND RAPIDLY EVOLVING SPECIES 18 Broomrapes 19 Forget-me-nots 20 Speedwells SECTION V. SUCCESSFUL FAMILIES WITH LOTS OF SPECIES 21 Dead-nettles, mints and woundworts 22 Blue and purple vetches and peas 23 Umbellifers: carrots, parsnips, Hemlock etc Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisObject Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Tree explores the forms, uses, and alliances of this living object's entanglement with humanity, from antiquity to the present. Trees tower over us and yet fade into background. Their lifespan outstrips ours, and yet their wisdom remains inscrutable, treasured up in the heartwood. They serve us in many ways—as keel, lodgepole, and execution site—and yet to become human, we had to come down from their limbs. In this book Matthew Battles follows the tree's branches across art, poetry, and landscape, marking the edges of imagination with wildness and shadow. Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.Trade ReviewWhat astonishingly good writing! What a joy of a book. What a mind, this Matthew Battles. As he writes about trees, Battles could as well be describing his own wild mind: 'uncanny, possessed of depths and mystery, and feral in ways beyond my ken, . . . overspilling with dark abundance, . . . richly disruptive to one’s daily commute.' * Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Great Tide Rising: Toward Clarity and Moral Courage in a Time of Planetary Change (2016) and Piano Tide: A Novel (2016) *Battles … shows how trees--and perhaps more importantly our relationships with trees--are incredibly complicated. Even dappling--that wonderful light that comes through a tree’s leaves--is not as simple as it seems … He makes clear that trees and their data have important stories to tell. That is if we let them. * PopMatters *Table of ContentsPart One: Feral Trees The Tree of Heaven In a Dappled World A branching Heuristic Part Two: Garden and Forest In the Tree Museum From Ailanthus to Apple The Charter of the Forests Part Three: A Dark Abundance The Tree and/in History With and Without Us Notes Index

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Book SynopsisA guide to the lichens of North America, presenting colour photographs, descriptions, distribution maps and keys for identification. It focuses on 805 foliose, fruticose and crustose lichens and covers another 700 species in the keys or notes. English names are provided for most species.Trade Review"Nothing comparable with this gorgeously illustrated work exists. . . . This spectacular tome will serve as standard in the worldwide field of lichenology for the next two centuries, or until the final demise of all books. . . . [A] beautiful book. . . . A gift of world-class scholarship. . . . At its current artificially low price, all libraries, private and public, with even a remote interest in natural history, should obtain it now."—Times Higher Education Supplement"A fascinating journey into the Lilliputian world of [lichens]. . . . Photographs by Stephen Sharnoff and Sylvia Duran Sharnoff capture the distinctive forms, brilliant colors or delicate hues of 804 species (out of 1050 discussed in the book). The Sharnoffs and Irwin M. Brodo have created a stunning guide for nature lovers."—Wall Street Journal (Gift Guide)"A fascinating journey into the Lilliputian world of [lichens] . . . a stunning guide for nature lovers."—Wall Street Journal, Gift Guide"Impressive. . . . The photographs in this book are of superb quality, both scientifically and aesthetically. Virtually, each of the photographs is unique and could be framed as a separate masterpiece in a gallery. . . . This book is a source of inspiration for those who have already got or are likely to get infected by lichen fever. . . . A refreshing book on lichens for a broad circle of readers."—International Lichenological Newsletter"Of value to professionals and amateurs alike, this book is certain to be a classic reference for decades to come."—Library Journal (starred review)"The publication of this wonderful new book and its numerous color photographs is indeed a major milestone in North American natural history. Although its size and its numerous color reproduction would certainly make it a suitable ’coffee table’ book, it is also much more than that. . . . The authors’ stated goal, which is to provide a full-color guide to North American lichens that is accessible to the novice but useful as well for experienced lichenologists, is admirably achieved. . . . Through their dedication and perseverance over a fifteen year period, the authors of this marvelous new book have succeeded in making another quantum leap improvement over the previously available North American guides, and , if anything can, this book should help to stimulate a lichenological renaissance in North America."—Theodore L. Esslinger, Mycotaxon"Mother-of-all lichen books. . . . it deserves use as a botanical and taxonomic resource on lichens. . . . 924 numbered plus 15 unnumbered color photos by nature photographers Sharnoffs that are stunning and exquisite. . . . [an] incredible project and touchstone book."—Taxon"[I]ncludes detailed entries on [over] 800 . . . lichens; essays on [their] biology, structure, uses, and ecological significance . . . hundreds of color photographs."—Natural History"This tome includes detailed entries on more than 800 foliose, fruticose, and crustose lichens; essays on the biology, structure, uses, and ecological significance of these plants; and hundreds of color photographs."—Natural HistoryWinner of the New England Book Show, in the category of Reference books, sponsored by the Bookbuilders of BostonWinner of the 2002 Henry Allan Gleason Award given by The New York Botanical GardenWinner of the 2002 Council on Botanical & Horticultural Libraries AwardWinner of the 2002 National Outdoor Book Award for Nature GuidebooksWinner of the 2001 R. R. Hawkins Award for the Outstanding Professional Reference or Scholarly Work given by the Association of American Publishers"Lichens of North America isone of the great natural history books of this or any age—a work in which art and science are perfectly united in tribute to one of the most beautiful, important, and least described parts of nature."—David Ehrenfeld, Rutgers University"This is a book to love. It will open a whole new world for naturalists, professional and amateur, to explore and enjoy."—E. O. Wilson"A long-sought triumph, gorgeously illustrated, accurate, accessible, and comprehensive."—Lynn Margulis, University of Massachusetts"A superb and indispensable book for anyone truly interested in the biodiversity of North America."—Peter Crane, director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew"This volume is the twenty-first-century lichen equivalent of Audubon’s Birds of America."—Thomas E. Lovejoy, Smithsonian Institution

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Book SynopsisWhy do we spend so much time indoors, which is not our natural habitat? Why have trends such as forest-bathing become so popular? The answer to the last question lies in the proven benefits we obtain from our connection with nature from increased productivity to feelings of happiness and an enhanced sense of wellbeing.For millions of years, humans developed in natural environments, in close contact with sunlight, vegetation and fresh air. But most of us spend 80-90% of our time indoors far from the environments for which we are naturally suited and in which we evolved. Skogluft's mission is to bring a natural living environment back into your home and workplace.Based on years of research data on the impact between nature and people, gathered together by a Norwegian mechanical engineer, Jorn Viumdal, Skogluft reveals how installing a wall of easily available plants in your home environment can dramatically improve health, strengthen the immune system and increase productivity. The planTrade Review‘After the plants were installed, people now walk in here and say ‘Wow’ – we now have an extremely low employee absentee rare of less than 1%.’ – CEO Google Norway

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Book SynopsisPawpaws is an in-depth guide to growing and marketing North America's forgotten native fruit at small commercial orchard scale. Coverage includes selecting cultivars, orchard planning, propagating, organic growing, pest management, harvesting, marketing, and value-added products. Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Chapter 1: Foraging for Wild Pawpaws Chapter 2: Description of North American Pawpaw Fruit Chapter 3: Flowering and Pollination Chapter 4: Site Design and Planting Chapter 5: Choosing Your Trees Chapter 6: Maintaining the Orchard Chapter 7: Harvesting Pawpaw Fruit Chapter 8: Tree Propagation Chapter 9: Pests, Diseases, Disorders and Their Management Chapter 10: Pawpaw Fruit Marketing Strategies Chapter 11: Pawpaw CultivarsChapter 12: Troubleshooting, Cost Analysis, and CalendarChapter 13: ConclusionResources NotesIndex About the AuthorAbout New Society Publishers

