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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Plant life: general > General
"I don't compose pictures, I find them in the colors, patterns, and
shadows of the trees in front of me. While I walk, I let my
feelings well up in my consciousness. My feelings guide me to find
what I'm seeing and feeling and distill it into a picture." A
beloved and popular Illinois institution, The Morton Arboretum
welcomes one million annual visitors to walk its trails and view
the 4,200 tree species on the grounds. Peter Vagt has photographed
the Arboretum for over twenty years. This collection showcases
eighty-five of his favorite works, each one in full color. Vagt's
close attention to place and time reflects both his profound
connection to the Arboretum and its preeminence as a sanctuary for
anyone in search of transcendence in nature. A celebration of The
Morton Arboretum in its centenary year, Light Through the Trees is
the perfect keepsake or gift for anyone who admires trees and
believes in their restorative power.
Starting in 1844 with the earliest images of the building of the
Palm House, right up to the building of the Australian House and
the 1960s, this book provides a fascinating slice of history,
filtered through the lens of botanical exploration and science.
There is currently much concern about our trees and woodlands. The
terrible toll taken by Dutch elm disease has been followed by a
string of further epidemics, most worryingly ash chalara - and
there are more threats on the horizon. There is also a widely
shared belief that our woods have been steadily disappearing over
recent decades, either replanted with alien conifers or destroyed
entirely in order to make way for farmland or development. But the
present state of our trees needs to be examined critically, and
from an historical as much as from a scientific perspective. For
English tree populations have long been highly unnatural in
character, shaped by economic and social as much as by
environmental factors. In reality, the recent history of trees and
woods in England is more complex and less negative than we often
assume and any narrative of decline and loss is overly simplistic.
The numbers of trees and the extent and character of woodland have
been in a state of flux for centuries. Research leaves no doubt,
moreover, that arboreal ill health is nothing new. Levels of
disease are certainly increasing but this is as much a consequence
of changes in the way we treat trees - especially the decline in
intensive management which has occurred over the last century and a
half - as it is of the arrival of new diseases. And man, not
nature, has shaped the essential character of rural tree
populations, ensuring their dominance by just a few indigenous
species and thus rendering them peculiarly vulnerable to invasive
pests and diseases. The messages from history are clear: we can and
should plant our landscape with a wider palette, providing greater
resilience in the face of future pathogens; and the most
`unnatural' and rigorously managed tree populations are also the
healthiest. The results of an ambitious research project are here
shaped into a richly detailed survey of English arboriculture over
the last four centuries. Trees in England will be essential reading
not only for landscape historians but also for natural scientists,
foresters and all those interested in the future of the
countryside. Only by understanding the essentially human history of
our trees and woods can we hope to protect and enhance them.
Flowers have played an important role in human culture and survival
for thousands of years. The final products of flowers-fruits and
seeds-are vitally important as food. Flowers provide bursts of
color to homes and gardens and they symbolize love, sorrow, and
renewal. Yet we often overlook their real purpose. Why do flowers
exist and why do they have certain colors, shapes, and smells? What
function does a flower have in the life and survival of the plants
themselves? In nature, flowers play an essential role in improving
a plant's chances of survival. Some flowers are pollinated by wind
or water but most are designed to attract and reward pollinators,
such as bees, butterflies, birds, and bats, to carry their pollen
from flower to flower. After being pollinated, flowers produce
fruits and again take advantage of wind, water, and animals to
disperse their seeds, ensuring a new generation of their species.
Pollination and seed dispersal are fine-tuned systems, and their
importance in sustaining a healthy environment cannot be
overstated. And, as ongoing climate and other environmental changes
apply new pressures, flowers must continue to adapt in order to
survive. In this beautifully illustrated book with over 200
stunning photographs, Michael Fogden and Patricia Fogden draw from
existing research and their extensive field experiences all over
the world to present a detailed but accessible introduction to the
natural history of flowers. They discuss a representative sample of
flowering and fruiting strategies, illustrating interactions
between plants and their pollinators and dispersers, and conclude
with descriptions of their favorite tropical flowers.
