"Listen to the Silence" is an open invitation to wander a forest path or sit beside a mountain creek, letting the beauty of nature wash over you. See the world with new eyes as you learn compassion from a bug, feel the wind sweep away the ache in your heart, or let the gentle eyes of a beautiful black dog erase your fears. Here you will find peace and new hope in the silent wisdom of trees, spiders, and sunlit moss.

In this thoughtful and inspiring blend of prose-poetry, meditation, and narrative, you'll share the author's intimate relationship with the Earth and its inhabitants, and experience the transcendence possible as you enter the world of nature and simply listen.

Whether you read "Listen to the Silence" in one sitting or a page at a time, you'll find a new awareness of what lies outside your door-and inside your heart.

""Listen to the Silence" is a meditation beside a fern-lined mountain stream. It's a slow, gentle walk in the woods where the only voice you hear is your own-and you suddenly recognize it is but a single instrument amidst infinite voices in Nature's symphony. This book is Pan's flute, opening our senses to subtle truths otherwise overlooked in the busyness of our little lives."
Hal Zina Bennett, author of "The Lens of Perception: A User's Guide to Higher Consciousness"

"These gentle pieces are to be savored like listening to a new mother singing lullabies. They are reminders that we are missing real life if we neglect to wander in wild nature with soft eyes and open hearts. A famous writing teacher once said to write with 'microscopic truthfulness.' I've wondered what that meant until I read Jan's book. Now I know."
Dave Smith, co-founder of Smith & Hawken, author of "To Be of Use: Seven Seeds of Meaningful Work"

Learn to identify animals, plants, and fungi wherever you go with this step-by-step guide for spotting and recording key traits and characteristics.

If you've ever consulted a field guide to identify a new bird at your feeder, you know the process isn't as easy as it sounds. In fact, it seems like you have to know a lot about that mystery bird to even figure out where to start.

The Everyday Naturalist fills in the gaps by explaining what traits to pay attention to when encountering a new species; how and when to use field guides, apps, and other resources; what to do if you get stuck; and more. Rather than focusing on one region or continent, these skills and tools are designed to help you classify nature anywhere you are—whether on familiar territory, traveling, or in a new home.

In chapters about animals, plants, fungi, and organisms like lichens and slime molds, naturalist and guide Rebecca Lexa goes into detail about what sets each of these kingdoms apart from each other—from color, shape, and texture to sexual characteristics, behavior, and habitat—and includes more than forty full-color photos and drawings to illustrate key points. She also provides detailed case studies to demonstrate how to use all of these traits to identify specimens across multiple kingdoms.

This easy-to-follow guide empowers you to learn more about the species around you, then use what you know to preserve the world you love. And at a time when biodiversity is imperiled worldwide, nature needs more advocates than ever.

Pocket Guide Fynbos features over 300 of the most spectacular and commonly seen species
from South Africa’s renowned floral kingdom – all in one handy, easy-to-use guide.

The species are presented in detail, with each entry featuring:

• succinct descriptions of the plant and its habitat, comparisons with similar species
• and fl owering times
• full-colour photographs and distribution maps
• floral key, using symbols to denote main identifying features
• interesting facts about species.

Concise, all-in-one guide to the mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs of the Fynbos Biome, featuring over 400 species

South Africa’s Fynbos Biome, which spans the country’s Western and Eastern Cape provinces, is one of the richest floras in the world. In addition to its spectacular botanical diversity, the region is also famous for its remarkable variety of fauna, with some species occurring nowhere else – from the tiny Micro Frog to the brightly coloured Orange-breasted Sunbird and the large, strikingly marked Bontebok.

The first of its kind, this concise field guide covers more than 400 species in four animal groups: mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs. The species accounts include key identification features and are paired with full-colour photographs and distribution maps. This guide encompasses popular tourist destinations such as the Cape Peninsula, the Kogelberg, the Cederberg, the Agulhas Plain, the West Coast and Baviaanskloof.

As we approach the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 2004, attention will inevitably turn to the nineteenth-century explorers who risked life and limb to interpret the natural history of the American West. Beginning with Meriwether Lewis and his discovery of the bitterroot, the goal of most explorers was not merely to find an adequate route to the Pacific, but also to comment on the state of the region's ecology and its suitability for agriculture, and, of course, to collect plant specimens. In this book, Williams follows the trail of over a dozen explorers who "botanized" the Rocky Mountains, and who, by the end of the nineteenth century, became increasingly convinced that the flora of the American West was distinctive. The sheer wonder of discover, which is not lost on Williams or his subjects, was best captured by botanist Edwin James in 1820 as he emerged above timberline in Colorado to come upon "a region of astonishing beauty."