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Book SynopsisOne of the world's first tree-top scientists, Meg Lowman is both a pioneer in her field - she invented one of the first treetop walkways - and a tireless advocate for the planet. In a voice as infectious in its enthusiasm as in its practical optimism, The Arbornaut chronicles her irresistible story. From climbing solo hundreds of feet into Australia's rainforests to measuring tree growth in the northeastern United States, from searching the redwoods of the Pacific coast for new life to studying leaf-eaters in Scotland's Highlands, from a bioblitz in Malaysia to conservation planning in India to collaborating with priests in Ethiopia's last forests, Lowman launches us into the life and work of a scientist and ecologist. She also offers hope, specific plans and recommendations for action; despite devastation across the world, we can still make an immediate and lasting impact against climate change.Trade ReviewThe Arbornaut captures the magic of that little-known world with its pioneering stories and clear, informative text. Readers everywhere will be fascinated and inspired to learn more about nature, and especially about how we need to conserve the world's forests. -- Jane GoodallThe Arbornaut is about a shy girl who loved to play outdoors and became a scientist who educated the world about the abundant life in the treetops. I loved it. -- Temple GrandinThe Arbornaut is, true to its name, an account of intrepid exploration at the upper reaches of terrestrial life, where branches and foliage touch the sky and all creatures awake to the first morning rays of the sun. -- Wade Davis, author of INTO THE SILENCEThis is the most exciting and innovative way of introducing science that I have seen in many years. Everyone will want to read this book. Meg Lowman is starting a whole new movement exploring the treetops! -- E. O. Wilson, author of HALF-EARTH: OUR PLANET'S FIGHT FOR LIFEA passionate look at the 'unexplored wonderland' of trees... Lowman shines in her ability to combine accessible science with exciting personal anecdotes that effectively convey the "thrill of aerial exploration" and bolster her case that trees - and sustainable ecosystems - are worth studying, protecting, and preserving. Nature lovers will find much to consider. * Publishers Weekly *Table of Contents1: from wildflower to wallflower: a girl naturalist in rural america 2: becoming a forest detective: first encounters with temperate trees from new england to scotland 3: one hundred feet in the air: finding a way to study leaves in the australian rain forests 4: who ate my leaves?: tracking-and discovering!-australian insects 5: dieback in the outback: juggling marriage and investigations of gum tree death in australia's sheep country 6: hitting the glass canopy: how strangler figs and tall poppies taught me to survive as a woman in science 7: arbornauts for a week: citizen scientists explore the amazon jungles 8: tiger tracks, tree leopards, and vedippala fruits: exporting my toolkit to train arbornauts in india 9: a treetop bioblitz: counting 1,659 species in malaysia's tropical forests in ten days 10: building trust between priests and arbornauts: saving the forests of ethiopia, one church at a time 11: classrooms in the sky-for everyone!: wheelchairs and water bears in the treetops 12: can we save our last, best forests?: promoting conservation through mission green

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Book SynopsisA perfect gift for the hikers, walkers, and tree lovers in your life, this illuminating manifesto on ancient forests reveals how they adapt to climate change by passing their wisdom through generations, and why our future lies in protecting them."Another love letter from Wohlleben to the green world… makes the case for how we should allow forests throughout the world to regrow and in the process help heal not only the climate but us, as well."—Lydia Millet, Oprah DailyIn his beloved book The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben revealed astonishing discoveries about the social networks of trees and how they communicate. Now, in The Power of Trees, he turns to their future, with a searing critique of forestry management, tree planting, and the exploitation of old growth forests.As human-caused climate change devastates the planet, forests play a critical role in keeping it habitable. While politicians and business leaders would have us believe that cutting down forests can be offset by mass tree planting, Wohlleben offers a warning: many tree planting campaigns lead to ecological disaster. Not only are these trees more susceptible to disease, flooding, fires, and landslides, we need to understand that forests are more than simply a collection of trees. Instead, they are ecosystems that consist of thousands of species, from animals to fungi and bacteria. The way to save trees, and ourselves? Step aside and let forests—which are naturally better equipped to face environmental challenges—heal themselves.With the warmth and wonder familiar to readers from his previous books, Wohlleben also shares emerging scientific research about how forests shape climates both locally and across continents; that trees adapt to changing environmental conditions through passing knowledge down to their offspring; and how old growth may in fact have the most survival strategies for climate change.At the heart of The Power of Trees lies Wohlleben's passionate plea: that our survival is dependent on trusting ancient forests, and allowing them to thrive.Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.Trade Review"Wise and thought-provoking."—The Observer"Wohlleben. . . offers a pointed critique of harmful forestry practices and urges humans to let trees heal themselves. . . [T]he insights into trees’ surprising abilities captivate. . . Nature lovers should take note."—Publishers Weekly"Insightful and valuable. . . Wohlleben is a wide-ranging and meticulous researcher as well as a careful observer. . . This is an essential book for any botanist, forester, student of the environment or politician."—The Winnipeg Free Press"If we don't learn to leave the trees alone, the trees will eventually be alone anyway—but without us. Wohlleben brilliantly and readably shows us how urgent and how hard it is to do nothing."—The Guardian"Another love letter from Wohlleben to the green world. . . [The Power of Trees] makes the case for how we should allow forests throughout the world to regrow and in the process help heal not only the climate but us, as well."—Lydia Millet, Oprah Daily"Forester and bestselling environmental writer Wohlleben (Forest Walking, 2022) draws largely on observations of his home territory in Germany in this thoughtful look at how trees learn and adapt. . . the forest is often the last recipient of humanity's benevolence. The author is in his element here as a gentle purveyor of knowledge that provides a new perspective on a crucially important topic. His many fans will be enthused, and new readers will appreciate entering Wohlleben's evocative world."—Booklist"In clear, vivid prose and with impeccable reasoning, Peter Wohlleben makes a compelling case that almost everything we do in modern forestry management may be dead wrong. What should we do instead? Let the wisdom of the trees quell our human arrogance, heal the forest, and restore our sweet, green world."—Sy Montgomery, author of How to Be A Good Creature"Trees, says Peter Wohlleben, have wisdom. So does he. In this magisterial take on how forests can save the planet from our worst endeavours, the German forester warns us against the hubris of tree planting. For their forest wisdom is greater than ours. Planting is usually bad, a 'giant PR operation.' Instead, he says, the world needs the quiet magic of natural forest restoration. We are, at best, stewards of the world's forests. We must stand back and let them grow."—Fred Pearce, author of A Trillion Trees: Restoring Our Forests by Trusting in Nature."The Power of Trees sends a powerful message that humankind will not survive unless we revolutionize the way we conserve and manage our planet's dwindling forests. Through eye-opening stories, Wohlleben underscores how trees and the biodiversity of the natural world present us with critically important solutions to the climate crisis. [It is an important wakeup call for individuals and large-scale forest managers alike!]"—Jeffrey Horowitz, founder of Avoided Deforestation Partners and founding trustee of the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation"Wohlleben continues to provide convincing and concrete research-based reasons why trees, and more specifically old growth forests, are critical to the health and survival of our planet and all that lives upon it. . . I would call this a must read for everyone!"—Cori Cusker, Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff"Peter Wohlleben is such a prolific author, you may look at The Power of Trees and wonder what he could possibly have left to say and move on. You'd be mistaken. . . A vital and important read for anyone who cares about our collective future on this planet."—Tom Beans, Dudley's Bookshop Cafe, Bend"An urgent and informative book that advocates for a new approach to managing forests that recognizes their complex nature as ecosystems rather than mere warehouses for wood. . . Wohlleben has faith that forests can rebound. He just hopes we'll still be around."—Suzanne Morgan, Politics & Prose, Washington"Wohlleben speaks to the importance of our ancient trees and forests. Rather than planting forests of new trees, he explains the huge benefits to be gained from stepping back and allowing the trees to do it themselves. Through his meticulous research and observation, he has discovered the extent to which ancient trees accumulate knowledge and pass it on the younger generations. If we can only trust them, and curb the desire to interfere, they have the power to heal our planet. Highly Recommended!"—Becky Doherty, Northshire Bookstore, Saratoga Springs"From the "tree whisperer" (my nickname for Peter Wohlleben) comes his latest reveal of what it means to be a tree and what it means to be humans who are dependent on trees for our well-being. . . Whether you've read his previous bestseller—The Hidden Life of Trees—or are just now discovering the wonders of his writing, you'll get a real education out of this new book. . . I really want you to read this!"—Linda Bond, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane"Wohlleben has taken off his gloves and has named the enemy: foresters, and associated players like government agencies, lumber companies, lobbyists, PLUS the heavy machinery that kills soil for centuries (think of still-visible Roman roads). . .Wohlleben has nailed the solution in just a few strokes. FABULOUS!!!"—Kay Wosewick, Boswell Book Company, MilwaukeePraise for The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter WohllebenA NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER"A declaration of love and an engrossing primer on trees, brimming with facts and an unashamed awe for nature."—Washington Post"Heavily dusted with the glitter of wonderment."—The New Yorker"This fascinating book will intrigue readers who love a walk through the woods."—Publishers Weekly"In this spirited exploration, [Wohlleben] guarantees that readers will never look at these life forms in quite the same way again."—Library Journal

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Book SynopsisBrilliant flowers, vines of every stripe, glorious gardens galore, and more—Beautiful Blooms just begs for you to dive in and add your own spin on this bounty of blooms. Offering a wide range of gorgeous designs and scenes for you to personalize, these 120-plus stunning templates are perfect for relaxing after a serious session of weeding—or let them inspire you during the coldest months of the year. Whether you have a green thumb—or you just wish you did—you can get your garden on and find your inner peace as you bring to life lush summer gardens and birds spreading their wings. Engage your mind and imagine a light spring breeze as you focus on the task at hand and color the intricate patterns, flowers and foliage, stamens and pistils, and all manner of garden visitors, from butterflies to bumblebees. Each piece of art is line drawn and ideal for colored

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Book SynopsisA photographic identification guide to 125 tree species most commonly seen in Sri Lanka, perfect for resident and visitor alike. Over 350 high quality photographs from Sri Lanka’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers geography and climate, the different habitats and tree structure.

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Book SynopsisIn this series of moving recollections involving both his childhood and his work as a mature artist, John Fowles explains the impact of nature on his life and the dangers inherent in our traditional urge to categorise, to tame and ultimately to possess the landscape. This acquisitive drive leads to alienation and an antagonism to the apparent disorder and randomness of the natural world. For John Fowles the tree is the best analogue of prose fiction, symbolising the wild side of our psyche, and he stresses the importance in art of the unpredictable, the unaccountable and the intuitive. This fascinating text gives a unique insight into the author and offers the key to a true understanding of the inspiration for his work.Trade ReviewA text of unusual beauty and perception * Publishers Weekly *Magnificent... Mystical * Daily Telegraph *Gritty and entertaining * Sunday Telegraph *Fowles' language is strong, green, discursive, related throughout to his own life and memories * Vogue *

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Book SynopsisCelebrate the weird, wacky, and wonderful world of plants with a book that revels in the diversity of the botanical world.Plants are truly awe-inspiring. They can be vast, minute, smelly, or spectacularly ugly. Some plants live on their own, or by growing off others; some live by air and water; others are carnivorous, eating the creatures around them; some plants look remarkably like animals; while others have unusual symbolism; and some have special cultural significance. This book explores them all, bringing together the most peculiar and most fascinating plants on the planet - celebrating them in all their diverse splendour.Split into five chapters, covering everything from poisonous plants to painkilling ones, Michael Perry explains exactly what makes each plant special. With exquisitely detailed illustrations of all the different species, this is an informative, humorous, and beautiful gift for all those who love plants - whether they want to grow them orTrade ReviewIt is just absolutely fabulous, and I'm sure it'll be on many people's Christmas lists. * BBC Radio Suffolk *

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Book SynopsisDiscover the secret to successfully growing trees in your garden.The UK''s leading gardening publisher brings you a horticultural handbook to fulfill your every need and seed! Get your gardening gloves on and join the green-fingered journey to growing trees successfully from the comfort of your own home and garden.Ideal for first-time gardeners, Grow Trees contains everything you need to bring stunning seasonal interest, structural elegance, and biodiversity to your garden. Learn how to plant and care for your trees with tips on selecting the right site, mulching, and pruning, and discover the perfect tree for your outdoor space with a handy directory including the best trees for small spaces, trees for a tropical look, and trees for maximum carbon capture.Part of the Grow low-price paperback gardening series by DK - the UK''s leading and highly regarded practical gardening publisher targeting first-time gardeners, Grow Trees proves the perfect

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Book SynopsisShrubs and vines are some of the most diverse and widespread plants in the Great Lakes Region. Michigan Shrubs and Vines is the must-have book for anyone who wishes to identify and learn about these fascinating plants. The book gives detailed descriptions of 132 species, providing concise information on key characters, habitat, distribution, and growth pattern.

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Book SynopsisThe yew is one of the most fascinating and versatile life forms on Earth, botanically rich and intriguing, and culturally almost without comparison. In history, mythology, religion, folklore, medicine and warfare, this tree bears timeless witness to a deep relationship with mankind. Yew was the wood chosen to make some of mankind''s oldest artefacts: spears, bows and musical instruments. These include items like the prehistoric spear found near Clacton, the 2,000-year-old wooden pipes from Greystones, County Wicklow and, of course, the famous medieval English longbow. In modern medicine, too, yew has proved a boon. Since 1992 taxol/paclitaxel has helped revolutionise the treatment of certain types of cancer. In botanical terms, yew is a mass of contradictions. It is a conifer which bears scarlet ''berries'' with sweet juicy pulp instead of cones. It is highly poisonous in all its parts except the red fruit pulp, and yet both wild and domesticated a

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Book Synopsis''A book of heart-stopping bravery and endurance'' -- Helen Macdonald''A great read incredible adventures and a dramatic new perspective'' -- Chris Packham''[A] delightful, endlessly fascinating book'' -- Daily Mail BOOK OF THE WEEKThis is the story of a professional British tree climber, cameraman and adventurer, who has made a career out of travelling the world, filming wildlife for the BBC and climbing trees with people like David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Helen Macdonald.James''s climbs take him to breathtaking locations as he scales the most incredible and majestic trees on the planet. On the way he meets native tribes, gets attacked by African bees, climbs alongside gorillas, chased by elephants, and spends his nights in a hammock pitched high in the branches with only the stars above him.This book blends incredible stories of scrapes and bruises in the branches with a new way of looking at liTrade ReviewA book of heart-stopping bravery and endurance, packed with astonishing—and sometimes gruesome—encounters with wild creatures. James Aldred is an old-school hero, and his thrilling recollections of a life of adventure driven by a love for trees will give you new reverence for the beauties and mysteries of the natural world. * Helen Macdonald *The giant trees, described by James Aldred, are full of wonder and his fascinating book is a story of real adventure * Peter Wohlleben, author of the international bestseller THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES *A great read – incredible adventures and a dramatic new perspective from the arms of the world’s giants * Chris Packham *Passionate and courageous, in his masterpiece of a memoir, James Aldred reminds us that the sweet green world around us is as alive as any creature--and trees are wondrous individuals with deep truths to tell. This is a book filled with beauty, suspense and revelation. I loved it! * Sy Montgomery, author of THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS *[A] delightful, endlessly fascinating book -- Brian Viner * Dail Mail BOOK OF THE WEEK *

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Book SynopsisSituated in a mid-Victorian moment of frenetic plant collecting from the far reaches of the British empire, Novel Cultivations recognises plants as vital and sentient subjects that serve - often more so than people - as actors and narrative engines in the nineteenth-century novel.

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Book SynopsisThroughout history flowers have been an integral part of human survival and culture – as food, for medicine, to express feelings, as symbols, to commemorate and celebrate, and to decorate. Their shapes, colors, scents and textures have always attracted us, as they do animals and insects. Flowers are used as luxury spices (saffron), and as coloring and flavoring agents – marigolds fed to chickens make eggs more yellow and lavender was Elizabeth I''s favorite flavor of jam. Flowers are full of symbolic meaning: violets represent modesty, daises purity and daffodils unrequited love. And they have always played an important role in culture through myths and legends, literature and the decorative arts. This delightful new book brings together 100 of the world''s flowers to tell their remarkable stories. Each flower is richly illustrated in color and accompanied by facts about each species and what role it has played in our culture and history.

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Book SynopsisJennifer Potter is the author of four novels and six works of non-fiction, most recently The Jamestown Brides, The Untold Story of England's 'maids for Virginia' (Atlantic, 2018). Other titles published by Atlantic include The Rose, A True History; Seven Flowers And How They Shaped Our World; and Strange Blooms, The Curious Lives and Adventures of the John Tradescants. A long-time reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement and an accredited Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Consultant Fellow, she currently runs writing workshops for students and staff at British universities and was recently appointed one of the first RLF Writing Fellows at the British Library.Trade ReviewThis literary delight will surely become compulsory reading for flower enthusiasts everywhere... Accompanied by magnificent colour plates and botanical etchings, this book is a voyage of discovery. A thoroughly rewarding read. * The Lady *Jennifer Potter is a wonderful writer on the history and culture of plants, plantsmen, and gardens... Any gardener, of the practical or armchair variety, will love this beautifully written survey. * Good Book Guide *Endlessly beguiling... Potter's range of reference is huge, from Dante to Ginsberg, from the flower-and-bird paintings of the Song dynasty to Manet and from early Christianity to Hindu creation myths... Every page yields up some delicious nuggets * Gardens Illustrated *Fascinating and highly readable * The Garden *Anyone who has ever planted a seed or loved a flower can appreciate the author's knowledge and devotion * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisOffering clear and comprehensive instructions for low-tech growing for a range of budgets, interests, and scales, this book offers practical inspiration and a sense that hey, I can do this! DANIELLE STEVENSON, owner, DIY FungiDIY Mushroom Cultivation is full of proven, reliable, low-cost techniques for home-scale cultivation that eliminate the need for a clean-air lab space to grow various mushrooms and their mycelium.Beautiful full-color photos and step-by-step instructions accompany a foundation of mushroom biology and ecology to support a holistic understanding of the practice. Growing techniques are applicable year-round, for any space from house to apartment, and for any climate, budget, or goal. Techniques include: Setting up a home growing space Inexpensive, simple DIY equipment Culture creation from mushroom tissue or spores Growing and using liquid cultures and grain spawn Growing mushrooms on waste streams Indoor fruiting Outdoor mushroom gardens and logs Harvesting, processing, tinctures, and cooking. Whether you hunt mushrooms or dream about growing and working with them but feel constrained by a small living space, DIY Mushroom Cultivation is the ideal guide for getting started in the fascinating and delicious world of fungiculture.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments IntroductionMushrooms and Humans: Past, Present, and Future A Bit about Me and My Approach to Mushroom Cultivation 1 Mushroom Basics What Are Mushrooms? Mushrooms in Ecosystems What Mushrooms Need to Survive and Thrive 2 Overview of the Cultivation Process Cultivation Flow Preparation 3 Workspaces, Tools, and Equipment Lab Infrastructure and Aseptic Transfer Spaces: Flow Hoods, Still Air Boxes, and More The Lab Environment and Tools Where to Inoculate Bulk Substrates Where to Incubate Growing Mycelium Fruiting Space: Factors to Consider Options for Home-Scale Fruiting Chambers Environmental Control in Fruiting Spaces Other Spaces 4 Sanitation and Techniques to Avoid Contamination Vectors of Contamination and Management Strategies Common Contaminants: Recognition and Management 5 Starting and Maintaining Cultures Get Cultured Liquid Culture Agar Culture Long-Term Culture Storage Methods 6 Making and Using Grain Spawn Making Grain Spawn Using Grain Spawn 7 Fruiting Substrate Formulation and Preparation Containers for Mycelial Growth and Fruiting The Substrates Substrate Treatments Sterilization Pasteurization and Alternatives 8 Outdoor Growing and Mushroom Gardening Growing Mushrooms on Logs and Stumps Mushroom Beds Next-Level Applications 9 Harvest, Processing, and Use When and How to Harvest Basic Cooking Techniques Preservation Methods Mushrooms and Mycelium for Medicine In Conclusion: Substrate for Thought—Toward Further Applications Mycopermaculture Mycoremediation on a Home Scale Mycoarts and Fungi as Functional Materials Community-Based Cultivation Efforts Appendix 1: Species Profiles Agrocybe aegerita— Pioppino Coprinus comatus—Shaggy Mane Cordyceps militaris—Caterpillar Fungus Flammulina velutipes and allies—Enoki Ganoderma lucidum and allies—Reishi Hericium species—Lion's Mane and allies Hypsizygus tessulatus—Shimeji H. ulmarius—Elm Oysters Lentinula edodes—Shiitake Pholiota nameko and allies—Nameko Pleurotus species—Oyster Mushrooms Stropharia rugoso-annulata—Wine Cap Trametes versicolor—Turkey Tail Appendix 2: Resources General Annual Mycology Gatherings Bibliography Index About the Author and Illustrator A note about the publisher

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Jacques Barzun Prize in Cultural History‘A masterful blend of natural and human history . . . Farmer’s Elderflora aren’t just amazing old organisms, but a backdrop against which human drama, hubris and decency play out.’ – New Scientist‘Fascinating’ – The ObserverCombining rigorous research with lyrical writing, Elderflora chronicles the complex roles ancient trees have played in the modern world and illuminates how we might need old trees now more than ever.Humans have always revered long-lived trees. But as historian Jared Farmer reveals in Elderflora, our respect took a modern turn in the eighteenth century when naturalists embarked on a quest to locate and precisely date the oldest living things on earth. The new science of tree time prompted travellers to visit ancient specimens and conservationists to protect sacred groves. ExploitationTrade ReviewJared Farmer brings both classic and state-of-the-art botany alive . . . he shows singular insight into how we do what we do – and perhaps more importantly – why we spend our lives studying trees. -- Hope Jahren, author of Lab GirlWhile it is true that the trees have no tongues, that doesn’t mean they don’t speak to us . . . Read Jared Farmer’s lucid and fascinating book to discover the . . . mysteries told by elderflora. -- Michael Mann, author of The New Climate WarSacred trees . . . are at the root of historian Jared Farmer’s magisterial study of arboreal longevity, but like the outstretched limbs of a luxuriant elm, his narrative extends over a broad range of social and scientific issues. -- Laurence A. Marschall * Natural History *The book succeeds as a cultural history of the conservation ideal that led society to forest preservation. -- David W. Stahle * Science *[An] expansive global history of grand and venerable trees. -- Josie Glausiusz * Nature *A sweeping, exceptional tribute to the oldest living organisms on Earth. -- Rebecca Coffey * Forbes *Short of actually having the honor of spending time in the presence of elderflora, I think Elderflora is the next best thing to provoke a sense of wonder. -- Dominic Boyer * The Berlin Journal *

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Book SynopsisWinner, A Friend of Darwin Award, 2024 A gorgeously composed look at the longstanding relationship between prehistoric plants and life on EarthFossils plants allow us to touch the lost worlds from billions of years of evolutionary backstory. Each petrified leaf and root show us that dinosaurs, saber-toothed cats, and even humans would not exist without the evolutionary efforts of their leafy counterparts. It has been the constant growth of plants that have allowed so many of our favorite, fascinating prehistoric creatures to evolve, oxygenating the atmosphere, coaxing animals onto land, and forming the forests that shaped our ancestors' anatomy. It is impossible to understand our history without them. Or, our future.Using the same scientifically-informed narrative technique that readers loved in the award-winning The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, in When the Earth Was Green, Riley Black brings readers back in time to prehistoric seas

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Book SynopsisOver 720,000 Kew Gardens books sold in 15 languages!The perfect gift for anyone who enjoys nature.

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Book SynopsisTie-in to the landmark 25-part BBC Radio 4 series with Kew Gardens.Trade ReviewAn aesthetic, historical and scientific journey through the flowering of botany as a science. This beautifully illustrated book, replete with botanical plates, scientific engravings and fine photographs, is nearly as much of a treat as a visit to the gardens * NEW SCIENTIST *A whistle-stop tour of the wonderful world of botany * DAILY TELEGRAPH *A must for anyone interested in living things and classification * THE SUNDAY TIMES *Vivid, immersive and fascinating * ENGLISH GARDEN *An accessible introduction, enriched by archive images * INDEPENDENT *Lavished with beautiful, never-before seen photographs and illustrations, this book offers something for everyone - drama, adventure, history, science and innovation. A must-read * BBC Country File *The fascinating history of some of the plants we take for granted * BBC Wildlife *Vivid, immersive and fascinating, this book takes the reader on a global voyage of discovery, travelling through time and tide to ?chart the incredible stories behind myriad plants * English Garden *A fascinating portrait * Sunday Times *Lively, thought-provoking and scholarly * Garden Design *This book will stimulate all who love plants, both amateurs and professionals * Historic Garden's Review *Well illustrated and timely, this Kew-centric account places the scientific work of the institution firmly within its historical context * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisPrepare to dive to the depths of the sea with 100-foot-long giant squid, travel through space after the meteorites shooting into our atmosphere and join a dangerous expedition to Antarctica to find the Emperor Penguin egg. Discover fleas dressed by nuns, a defeated prince hiding from his enemies in an oak tree and the plant whose legendary screams could drive you mad . . .Accompanying Radio 4''s acclaimed six-month series with the Natural History Museum, Natural Histories tells the riveting stories of how our relationships with twenty-five unexpected creatures have permanently changed the way we see the world. Packed full of fascinating science, history and folklore, this beautiful book brings you face to face with nature, in all its wonder, complexity and invention.Fresh from winning the Thomson Reuters prize for Tweet of the Day, Brett Westwood and Stephen Moss have written another imaginative and inspiring book. Each chapter explores a differentTrade ReviewEntertaining and often beguiling . . . The lively writing, enlightening anecdotes and frequent bursts of humour make this the ideal source of conversation topics if you run out of things to say while visiting the relatives * BBC Focus Magazine, Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisThomas Pakenham''s beautifully illustrated, bestselling book of tree portraits.With this astonishing collection, Thomas Pakenham produced a new kind of tree book. The arrangement owes little to conventional botany. The sixty trees are grouped according to their own strong personalities: Natives, Travellers, Shrines, Fantasies and Survivors. From the ancient native trees, many of which are huge and immeasurably old, to the exotic newcomers from Europe, the East and North America, MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE TREES captures the history and beauty of these entrancing living structures. Common to all these trees is their power to inspire awe and wonder. This is a lovingly researched book, beautifully illustrated with colour photographs, engravings and maps - a moving testimonial to the Earth`s largest and oldest living structures.

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Book Synopsis'One of our greatest nature writers' GuardianFor over fifty years, Richard Mabey has been a pioneering voice in modern nature writing. This book collects pieces across his rich career, tracing his continually evolving ideas as much as the profound changes in our environment. From the rediscovery of food foraging in the 1970s, to reflections on the musicality of birdsong, these essays show Mabey's passionate belief that our planet is a commonwealth for all species, and that our reconnection with the living world is more vital than ever.'Richard Mabey is among the best writers at work in Britain' Tim Dee'Poised where nature meets culture, [Mabey] is knowledgeable, politically savvy and wry, and an excellent naturalist' New StatesmanTrade ReviewRichard Mabey is among the best writers at work in Britain. I don't mean among the best nature writers, I mean the best writers, full stop. I would read anything he wrote, but if such a thing as nature writing exists and flourishes today it is thanks almost entirely to him. I have lived by his books for all of my life. Pretty much all of what nature means to me, I know thanks to his own lifelong clear-eyed but loving investigation of what it means to him. He has allowed us all to think about modern nature – our world - but also, crucially, to feel it too. I cannot imagine a truer green man. * Tim Dee *One figure, like no other, looms large in setting the ground for the contemporary form that has come to be called then New Nature Writing. Richard Mabey is an author whose work has consistently pioneered new ways of thinking about landscape, nature, place, culture and the range of interconnections that all of these share. Often this has meant reminding us of old ways of thinking about these things but he has always had a sharp eye for the new meanings our modern context provokes. * Jos Smith *One of our most influential writers on the natural world * Gardens Illustrated *A valuable contribution to a great cause -- John Jolliffe * Spectator *Poised where nature meets culture, he [Richard Mabey] is knowledgeable, politically savvy and wry, and an excellent naturalist -- Kathleen Jamie * New Statesman, *Books of the Year* *