Based on a 20-year survey organised by the Botanical Society of
Scotland, this is the most extensive and authoritative Flora of
Edinburgh and the Lothians to be published since 1927. In addition
to a complete Flora of vascular plants in the three Lothian
vice-counties, the book includes: *Specialist chapters on topics
ranging from fungi to ferns and from geology and climate to
ethnobotany. *A substantial Bryophyte Flora of Edinburgh and the
Lothians. *A discussion of land-use changes and the ecological and
phytogeographical indications from the survey. *A description of
the survey and details of the methods used in the compilation of
the Flora. *30 colour and black and white plates, nearly 400
distribution maps and other illustrations. The Lothians are rich in
diversity, from the moist uplands of the south to the dry, flat
lands of the north-east. Habitats range from seacoast to moorland,
from river and loch to woodland and meadow. In addition to this
variety, there is the impact of man as manifested by agriculture,
urbanisation, industry, and now climate change.Plant Life of
Edinburgh and the Lothians presents an up-to-date account of this
richness and will provide an essential basis for comparison with
the flora and vegetation of the future.
Grasses and grasslands are of increasing interest to
conservationists, biologists, and gardeners. There are more than
300 species of native California grasses and they are found in
almost every climate--from cool, wet forests to hot, dry deserts.
Native grasses are also important in land restoration, as they
improve soil quality, increase water infiltration, and recycle
nutrients. Their deep roots can tap soil water, allowing them to
stay green year-round and act as fire buffers around residences.
Native grasses also provide vital habitat to many species of
insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals. Despite all of this,
grasslands remain one of the most underprotected of California's
vegetation types, and native grasslands have undergone the greatest
percentage loss of any habitat type in the state. Grasses are also
among the most difficult plants to identify. Organized
alphabetically, Field Guide to Grasses of California covers the
more common native and naturalized grasses, and features over 180
color illustrations to help identify them.
'Some five years ago, I sought solace from the ways of the world by
stepping into the embrace of an ancient oak tree . . . From the
first meeting, there grew a strange sense of attachment I did not
consciously recognise until I later began to realise the
significance that trees, and oak trees especially, can have in our
lives.' James Canton spent two years sitting with and studying the
Honywood Oak. A colossus of a tree, it would have been a sapling
when Magna Carta was signed. Initially visiting the tree for escape
and solitude, in time he learns to study it more closely. He
examines how our long-standing dependency on oak trees has
developed and morphed into myth and legend. The Oak Papers is a
stunning, meditative and healing book about the lessons we can
learn from the natural world, if only we slow down enough to
listen.
Learn to identify wildflowers in Ohio with this handy field guide,
organized by color. With this famous field guide by award-winning
author and naturalist Stan Tekiela, you can make wildflower
identification simple, informative, and productive. There's no need
to look through dozens of photos of wildflowers that don't grow in
Ohio. Learn about 200 of the most common and important species
found in the state. They're organized by color and then by size for
ease of use. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that
you want to know, while full-page photographs provide the visual
detail needed for accurate identification. Book Features 200
species: Only Ohio wildflowers! Simple color guide: See a purple
flower? Go to the purple section Fact-filled information and
stunning professional photographs Icons that make visual
identification quick and easy Stan's Notes, including naturalist
tidbits and facts This new edition includes updated photographs,
expanded information, and even more of Stan's expert insights. Grab
Wildflowers of Ohio Field Guide for your next outing-to help you
positively identify the wildflowers that you see.
This best-selling fungi field guide is now even better--with 30 new
North Woods species and several new fact-filled sidebars.
Exclusively for Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, Fascinating
Fungi features nearly 150 species in beautiful, detailed,
full-color illustrations. You'll meet the mushroom that vikings ate
before raids, a moose-dung-loving fungi, a mushroom that contains
rocket fuel propellant and much more!
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