Fearless Latin: A Gardener's Introduction to Botanical Nomenclature
935953
This booklet will be a "must have" for all gardeners. The complex subject of plant nomenclature is handled with skill.&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Fearless-Latin-A-Gardener-s-Introduction-to-Botanical-Nomenclature-Volume-1/dp/1466323698/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Fearless Latin: A Gardener's Introduction to Botanical Nomenclature (Volume 1)</a>is both informative and easy to read. It is an extremely well constructed and well written booklet on a fascinating but complicated subject. Fearless Latin goes a long way towards demystifying plant nomenclature.
2767635
Lovely photographs and very useful information.  I recommend this book for those who want to move toward using more regional native plants in their ornamental garden.
3663017
Photographs and interviews provide a human element to this introduction to the effort to restore Iowas tallgrass prairies. Collard, a trained biologist and prolific childrens science writer, spent two weeks interviewing those associated with the Smith National Wildlife Refuge project and meticulously documenting plants and animals in detailed photographs that appear on almost every page. The research is never overwhelming; instead, it is presented in easily digestible language  with a glossary included  to outline the historical destruction of Americas prairies by white settlers and then describe the present efforts by lawmakers and scientists to restore some of the grasslands for the next generation to appreciate. The photographs and the use of white space on the more text-heavy pages make this book less intimidating for newcomers to informational books. A list of additional resources is included, encouraging further exploration of the subject.
373487
Again, here is where the english names are very helpful. The USA has thousands of varieties of trees that I am somewhat familiar with by identifying them by their leaves and sometimes by theeir seed pods. I wish there was a book in this series on wildflowers.
2324737
A beautiful and informative book. The pictures are well taken and useful for identification.  The descriptions are well arranged with headers, making the information easy to compare between two species. The excellent descriptions also make it a useful study guide. The only deficiency is the lack of a key which makes it less useful as a field guide.  However, for the experienced professional or amateur botanist who can often guess the family, the excellent pictures make it useful for identification.

This book should be in the library of any serious student of botany who is interested in Texas or Gulf Coast plants.
4046912
I have gardened for years growing various vegetables, flowers and herbs.  I purchased this book after watching some shows on the Cooking Channel that included food using parsley 'tea' and fennel pollen.  I was amazed at the ingenuity of so many creative cooks and chefs that have started their own restaurants.  And I love that they are willing to show how they use edible plants in new and different ways.  That said, I thought I would educate myself by reading up on this much-overlooked plant family.

The author is a popular garden writer, speaker and photographer who has written extensively on gardening and horticulture. She is a member of the Garden Writers of America Hall of Fame.  But who knew that Ms. Perry Lawton could fill 156 pages with information on the Umbel family?

The author begins with the history and myths surrounding this subject.  She goes on to list poisonous members and medicinal information. She reminds you to proceed with caution because some deadly plants look very similar to edible ones.  She continues by giving the reader information on culinary plants included in this family.  Designing in the landscape, weedy Umbels, and pests and diseases pave the way for a complete catalog of Umbels.

There are black and white drawings along with colorful photos scattered among the pages.  Lastly, there is a glossary and index of plant names.  This is a well-written reference book that deserves a space on everyone's gardening shelf.
2519241
Number twelve in a distinguished, and, multivolume effort by Dr. Gary Moulton, The University of Nebraska, The "Herbarium" volume of  "The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition" is the most  comprehensive, edited botanical reference of the known plant specimens of  the Corps of Discovery, 1803-1806.
As an impressive culmination to the  Journals, the herbarium collection finalizes the extensive botanical  scholarship contained in the notes produced by Dr. Moulton in the previous  eleven volumes, published periodically over the past twenty years. The  product of extensive research into the known world repositories of the  extent plant specimens, this volume contains only one known error in terms  of inclusion of a plant specimen that cannot be attributed to the  expedition's collection.  This one specimen at the Charleston Museum has  been discounted since publication.