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Book SynopsisThe organic grower's guide to planting, propagation, culture, and ecology Trees are our allies in healing the world. Partnering with trees allows us to build soil, enhance biodiversity, increase wildlife populations, grow food and medicine, and pull carbon out of the atmosphere, sequestering it in the soil. Trees of Power explains how we can work with these arboreal allies, specifically focusing on propagation, planting, and individual species. Author Akiva Silver is an enthusiastic tree grower with years of experience running his own commercial nursery. In this book he clearly explains the most important concepts necessary for success with perennial woody plants. It’s broken down into two parts: the first covering concepts and horticultural skills and the second with in-depth information on individual species. You’ll learn different ways to propagate trees: by seed, grafting, layering, or with cuttings. These time-honored techniques make it easy for anyone to increase their stock of trees, simply and inexpensively. Ten chapters focus on the specific ecology, culture, and uses of different trees, ones that are common to North America and in other temperate parts of the world: Chestnut: The Bread Tree Apples: The Magnetic Center Poplar: The Homemaker Ash: Maker of Wood Mulberry: The Giving Tree Elderberry: The Caretaker Hickory: Pillars of Life Hazelnut: The Provider Black Locust: The Restoration Tree Beech: The Root Runner Trees of Power fills an urgent need for up-to-date information on some of our most important tree species, those that have multiple benefits for humans, animals, and nature. It also provides inspiration for new generations of tree stewards and caretakers who will not only benefit themselves, but leave a lasting legacy for future generations. Trees of Power is for everyone who wants to connect with trees. It is for the survivalist, the gardener, the homesteader, the forager, the permaculturist, the environmentalist, the parent, the schoolteacher, the farmer, and anyone who feels a deep kinship with these magnificent beings.Trade Review“More than just a how-to book, Trees of Power offers a glimpse into an inspired way of working from someone who has found his calling. Whether you want inspiration or information, this handbook is a simple and profound gem about being a force for positive change. Akiva uses trees as his medium, but the lessons here are timeless and translate into any other context.”—Ben Falk, author of The Resilient Farm and Homestead“In these times of discouraging news, it is heartening when a book like Trees of Power comes to the fore. Informative, inspirational, and practical, this timeless work will draw the reader in wonder into the selflessly giving world of ten significant tree allies. Inside you’ll find not only information about the trees, but instructions on how to collect and store seed and propagate trees through techniques such as grafting and cuttings. All for the purpose (to paraphrase the author) of inspiring us to follow our inspirations, not our fears. Not to hope for change, but to create change!”—Mark Shepard, author of Restoration Agriculture“Trees of Power turned out to be so much more than I expected. The chapters on growing and propagating trees will be of great use to both amateurs and professionals wanting to grow woody plants, written as they are by a commercial nursery owner who really knows his stuff. The ten chapters that cover some of the most useful trees to grow glow with Silver’s enthusiasm and knowledge.”—Martin Crawford, founder, Agroforestry Research Trust“The underlying message of this book is crystal clear: Anyone can grow their own trees. Akiva Silver’s writing is refreshingly straightforward and full of encouragement, offering readers a humble vision of connecting our lives more closely with trees. Emphasizing keen observation, a love for the local landscape, and a toolkit of simple propagation and planting skills, Akiva gives readers little to do after reading this book but get on with planting!”—Steve Gabriel, author of Silvopasture“Trees of Power is an intensely practical book that doesn’t read like a textbook. It is a passionate testament to Akiva Silver’s arboreal friends and a joyous celebration of how he works with nature’s terrestrial giants to earn a living. Akiva assumes little existing knowledge. He offers tips to improve your tree identification skills and covers the full range of tree cultivation techniques. There is plenty in here for the experienced orchardist. However, even if you have no intention of rolling up your sleeves and joining him in the orchard but simply love trees, this book is for you, too.”—Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture, Soil Association“From shoots to nuts, Akiva Silver provides helpful details on every aspect of each of the trees in the book. The lyrical writing makes me, after forty years in California, miss the deciduous forests of Missouri. I hope there will be a sequel, one that covers even more than ten arboreal allies.”—Robert Kourik, author of Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally“Certainly treeculture could have been a word in its own right. Trees are sentient beings charged with regulating the breath of this living planet. Contemplating the ten important species spotlighted in Trees of Power has me excited to keep on planting. Here are trees worthy of every regenerative landscape. Trees that provide us with food, nutrient cycling, fungal havens, and diverse ecosystems that support yet even more life. In the classic Tree Crops, J. Russell Smith spoke about how farming should fit the land, how crop-yielding trees can fill in all those nooks on challenging terrain. Akiva Silver’s insights into the essentials of arboreal care provide the how-to guide to successfully establish those tree friends. Take to heart his tree wisdom, and make your special place complete.”—Michael Phillips, author of The Holistic Orchard and Mycorrhizal Planet

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Book Synopsis“The best recent all-around lavender book with something for gardeners, crafters, and cooks alike.” —Library Journal Lavender is beloved for its and culinary and medicinal uses. In The Lavender Lover's Handbook, Sarah Berringer Bader provides a complete overview of the 100 most colorful, fragrant, and stunning varieties. You will discover expert tips on spacing, planting, pruning, and care and maintenance. Additional information includes tips on how to harvest, cook with, and preserve the plant, along with step-by-step crafts and project that use lavender in beautiful and soothing ways.

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Book Synopsis“Demystifies these popular low-water beauties.” —Country Gardens Magazine Whether you’re a novice or veteran, have an acre to fill or a just few pots, or live in Calexico or Canada, Succulents Simplified is a dazzling primer for success with succulents! Debra Lee Baldwin, the Queen of Succulents, profiles the 100 top plant picks and includes basic information on how to grow and care for succulents no matter where you live. Step-by-step projects, including a cake-stand centerpiece, special-occasion bouquets, a vertical garden, and a succulent topiary sphere, will inspire you to express your individual style.

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Book SynopsisWith the surging interest in foraging for mushrooms, those new to the art need a reliable guide to distinguishing the safe fungi from the toxic. But for beginner foragers who just want to answer the question “Can I eat it?”, most of the books on the subject are dry, dense, and written by mycologists for other mycologists. Frank Hyman to the rescue! How to Forage for Mushrooms without Dying is the book for anyone who walks in the woods and would like to learn how to identify just the 29 edible mushrooms they’re likely to come across. In it, Hyman offers his expert mushroom foraging advice, distilling down the most important information for the reader in colorful, folksy language that’s easy to remember when in the field. Want an easy way to determine if a mushroom is a delicious morel or a toxic false morel? Slice it in half – “if it’s hollow, you can swallow,” Hyman says. With Frank Hyman’s expert advice and easy-to-follow guidelines, readers will be confident in identifying which mushrooms they can safely eat and which ones they should definitely avoid.

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Book Synopsis“With our hearts and minds focused on the stewardship of the only planet we have, the best way to engage in a hopeful future is to plant oaks! Let this book be your inspiration and guide.” —The American Gardener With Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy changed the conversation about gardening in America. His second book, the New York Times bestseller Nature’s Best Hope, urged homeowners to take conservation into their own hands. Now, he turns his advocacy to one of the most important species of the plant kingdom—the mighty oak tree. Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.

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Book SynopsisYour city is full of wild food, you just need to know where to find it. Take a stroll to discover the ingredients for a wild apple tarte tatin. Turn the lilac bush found in a vacant lot into a delicious, delicately flavored jelly for your morning pastry. Discover a new way to feast on fresh food. Urban Foraging is a stylish, scrumptious guide to wildcrafting in the city. You’ll learn how to find, identify, harvest, and cook with 50 common wild plants, such as chickweed, dandelion, echinacea, honeysuckle, red clover, and pine. Expert forager Lisa M. Rose shares all the basics necessary for a successful harvest: clear photos that aid identification, tips for ethical and safe gathering, details on culinary uses, and simple recipes will help you make truly fresh, nutritious meals.

