News in Brief
The spider, the bamboo, and the frog
It’s not just humans that use plants. Spiders might be carnivorous, but they still have uses for crafty arachnids.
Reviews
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.
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Perlin’s potentially perfect plants-and-people publication
“A Forest Journey is a brilliant book that should be compulsory reading for everybody – not just those with an interest in plants and people.”
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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
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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.
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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.
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The Tree Book, a book about trees (and people)
Should any trees reincarnated as The Tree Book be pleased or offended?
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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
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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
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An extraordinary book about trees (and people)
Nigel Chaffey reviews a book about Trees, but is there agreement about what a Tree is?
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The geek’s guide to weird and wonderful plants
“Plants continually excite and surprise me” says Michael Perry. but how does Nigel Chaffey feel about Perry’s new book Hortus Curious?
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Plants named for the great, the good, and the bad..?
A rose by any other name might smell as sweet, but where do these names come from? Nigel Chaffey reviews a book that explores the stories of some of the people behind the plant names.