Nevertheless, this volume contains  relatively high-quality image reproductions of the known 238 specimens in  the Lewis and Clark Herbarium, in addition to a clear introduction to the  history of the Herbarium collection and the scholarship behind its most  recent publication.  227 specimens are currently housed in the Academy of  Natural Science in Philadelphia, and the remaining 11 are housed in the Kew  Gardens, London.  Of this list, 177 are distinct, individual  specimens.
In the future, it is more than likely, despite this exhaustive  effort on the part of Moulton, that a few new specimens will emerge from  the depths of the American Philosophical Society, The Academy of Natural  Sciences, and Kew.
Until such a time, this volume is an absolute  necessity for anyone seriously interested in understanding the natural  history ramifications of the expedition, the study of Lewis and Clark, and,  for that matter, America's landscape legacy.  One wonders how many more  specimens would have been added to this collection if Lewis' early  collections for the lower-Missouri had not been lost to decay during the  expedition itself.
"Volume 12, Herbarium of the Lewis and Clark  Expedition," Gary E. Moulton, Editor, The University of Nebraska  Press, completes a fantastic series and must be added to complete one's  collection of the first eleven volumes of the truly great American literary  epic.
The only wish of this author would be the publication of  high-resolution, color digital images of the Herbarium on CD or DVD, as a  compendium to this volume. Perhaps in this way, we could all experience  more clearly the wonder of viewing this most valuable treasure.
Dr. Gary  Moulton should be congratulated for a job very well-done.
Alex Philp The  University of Montana
4616651
Field Guide to Manzanitas is indeed what plant/nature enthusiasts like me have waited for in our lives.  Manzanitas are often very difficult to separate in the field due to many of them having very similar growth habits and leaf colors.  There are vivid color photos for the species (and subspecies and varieties) described, and there is well-written information on how to use the leaf and stem hairs (or lacf thereof) to aid in identification.  I also like the section in the end dividing up regions of interest into what manzanitas are there.  Kudos to such an interesting group of authors for providing a long-awaited field guide to Western North America's famous manzanitas.
3688734
This is an excellent resource for identifying wildflowers in our area.  I like the arrangement by color which makes it easy to use and the website that the author also maintains is a great resource in the field.
3118808
The Taylor's series of gardening books have a admirable reputation and it is easy to see why. This update of "Annuals" is in a slightly larger format but still contains the excellent information as the previous edition. A 30 page introduction discusses growing techniques and care throughout the season as well as an insect identification guide. This is followed by the "Gallery of Plants", a 200 glossy section of beautiful photographs of annuals arranged by their Latin name (an index of common names is provided in the back). Each photo is accompanied by a brief description statement and a page number reference to the plant's entry in the "Plant Encyclopedia" section in the last part of the book. Here you will find a detailed description and cultural instructions on how to grow the plant. The book is also an excellent tool for helping you identify unknown plants.
1977247
Fulfills its promise as a helpful guide to woody wetland plants of New England.  Among its best features are clear descriptions that avoid unfamiliar scientific terminology, alphabetic arrangement of plants according to genus, and inclusion of both line drawings and photos.  A useful addition to the library of any plant enthusiast.
4137479
Does a skilled botanical artist better capture leaves, fruits, and flowers than a gifted photographer? Ever since the first printed herbals appeared in the Renaissance, this question remains as reframed by each era's technologies, and the publication in 2005 (by Briza in Pretoria) of van Wyk's Food Plants of the World continues the debate, now five centuries old. Often cited for it's sparklingly precise paintings, the Francesco Bianchini, et al., Complete Book of Fruits & Vegetables (Italian: I Frutti della Terra [Arnaldo Mondadori pub., 1973; English trans. pub. US 1976]), now is challenged by the refulgent clarity of the color photography in van Wyk's inclusive assembly of botany's edible varieties from Ziziphus jujuba ("Chinese date") to Abelmoschus esculentus (okra), and van Wyk is the better by far. Food Plants of the World not only identifies very carefully each species with instantly comprehended triplicate images (natural settings of growth, flower/fruit/seed/rhizome/root, and 'finished' product), but also supplies up-to-date phytochemistry, dietetics, and the essential details of the physiology and biochemistry immediately applicable to nutrition, diet, and the maintenance of a healthy "balanced" intake of food. Multilingual nomenclatures (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Malay, Portuguese, and Spanish) accompany the English and Linnaean Latin, so that vegans world-wide can immediately use this volume to key their own cultures and how the multitudinous adaptations from one continent to another characterise modern 'national' cuisines. Van Wyk also leads any reader into the best of the vast literature on the topic ("Further Reading," pp. 446-447), including publications by nutritional scientists throughout the world. A detailed index (pp. 450-480 [four columns per page]) concludes this most satisfying reference work. Food Plants of the World is one of those rare volumes that provides basic information on the great majority of botanical foodstuffs and is a reliable gateway into the enormous body of writing in several languages on this, an essential facet of human existence.
