The Plants That Shaped Our Gardens
Download The Plants That Shaped Our Gardens full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online free The Plants That Shaped Our Gardens ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!
| Author | : Helen Bynum |
| Publisher | : Thames & Hudson |
| Total Pages | : 551 |
| Release | : 2014-09-22 |
| Genre | : Nature |
| ISBN | : 0500772436 |
A glorious celebration of the beauty, diversity, importance and sheer wonder of the most remarkable plants that shape our world, with exquisite illustrations from the incomparable collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The authors are expert guides to the intriguing histories, significance and uses of over 80 key plants, revealing our complex relationship with them, both for use and beauty. Rich in cultural, historical, botanical and symbolic associations, the plants presented here, from every corner of the globe, both familiar and bizarre, all have fascinating stories to tell. Sections cover every aspect of our interaction with plants, starting with foods that laid the foundations for the development of civilizations, such as wheat, rice and maize, and those that enliven our diet, such as saffron and spices. Other sections look at plants that have helped to house us, including bamboo and the oak, or crops that have made people rich, notably tea, coffee and sugar cane. Many plants have been used medicinally, from willow to the Madagascar periwinkle. Some are the objects of obsession or are revered, including the tulip, the rose and the lotus, and some are bizarre, such as the world's largest flower, rafflesia, which smells of rotting flesh. For anyone interested in the beauty and diversity of plants, this beautiful book, richly illustrated with over 200 drawings and paintings, will be an inspiration and a delight.
| Author | : Benjamin Vogt |
| Publisher | : New Society Publishers |
| Total Pages | : 217 |
| Release | : 2017-09-01 |
| Genre | : Gardening |
| ISBN | : 1771422459 |
In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.
| Author | : Nancy Lawson |
| Publisher | : Chronicle Books |
| Total Pages | : 226 |
| Release | : 2017-04-18 |
| Genre | : |
| ISBN | : 1616896175 |
In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.
| Author | : Noel Kingsbury |
| Publisher | : Timber Press |
| Total Pages | : 369 |
| Release | : 2016-10-05 |
| Genre | : History |
| ISBN | : 1604697733 |
“A beautifully illustrated reference book covers the origins, ecology and history of popular garden plants.” —Shelf Awareness The oldest rose fossil was found in Colorado and dates to 35 million years ago. Marigolds, infamous for their ability to self-seed, are named for an Etruscan god who sprang from a ploughed field. And daffodils—an icon of spring—were introduced to Britain by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago. Every garden plant has an origination story, and Garden Flora, by noted garden designer Noel Kingsbury, shares them in a beautifully compelling way. This lushly illustrated survey of 133 of the most commonly grown plants explains where each plant came from and the journey it took into home gardens. Kingsbury tells intriguing tales of the most important plant hunters, breeders, and gardeners throughout history, and explores the unexpected ways plants have been used. Richly illustrated with an eclectic mix of new and historical photos, botanical art, and vintage seed packets and catalogs, Garden Flora is a must-have reference for every gardener and plant lover.
| Author | : David C. Stuart |
| Publisher | : Harvard University Press |
| Total Pages | : 216 |
| Release | : 2004 |
| Genre | : Architecture |
| ISBN | : 9780674011045 |
As our earliest ancestors migrated out of Africa, they encountered entirely new floras. By sampling these, they found plants that appeared to (and sometimes did) heal wounds, cure maladies, and ease troubled minds. This process of discovery continues today, as multinational pharmaceutical companies bioprospect in the globe's remaining wild places for the next tamoxifen or digitalis. The gardener and botanist David Stuart tells the fascinating story of botanical medicine, revealing more than soothing balms and heroic cures. Most of the truly powerful and effective medicinal plants are double-edged, with a dark side to balance the light. They can heal or kill, calm or enslave, lift depression or summon our gods and monsters. Often the difference between these polar effects is a simple change in dosage. Stuart chronicles the tale of how the herbal materia medica of healing and killing plants has sparked wars, helped establish intercontinental trade routes, and seeded fortunes. As plant species traveled the globe, their medicinal uses evolved over miles and through centuries. Plants once believed to be cure-alls are now considered too dangerous for use. Others, once so valuable that they sowed the wealth of empires, are merely spices on the kitchen shelf. David Stuart recounts engrossing human stories too, not only of the scientists, explorers, and doctors who gathered, named, and prescribed these plants but also the shamans, magicians, and quacks who claimed to possess the ultimate herbal aphrodisiac or elixir.
| Author | : Wayne Winterrowd |
| Publisher | : Random House (NY) |
| Total Pages | : 584 |
| Release | : 2004 |
| Genre | : Gardening |
| ISBN | : |
Experienced gardeners often ask: Why plant annuals? They are common and garish and just don't last. This anticipated new work by eminent horticulturist Wayne Winterrowd--covering more than 250 genera and 600 species and containing over 250 color photographs--provides a great many answers to that question. Familiar garden plants such as marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias are lovingly portrayed, as well as new species that the gardener may have only just discovered or never previously encountered. Each species is fully described by appearance, range of color, propagation, culture, climatic preferences, and garden value. In addition, Winterrowd supplies fascinating accounts of the botanical etymology, the origins of common names, and the rich historical lore that surround all plants, familiar and rare alike. Most important, his lifetime of hands-on, practical garden experience crisscrosses these pages, offering a trove of practical advice. The result is a volume that will encourage committed annuals growers in their passion and introduce a whole new world of possibilities to gardeners who have hardly guessed at the riches of these formerly undervalued plants. A tremendously ambitious work that reflects almost ten years of careful research, observation, and experimentation, Annuals and Tender Plants for North American Gardens is a comprehensive, utterly engaging reference. Arranged alphabetically and with convenient, at-a-glance profiles prefacing each entry, this beautifully designed guide is both a good read and a visual delight.
| Author | : David C. Stuart |
| Publisher | : Harvard University Press |
| Total Pages | : 216 |
| Release | : 2002 |
| Genre | : Architecture |
| ISBN | : 9780674007901 |
The history begins with two earth-changing events - the establishment of colonies in the Americas and the spread of the Turkish empire. Both brought the first astonishing wave of flowering exotics to gardens across Europe.
| Author | : Emanuele Coccia |
| Publisher | : John Wiley & Sons |
| Total Pages | : 183 |
| Release | : 2019-01-16 |
| Genre | : Philosophy |
| ISBN | : 1509531548 |
We barely talk about them and seldom know their names. Philosophy has always overlooked them; even biology considers them as mere decoration on the tree of life. And yet plants give life to the Earth: they produce the atmosphere that surrounds us, they are the origin of the oxygen that animates us. Plants embody the most direct, elementary connection that life can establish with the world. In this highly original book, Emanuele Coccia argues that, as the very creator of atmosphere, plants occupy the fundamental position from which we should analyze all elements of life. From this standpoint, we can no longer perceive the world as a simple collection of objects or as a universal space containing all things, but as the site of a veritable metaphysical mixture. Since our atmosphere is rendered possible through plants alone, life only perpetuates itself through the very circle of consumption undertaken by plants. In other words, life exists only insofar as it consumes other life, removing any moral or ethical considerations from the equation. In contrast to trends of thought that discuss nature and the cosmos in general terms, Coccia’s account brings the infinitely small together with the infinitely big, offering a radical redefinition of the place of humanity within the realm of life.
| Author | : Margaret Roach |
| Publisher | : Timber Press |
| Total Pages | : 321 |
| Release | : 2019-04-30 |
| Genre | : Gardening |
| ISBN | : 1604698772 |
“A Way to Garden prods us toward that ineffable place where we feel we belong; it’s a guide to living both in and out of the garden.” —The New York Times Book Review For Margaret Roach, gardening is more than a hobby, it’s a calling. Her unique approach, which she calls “horticultural how-to and woo-woo,” is a blend of vital information you need to memorize and intuitive steps you must simply feel and surrender to. In A Way to Garden, Roach imparts decades of garden wisdom on seasonal gardening, ornamental plants, vegetable gardening, design, gardening for wildlife, organic practices, and much more. She also challenges gardeners to think beyond their garden borders and to consider the ways gardening can enrich the world. Brimming with beautiful photographs of Roach’s own garden, A Way to Garden is practical, inspiring, and a must-have for every passionate gardener.
| Author | : Felder Rushing |
| Publisher | : Cool Springs Press |
| Total Pages | : 0 |
| Release | : 2006-02-01 |
| Genre | : Gardening |
| ISBN | : 9781591861898 |
In my many years in the horticulture industry, especially in the teaching end, I've found that the vast majority of gardeners believe that the real challenge in gardening is to produce a beautiful garden with minimal care. However, the "true" gardener likes to push and is willing to make the needed adjustments, work, sacrifice, whatever, to grow some prized possession. And what on earth is wrong with that? If a gardener is so inclined, he or she is welcome to brag about having a perfect lawn, or growing the first Isoplexis canariensis in the neighborhood. Yet only a very tiny percentage of people want the challenge of growing really unsuitable plants, which involves not just extra time on the gardener's part, but also includes heavy resource use. Besides, some plants are too specialized for the average gardener. Everyone is welcome to dig, bag, chill, spit, and turn summersaults to get a temperamental posy to do just right. But telling others to do this is less than good advice. There is plenty of "fun" in gardening to keep everyone busy; we don't need "work" to make gardening fun. In this book, Felder presents us with the "what-does-best" plants--the plants that fill our gardens with the least care needed, and that, in turn, allow us more quality time in our garden oases. For those who want a landscape of entirely low-maintenance, this is certainly the listing of the lowest. "Tough," as in the title of this book, is Felder's word for "hardy." "Tough" is also the word for Felder's no-nonsense style that cuts through the--let us say--manure of the plant selection process.--Adapted from introduction.
