
The Secrets Of Great Botanists
And what they teach us about gardening
Matthew Biggs(Author)
Exisle Publishing
Published on 1. October 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-1-923011-03-8 (ISBN)
Description
Botanists have been the trailblazers in discovering how plants work to benefit our species, collecting many of the plant-species we find in our gardens today from all around the world. This informative and beautiful guide presents the stories and reveals the secrets of 35 of these botanists, plant collectors and gardening pioneers of the past and present.
This includes Joseph Banks, Asa Gray and Marianne North, highlighting the qualities that brought them success. Every botanist included in The Secrets of Great Botanists was, or is, passionate about their particular specialty. Whether they were searching for plants in wild places, prescribing herbal medicines or forming new structures of plant classification, they were driven by an insatiable desire to learn and discover, so that we, as humans, might benefit from improved crops, medicines or gardens.
Through the vibrancy of botanical photographs and beautifully illustrated period botanical watercolors, this book aims to teach readers about the observations, ideas, secrets and discoveries of these ground-breaking botanists. Their influence on gardening and the wider world will provide inspiration and practical guidance for budding gardeners of all levels and inspire readers to try these plants and tips at home.
This includes Joseph Banks, Asa Gray and Marianne North, highlighting the qualities that brought them success. Every botanist included in The Secrets of Great Botanists was, or is, passionate about their particular specialty. Whether they were searching for plants in wild places, prescribing herbal medicines or forming new structures of plant classification, they were driven by an insatiable desire to learn and discover, so that we, as humans, might benefit from improved crops, medicines or gardens.
Through the vibrancy of botanical photographs and beautifully illustrated period botanical watercolors, this book aims to teach readers about the observations, ideas, secrets and discoveries of these ground-breaking botanists. Their influence on gardening and the wider world will provide inspiration and practical guidance for budding gardeners of all levels and inspire readers to try these plants and tips at home.
Reviews / Votes
"Every time I open the book, Isee a page that just invites me in."
Bob Tanem In The Garden with Edie
Tanem, KSFO, Cumulus Radio Station Group "Those people who love a beautifully illustrated book which is informative, interesting and a joy to browse will not be disappointed." Blue Wolf "Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photography and museum quality artwork, "The Secrets of Great Botanists: And What They Teach Us About Gardening" is informatively enhanced for the reader's benefit with the inclusion of a two page Bibliography and a four page Index. Informed, informative, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "The Secrets of Great Botanists: And What They Teach Us About Gardening" is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Gardening instructional reference collections." 9781923011038 "Organised chronologically, each botanist is profiled with their life story, specialty, discoveries and secrets, providing inspiration and practical guidance to gardeners of all levels." Gardening Australia "It's both an inspiration and a guide to how we can use [great botanists'] knowledge in our gardens today." Better Homes and Gardens Australia "This stunningly illustrated book would make a lovely gift for a garden lover." Grass Roots "The extraordinary stories compiled by Biggs in this remarkable collection, which celebrates a great deal more than the worthy science of botany. It is a wonderful book to dip in and out of."New Zealand Booklovers
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Woolombi
Australia
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 170 mm
Width: 230 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
558 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-923011-03-8 (9781923011038)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Matthew Biggs trained at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has presented numerous TV gardening programs and is a regular on UK radio. Author of and contributor to several books and magazines, Matthew is also a highly regarded lecturer. He has travelled widely and is fascinated by global gardening.
Content
Introduction
Pedanius Dioscorides c. ad 40-90
Leonhart Fuchs 1501-1566
William Turner c. 1508-1568
John Ray 1627-1705
Mary Somerset 1630-1715
Henry Compton 1632-1713
William Dampier 1651-1715
John Bartram 1699-1777
Carl Linnaeus 1707-1778
Jeanne Baret 1740-1807
Joseph Banks 1743-1820
James Edward Smith 1759-1828
Philipp von Siebold 1796-1866
John Lindley 1799-1865
Anna Atkins 1799-1871
Georgiana Molloy 1805-1843
Asa Gray 1810-1888
William Colenso 1811-1899
Joseph Dalton Hooker 1817-1911
Gregor Mendel 1822-1884
Marianne North 1830-1890
Luther Burbank 1849-1926
Henry Nicholas Ridley 1855-1956
Charlotte Wheeler-Cuffe 1867-1967
George Forrest 1873-1932
Ernest Wilson 1876-1930
Francis Kingdon-Ward 1885-1958
Nikolai Vavilov 1887-1943
Carl Rudolf Florin 1894-1965
E. K. Janaki Ammal 1897-1984
William Stearn 1911- 2001
Richard Evans Schultes 1915-2001
Mikinori Ogisu Born 1951
Bleddyn & Sue Wynn-Jones Born 1948 (Bleddyn) and 1952 (Sue)
Patrick Blanc Born 1953
Bibliography
Index
Credits
Pedanius Dioscorides c. ad 40-90
Leonhart Fuchs 1501-1566
William Turner c. 1508-1568
John Ray 1627-1705
Mary Somerset 1630-1715
Henry Compton 1632-1713
William Dampier 1651-1715
John Bartram 1699-1777
Carl Linnaeus 1707-1778
Jeanne Baret 1740-1807
Joseph Banks 1743-1820
James Edward Smith 1759-1828
Philipp von Siebold 1796-1866
John Lindley 1799-1865
Anna Atkins 1799-1871
Georgiana Molloy 1805-1843
Asa Gray 1810-1888
William Colenso 1811-1899
Joseph Dalton Hooker 1817-1911
Gregor Mendel 1822-1884
Marianne North 1830-1890
Luther Burbank 1849-1926
Henry Nicholas Ridley 1855-1956
Charlotte Wheeler-Cuffe 1867-1967
George Forrest 1873-1932
Ernest Wilson 1876-1930
Francis Kingdon-Ward 1885-1958
Nikolai Vavilov 1887-1943
Carl Rudolf Florin 1894-1965
E. K. Janaki Ammal 1897-1984
William Stearn 1911- 2001
Richard Evans Schultes 1915-2001
Mikinori Ogisu Born 1951
Bleddyn & Sue Wynn-Jones Born 1948 (Bleddyn) and 1952 (Sue)
Patrick Blanc Born 1953
Bibliography
Index
Credits