1166805
When I started a new hobby of photographing wildflowers, I had no clue on the importance of learning plant families in order to identify them. If I couldn't tell from the picture in a field guide, I was up a creek. "Botany in a Day" was the first book I found that organized the families in a simple, clear way that I could understand and this system has become my main guide for grouping and identification. The herbal information is interesting, but not relevant to my project. I'm very grateful for the help I've received from this book
1040100
There are many wildflower guides available.  I know because I have a bookcase full of them.  No single photographic guide covers ALL the wildflower species a person might encounter on a summer outing in the Rocky Mountains.  However, "Joe" Guennel's guide includes many species not usually showcased in less-substantive guides, including some trees, shrubs, grasses, rushes and sedges along with herbaceous plants.  Each listing is accompanied by both a color photo and a botanically accurate color drawing by Mr. Guennel.  I purchased the "Newly Revised Second Edition".  It not only covers more species but it also has a cross-reference to additional species that are described and illustrated in Mr. Guennel's accompanying volume that covers species of the Plains & Foothills.  Since some plants are able to thrive in a wide range of habitats and elevation, having that cross-reference in both volumes is very handy.  It enables the user to have access to more species descriptions without the added expense and weight of two books with duplicated entries.  In using "Joe" Guennel's book all summer, it became obvious to me that having the correct botanical name  (and synonyms) for each species was of utmost importance to him.
1576098
This husband and wife team produced an unbeatable text on the subject of plants of the Bible. This is a paperback, a 1986 reprint by Dover Publications, thus it is a good paperback. It is apparently not printed on acid-free paper, nor is it smyth-sewn.
The text is laid out very much like any other serious book on a region's botany. The order of presentation is alphabetic using the Latin names of the species. Each presentation is referenced to other botanical works, alloyed with a fine bibliography. About 230 plants are discussed. The discussions are authoritative and thorough. The authors are well qualified for such an undertaking!
It is accented with a fair number of good line drawings, one map and excellent indexes (including not only the Latin names but the common names as well). It also has a nice "Historical Sketch" showing the peoples and events which enlightened the rest of the world concerning the plants mentioned in the Scriptures. Of course each plant is cross referenced to its Biblical passage(s). The geographical locations of each plant are abundantly made known. Not all papyrus plants came from Egypt!
Sure color photos would have been nice, but then the price would be exceedingly high. This is a great book, very handy, and easy to use. It is packed with useful botanical data about the Holy Land. My only regret was their use of the word "legend" when applied to the account of the creation (on page 20).
The pages measure 6 x 9 inches packed with fine, but legible print. All of this is within about 268 pages. Concluding the work are a number of black and white plates and drawings. This book is dirt cheap, and a real bargain at triple the price!! Highly recommended, and fun to read! courtesy of: Mr. Gary S. Dykes
3949602
I feel this book is an excellent resource for an persons desiring to learn about wildflower biology and, also those wishing to incorporate wildflowers into the perennial garden.  While directed toward plants of the eastern, southern, and midwestern regions, most anyone would find this book useful.  Useful suggestions are also provide regarding establishment of wildflower gardens.
3279536
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-New-Encyclopedia-of-Daylilies-More-Than-1700-Outstanding-Selections/dp/0881928585/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The New Encyclopedia of Daylilies: More Than 1700 Outstanding Selections</a>&nbsp;I was very excited to see this sequel come out from the original Encyclopedia, and I was not disappointed.  The flowers and the photography were even better, although not in alphabetical order.  I would recommend this book to any gardener.