Art, literature, history, folklore, science and nature writing are blended together in this wonderful book, subtitled Botany and the Imagination. Richard Mabey is an excellent writer and he has a passion for the plant world. The book is also filled with fantastic colour pictures. This is my second time reading the book and I expect it won’t be my last. I read a chapter here and there, over several months. As there are many ideas packed into each chapter, it’s not the sort of book I would read continuously.

There are so many amazing details in the book. Here are just a few of the plants discussed: baobab, ginseng, daffodils, orchids, ferns, primulas, sequoias, cotton, olives, bromeliads… It’s not a compendium of all kinds of plant, but the author has selected some with the most interesting characteristics and cultural references. There’s an element of memoir too, as the author recalls searching for particular plants and his guardianship of a woodland. One of my favourite chapters was about the Fortingall Yew, which discusses the oldest trees. Another that really captured my attention was about the artist Margaret Mee’s quest to find the moonflower. There are so many beautiful images in the book. One of them is both beautiful and nightmarish, Maria Sibylla Merian’s painting of a guava tree, which is crawling with spiders and ants.

In summary, a delightful and interesting book!

Published by Profile, 2015.

Related posts: Weeds: The Story of Outlaw Plants by Richard Mabey, Evil Roots edited by Daisy Butcher, The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean.