Resilient and tenacious, pine trees deserve our admiration. Despite their dark and gloomy reputation they have been the subjects of artists for centuries, particularly in China and …
The reputation of the oak is based not on superlatives but on personality. In human terms, it is not a celebrity, but a reliable citizen. Its enduring legacy is evident in place- …
What is it about the small fruits of field and wood that encourages rapture? These gifts of the earth - flagrant in hedgerows, carpeting the forest floor or colouring the uplands - …
In this book, Dan Torre explores the intriguing and multifaceted natural, cultural and social history of the orchid. Orchids are one of the largest families of plants - …
Carnations permeate our culture from the wedding bed to the funeral wreath. Derided in Shakespeare as 'nature's bastards', they challenged the tulip as the florist's favourite …
For centuries common primroses have spread breathtaking carpets of pale lemon yellow across the globe, the first sign of spring. Abundant, edible, and beneficial for many ailments, …
Carnivorous plants are a unique group, possessing modified leaves to trap, kill and consume small creatures. As a result they are often depicted as killers in films and literature, …
Reaktion's new 'Botanical' series is the first of its kind, integrating horticultural and botanical writing with a broader account of the cultural and social impact of plants. In …
Has a group of plants ever inspired such love in some, and hatred in others, as rhododendrons? Their propensity towards sexual infidelity makes them popular with horticultural …
Our penchant for keeping house plants is an ancient practice dating back to the Pharaohs. House Plants explores the stories behind the plants we bring home and how they were …