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Book SynopsisPlan your landscape or garden with more than 100 native plants that benefit Northeastern birds, bees, and butterflies. The presence of birds, bees, and butterflies suggests a healthy, earth-friendly place. These most welcome guests also bring joy to those who appreciate watching them. Now, you can turn your yard into a perfect habitat that attracts them and, more importantly, helps them thrive. Acclaimed author and expert entomologist Jaret C. Daniels provides all the information you need in this must-have guide for Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Learn how to landscape and create pollinator gardens with native plants. The book begins with an in-depth introduction to native pollinators and to birds. It’s followed by a “field guide” section to more than 100 native plants that are widely available to utilize, are easy to care for, and provide great benefit to birds, bees, and butterflies. The species are organized by level of sunlight needed and then by plant types. Each species includes full-color photographs and information about hardiness zones, what they are most likely to attract, soil requirements, light levels, and Jaret’s notes. As an added bonus, you’ll make use of blooming charts, tips on attracting specific species, and more! Plus, the invaluable garden plans and projects show you just what to do and can be customized to suit your own specific interests. Plan, plant, and grow your beautiful garden, with native plants that benefit your favorite creatures to watch and enjoy.Table of ContentsIntroduction Hardiness Map Inventorying Your Yard When to Plant Eliminating Existing Weeds Plant Selection Plant Placement Plant Diversity Quick Plant Reference Chart Blooming Chart by Month Trees & Shrubs Guide Garden Plans Creating Nesting Sites for Birds Creating Nesting Sites for Insects/Bees Caterpillar/Butterfly Host Chart Best Plants for Butterflies, Bees, and Birds About the Author

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Book SynopsisLearn to identify Missouri trees with this handy field guide, organized by leaf type and attachment. With this famous field guide by award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make tree identification simple, informative, and productive. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of trees that don’t grow in Missouri. Learn about 119 species found in the state, organized by leaf type and attachment. Just look at a tree’s leaves, then go to the correct section to learn what it is. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that you want to know, while full-page photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate identification. Book Features 119 species: Every native tree plus common non-natives Easy to use: Thumb tabs show leaf type and attachment Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images This new edition includes updated photographs; expanded information; a Quick Compare section for leaves, needles, and silhouettes; and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab Trees of Missouri Field Guide for your next outing—to help ensure that you positively identify the trees that you see.Table of ContentsIntroduction Sample Page The Trees Single Needles Clustered Needles Scaly Needles Simple, Oppositely Attached Leaves Simple, Alternately Attached Leaves Lobed, Oppositely Attached Leaves Lobed, Alternately Attached Leaves Compound, Oppositely Attached Leaves Compound, Alternately Attached Leaves Twice Compound, Alternately Attached Leaves Palmate Compound, Oppositely Attached Leaves Glossary Checklist/Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisLearn to identify Illinois trees with this handy field guide, organized by leaf type and attachment. With this famous field guide by award-winning author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make tree identification simple, informative, and productive. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of trees that don’t grow in Illinois. Learn about 124 species found in the state (every native tree plus common non-natives), organized by leaf type and attachment. Just look at a tree’s leaves, then go to the correct section to learn what it is. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that you want to know, while full-page photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate identification. Book Features 124 species: Every native tree plus common non-natives Easy to use: Thumb tabs show leaf type and attachment Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes Stan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images This new edition includes updated photographs; expanded information; a Quick Compare section for leaves, needles, and silhouettes; and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab the Trees of Illinois Field Guide for your next outing—to help ensure that you positively identify the trees that you see.Table of ContentsIntroduction Silhouette Quick Compares Needle and Leaf Quick Compares Sample Page The Trees Single needles Clustered needles Scaly needles Simple, oppositely attached leaves Simple, alternately attached leaves Lobed, oppositely attached leaves Lobed, alternately attached leaves Compound, oppositely attached leaves Compound, alternately attached leaves Twice compound, alternately attached leaves Palmate compound, oppositely attached leaves Glossary Checklist/Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisA captivating cultural and scientific history of orchards, for readers of Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire and Mark Kurlansky’s Salt. Throughout history, orchards have nourished both body and soul: they are sites for worship and rest, inspiration for artists and writers, and places for people to gather. In Taming Fruit, award-winning writer Bernd Brunner interweaves evocative illustrations with masterful prose to show that the story of orchards is a story of how we have shaped nature to our desires for millennia. As Brunner tells it, the first orchards may have been oases dotted with date trees, where desert nomads stopped to rest. In the Amazon, Indigenous people maintained mosaic gardens centuries before colonization. Modern fruit cultivation developed over thousands of years in the East and the West. As populations expanded, fruit trees sprang from the lush gardens of the wealthy and monasteries to fields and roadsides, changing landscapes as they fed the hungry. But orchards don’t just produce fruit; they also inspire great artists. Taming Fruit shares paintings, photographs, and illustrations alongside Brunner's enchanting descriptions and research, offering a multifaceted-—and long-awaited—portrait of the orchard.Trade ReviewNamed a Best Gardening Book of the Year by The Spectator “Visualize exploring an Edenic garden, picking cherries from one tree, apples from another, oranges from a third. Nature writer Brunner has created an art-filled book that evokes such luxuriance, satisfying to both the mind and the senses...readers of this handsome volume are sure to find themselves better and more thoughtful.” —Natural History Magazine “[A] fact-packed treatise … Brunner moves chronologically from wild origins and godly gardens to present-day industrial farms, where economic and consumer demands have reduced fruit varieties and flavors while expanding size and shelf life. Along the way, he disperses plenty of cultivation and cultural knowledge.” —Publishers Weekly “An exploration that’s both captivating and scientific.” —Modern Farmer “From the earliest days of man, trees bearing fruit have provided sustenance, wonder, and artistic inspiration. With beautiful illustrations and well-written prose, Brunner takes us on the journey of how some of our most beloved fruits and the trees that bear them came to be and the vital roles they play in our lives.” —The Real Dirt “An enchanting journey through the world of orchards and botanical curiosities. We learn, among other things, about medieval orchards, picking cherries and apples, pomegranates and quinces … sheep and orchard undergrowth. Beautifully illustrated and written with infectious and cultured enthusiasm, anyone who is even a tentative gardener will cherish this lovely book.” —Brian Fagan, author of The Little Ice Age and The Intimate Bond “An exquisitely beautiful and fascinating book.” —Caroline Eden, award-winning travel and food writer, author of Red Sands “Fruit was there at the beginning of the human story, Bernd Brunner argues in this crisply written and lushly illustrated book, and it’s been with us ever since—in birth and death, peace and war, art and myth, science and religion. Taming Fruit left me with the lingering urge to visit the grocery store and gaze at all of the fruits, stranger and more wonderful than I'd ever noticed.” —Zach St. George, author of The Journeys of Trees “Taming Fruit is packed full of fascinating historical, botanical, and cultural information. The gorgeous images are transporting. Reading the book is like visiting the most enchanted orchards around the world. A true delight!” —Gina Rae La Cerva, author of Feasting Wild: In Search of the Last Untamed Food “This rich combination of glorious illustrations with cultural history, botany, anthropology and personal anecdote will enthral and delight anyone curious about the origins of orchards and the fruit they bear.” —Helena Attlee, author of The Land Where Lemons Grow and Lev's Violin “A compelling story, interspersed generously with beautiful garden-inspired art.” —The Victoria Times Colonist “From American cider orchards to Mediterranean citrus groves, this beautifully illustrated book is an enticing insight into the world of fruit trees. Brunner's eloquent and engaging account reminds us that the magic of the orchard extends far beyond its fruit.” —Leif Bersweden, author of The Orchid Hunter: A Young Botanist's Search for Happiness A beautifully illustrated journey through different lands and time, Bernd Brunner’s TAMING FRUIT enlightens us on the deep and winding history of how humans have used fruits, and capitalized upon their sweetness and delight for our palates!” —Nezka Pfeifer, Museum Curator, Stephen and Sachs Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden “Taming Fruit's fascinating tales, paired with gorgeous historical art, are potent lessons in cultivation that we can imitate today— for sustainability, freshness, and the joy of eating one's own peach or olive.” —Erica Gies, environmental journalist “Amidst all the doom and gloom about the destruction of nature, a beam of light: Bernd Brunner’s fantastic book opens our eyes for the orchard as a way of life in which nature and culture co-exist. I’m now dreaming of the world as one gigantic orchard, teeming with life.” —Christian Schwägerl, journalist biologist and author of The Anthropocene “A poetic insight into the deep history of the fruits of our earth, how we have shaped them, and how they have shaped us.” —Andri Snær Magnason, author of Time and Water

