A new book explores the saviour of Thor and protector of cattle.
Tag - plants-and-people
Nigel Chaffey
Curious about plants? Let’s have a word (or two… hundred and fifty)
If you've ever wondered what Orchidelirium is, then this might be the book for you.
100 plants that make the world
The History of the World in 100 Plants by Simon Barnes, 2022. Simon & Schuster UK. This is an appraisal of The History of the World in 100 Plants [hereafter referred to as 100 Plants] by Simon Barnes, a book which...
Botany – but not just for gardeners!
Nigel Chaffey takes a deep dive in Scott Zona's new book that explains to gardeners what it is that their plants are doing.
More plant secrets (please share)!
Nigel Chaffey examines a book that aims to plant the seed of botanical curiosity to see if it bears fruit.
The Tree Book, a book about trees (and people)
Should any trees reincarnated as The Tree Book be pleased or offended?
Plant science, the secret’s out!
The Science of Plants: Inside their secret world by Dorling Kindersley, 2022. Dorling Kindersley, published in association with Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. I had a great sense of déjà vu (Stephanie Pappas) when looking...
The seed sleuth, forensic botany goes veggie
The Seed Detective: Uncovering the secret histories of remarkable vegetables by Adam Alexander, 2022. Chelsea Green Publishing UK. What do you think of when seed banks are mentioned? Perhaps Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank...
An extraordinary book about trees (and people)
Nigel Chaffey reviews a book about Trees, but is there agreement about what a Tree is?
Revealed, the hidden kingdom of fungi
Author Keith Seifert is a charming guide as he introduces us to a fungal world many of us are largely unaware of.
Crime Scene Botanics, the forensic side of botany
Planting Clues should not only appeal to the general reader, but will also serve well as a textbook for an undergraduate course on forensic botany.
For fans of fungi – The magic of mushrooms
You can listen to an abridged version of this page as an audio file. The Magic of Mushrooms: Fungi in folklore, superstition and traditional medicine, Sandra Lawrence, 2022. Welbeck, in partnership with RBG Kew. How...
Greening the next generation
The Green Planet by Leisa Stewart–Sharpe and Kim Smith, 2022. Puffin Books (an imprint of the Penguin Random House group of companies). Not so long ago I appraised The Green Planet by Simon Barnes. Although I had...
Plants – and plant products – promoting global trade
You can listen to this page as an audio file. Spices, Scents and Silk: Catalysts of world trade, James F Hancock, 2021. CABI. I first encountered James Hancock’s work at the World History Encyclopedia site (e.g. his...
