Description
Book Synopsis''Mountain flowers are the most romantic in our flora, exquisite, enigmatic and, often, remote from human habitation. Michael Scott has not only seen them all but has roamed every part of the hill scenery of Britain and brings to his subject passion, learning and hands-on experience. This is field botany at its best, engrossing, exciting and full of wonder.''- Peter MarrenBritain's mountains and exposed sub-arctic regions of the far north are home to a remarkable range of specialist flowers, shrubs and ferns that are able to thrive on our islands thanks to a combination of conditions seldom found in mainland Europe. The peculiarities of their occurrence here, at unusually low altitudes for typically alpine species and uncommonly far south for arctic species, make their ecology especially intriguing. In this invigorating journey from the Lizard of Cornwall to Unst in Shetland, Michael Scott examines Britain's richest upland sites, bringing an important 21st-century perspec
Trade ReviewSuperbly written and readable ... I highly recommend this book! -- Su Gough * BTO book reviews *
Wonderfully conveys the feeling that looking for alpine plants is one of the most exciting of all the forays we can make into exploring Britain's wild plants. -- Noel Kingsbury * Gardens Illustrated *
Mountain Flowers is a superb introduction to these elusive but tenacious plants. * Gardens Illustrated *
A great guide for the hill walker but also a great read for the armchair traveller. * Gardens Illustrated *
In this richly illustrated and engaging account, botanist and conservationist Michael Scott travels from Cornwall to Shetland, sharing a lifetime of knowledge of Arctic-alpine plants along the way. * BBC Wildlife *
This beautifully produced book left me wanting to climb to the high places to admire these pioneering species. * BBC Wildlife *
Table of ContentsPreface 1 Introduction: the allure of mountain flowers 2 What are mountain flowers? 3 Origins and survival of our mountain flora 4 Zones of life 5 Southern outliers 6 The mountain heart of Wales 7 Peaks and dales 8 Upper Teesdale and the north Pennines 9 The Lake District and Northumberland 10 The Southern Uplands 11 The Glens of Angus and Aberdeenshire 12 Hills of the southern Highlands 13 The Breadalbane hills 14 The Cairngorms and north-east Highlands 15 The western Highlands and islands 16 Hills of the far north 17 The arctic fringe 18 Mountain conundrums 19 Looking to the future