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Book SynopsisFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Hidden Life of Trees A powerful return to the forest, where trees have heartbeats and roots are like brains that extend underground. Where the color green calms us, and the forest sharpens our senses. In The Heartbeat of Trees, renowned forester Peter Wohlleben draws on new scientific discoveries to show how humans are deeply connected to the natural world. In an era of cell phone addiction, climate change, and urban life, many of us fear we've lost our connection to nature-but Peter Wohlleben is convinced that age-old ties linking humans to the forest remain alive and intact. Drawing on science and cutting-edge research, The Heartbeat of Trees reveals the profound interactions humans can have with nature, exploring: the language of the forest the consciousness of plants and the eroding boundary between flora and fauna. A perfect book to take with you into the woods, The Heartbeat of Trees shares how to see, feel, smell, hear, and even taste the forest. Peter Wohlleben, renowned for his ability to write about trees in an engaging and moving way, reveals a wondrous cosmos where humans are a part of nature, and where conservation and environmental activism is not just about saving trees-it's about saving ourselves, too. Praise for The Heartbeat of Trees "As human beings, we're desperate to feel that we're not alone in the universe. And yet we are surrounded by an ongoing conversation that we can sense if, as Peter Wohlleben so movingly prescribes, we listen to the heartbeat of all life." -Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling and Last Child in the Woods "Astonishment after astonishment-that is the great gift of The Heartbeat of Trees. It is both a celebration of the wonders of trees, and a howl of outrage at how recklessly we profane them." -Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Earth's Wild Music "As Peter Wohlleben reminds us in The Heartbeat of Trees, trees are the vocabulary of nature as forests are the brainbank of a living planet. This was the codex of the ancient world, and it must be the fine focus of our future." -Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger, author of To Speak for the Trees and The Global Forest "Peter Wohlleben knows the battle that lies before us: forging a closer relationship with nature before we destroy it. In The Heartbeat of Trees he takes us deep into the global forest to show us how."-Jim Robbins, author of The Man Who Planted Trees Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.Trade Review"As Peter Wohlleben reminds us in The Heartbeat of Trees, trees are the vocabulary of nature as forests are the brainbank of a living planet. This was the codex of the ancient world, and it must be the fine focus of our future." - Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger, author of To Speak for the Trees and The Global Forest "Astonishment after astonishment-that is the great gift of The Heartbeat of Trees. It is both a celebration of the wonders of trees, and a howl of outrage at how recklessly we profane them." -Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Earth's Wild Music "Human beings are desperate to not feel alone in the universe. We are not. We are surrounded by an ongoing conversation that we can sense, if, as Peter Wohlleben so movingly prescribes, we listen to the heartbeat of all life." -Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling and Last Child in the Woods "Peter Wohlleben knows the battle that lies before us: forging a closer relationship with nature before we destroy it. In The Heartbeat of Trees he takes us deep into the global forest to show us how." -Jim Robbins, author of The Man Who Planted Trees

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Book SynopsisNamaqualand is justifiably famous for the floral wonderland it becomes in spring, when seas of bright flowers carpet the land. Astonishingly, the carpet comprises some 3,800 species, of which 28% are endemic. This book introduces nearly 600 species, highlighting those most commonly found, most conspicuous, spectacular or interesting, as well as endemics. An introduction touches on the species selection for the book, the climatic and topographical subregions within Namaqualand, plant names and uses, and conservation issues. The concise species descriptions also give seed and fruit details, uses, local growing conditions and flowering times, along with beautiful full-colour photographs. This is a must-have guide for visitors to Namaqualand, or for anyone interested in the wild flowers of southern Africa.

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Book SynopsisA celebration of the rich diversity and beauty of indigenous trees, The Ways and Wonders of South African Trees uncovers the fascinating world of trees and how they function.

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Book SynopsisThe reputation of the oak is based not on superlatives but on personality. In human terms, it is not a celebrity, but a reliable citizen. Its enduring legacy is evident in place- and surnames, in landmarks and buildings and as a sturdy staple of engineering material. More than any other tree, the oak has been a symbol of strength and durability. Venerated in pagan societies, elements of its worship were absorbed by other religions: Celtic mythology, for example, where it is believed to be a gateway between worlds; or Norse, where it is sacred to Thor, god of thunder, as the tree most often struck by lightning. The oak has been adopted by many countries as a national symbol, particularly in western Europe and the United States. Several individual oaks are of great historical importance, such as the Royal Oak within which King Charles II of England hid to escape the Roundheads, and the Charter Oak in Hartford, Connecticut, which became a symbol of American independence. In Oak, Peter Young illuminates and examines this magnificent and ubiquitous tree, tracing its biological history in its many manifestations, natural and cultural. Much-loved internationally, the oak is to be found in works of art, folk-tales, poems and songs. Oak narrates the biography of the tree that since time immemorial has been a symbol of loyalty and strength, generosity and renewal.

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Book SynopsisReaktion's new 'Botanical' series is the first of its kind, integrating horticultural and botanical writing with a broader account of the cultural and social impact of plants. In that sense, the South African geranium (the enduring, if confusing, common name for the genus Pelargonium) is perhaps the perfect plant to inaugurate the series. The story of the geranium's inexorable rise encompasses many other historical narratives: from plant hunting to commercial cultivation; from the role of plants in alternative medicine and the philanthropic imagination to changing styles in horticultural fashion. Geraniums were first collected by seventeenth-century Dutch plant hunters on the sandy flats near present-day Cape Town, and before long wealthy collectors and enterprising nurserymen were competing for this latest rarity to grace their hothouses. But the geranium was not destined to be a fashionable exotic for long: scarlet hybrids were soon to be found on every cottage windowsill and in every park bedding display, and the horticultural backlash began. Today geraniums can be found throughout the world, their widespread use in food and perfume manufacture as well as floral display exemplifying the global industrialization of plant production. In Geranium, Kasia Boddy details how the cheerful and amenable geranium remains a plant that many love and others love to hate, but above all it is a flower that is seldom ignored. Featuring numerous fine illustrations, Geranium explores the ever-changing image of the plant as portrayed in painting, literature, film and popular culture worldwide.

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