This book provides an up-to-date overview of the various wood and tree fungi that damage trees, lumber, and timber. Special focus is given to identification, prevention, and remediation techniques, and the book bridges the gap between research and application. It covers the fundamentals of cytology and morphology.

There is a more practical section describing damage by viruses and bacteria on trees. The habitats of wood fungi are described as well as tree care. Important tree pathogens and wood decay fungi are characterized for prevention and identification. The final section focuses on the positive effects of wood-inhabiting microorganisms.

Winter, when plants are dormant and their leaves may have fallen, is a challenging time to identify woody flora. Designed especially for winter use and featuring almost six hundred illustrations, this taxonomic guide describes some nine hundred plant species by their twig, bud, and bark characteristics. All the trees, shrubs, and woody ground covers that grow without aid of cultivation in the Southeast are presented here in a single reference. Includes the following: native plants, as well as naturalized exotic species known to occur in at least two locations in the Southeast; geographical coverage from east Texas and northern Florida to southeastern Kansas and southern Delaware; spring or summer features of a plant in the absence of any reliable winter diagnostic features; a map of the guide's coverage area and nearly six hundred illustrations that show distinguishing characteristics of twigs and buds; a brief introduction to botanical terminology and the use of taxonomic keys, descriptions of various habitats and physiographic regions of the Southeast, a glossary, a list of references, and an index that includes common and scientific names

A photographic guide to the most commonly used and best known South African plant medicines, including their botany, main traditional uses and active ingredients. This edition has been fully updated to incorporate the latest research findings. The title includes: detailed species descriptions of more than 150 medicinal plants and their close relatives, or other species used in a similar way. Each entry includes the following information: a description of the plant, the plant parts used, medicinal uses, preparation and dosage, active ingredients and pharmacological effects. In addition, each entry includes a distribution map and a diagram of the chemical structure of the main active ingredient. More than 500 excellent photographs of the plants, plant parts used and products. Introductory chapters on, among others, cultural aspects of healing, methods of collection and storage, methods of preparation and administration. A plant list according to ailments. A glossary, detailed index and comprehensive references for further reading. This title is a must for anyone with an interest or involvement in health care and botany.

This practical pocket guide includes 194 edible fruits, nuts and seeds, flowers, greens and vegetables, herbs, roots, whole plants, fungi, seaweeds and shellfish that you can forage in the UK and Europe.

Each species account includes accurate artworks and concise descriptions outlining essential details to help you identify species in the field, as well as information on where you can find species and helpful tips on how to cook and bake with the food you forage.

The author's introduction offers practical advice on foraging safely and legally and outlines how to prepare and preserve your foraged foods, including making mead and jam, drying herbs, storing mushrooms for later use and how to safely prepare foraged shellfish. The helpful fold-out poster shows common edible species grouped by season and by habitat.

This is a tree book unlike any other. While trees have long been celebrated, their widespread admiration usually produces those field guides we all know, describing habitat, form, leaf and bark, meant to be carried with us as we wander the fields and woods, or, more rarely, those handsome books dedicated to arboreal beauty and character, such as those of Thomas Pakenham filled with fine photographs of extraordinary specimens. Absent from the literature of trees, however, is a survey of those that have been created by and exist only in the human imagination. These are the truly remarkable ones, including one that is the source of life, another the source of the knowledge of good and evil; some that have a human ancestry, others human characteristics; one that is soundless, another that speaks of the future, and still another that encompasses the entire world. That we cannot touch their bark, clasp their trunks or see their foliage and fruit only addes to their appeal, for they exist only in our minds.Gathered here are some of these extraordinary artifacts of the imagination produced, during man's long journey from the far past to the present, on the real trees that have sheltered and nourished us, physically and intellectually, enabled us to cross the oceans and both warmed and inspired us. That a mystical, atabistic bond exists between us and these aristocrats of the vegetable kingdom is evidenced whenever we stroll under a redwood or yew or enter a forest.This is a field in which you know more than you think you do. The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil are obvious examples. Mythology provides us with Yggdrasil, the Norse world tree and the arboreal metamorphoses described by Ovid. Other specimens have roots in literature, philosophy, history, and folklore, and, as befits a new guide to imaginary beings, there are several that have only just been discovered.

Southern Africa boasts a rich variety of tree species, both indigenous and exotic. Pocket Guide Trees of Southern Africa is an authoritative introduction to the region’s trees, describing and illustrating 132 species.

This publication has its origins in Van Wyk’s A Photographic Guide to Trees of Southern Africa and has been fully revised and updated by well-known authority Braam van Wyk.

Each species account highlights the key identification features, and also touches on the medicinal and commercial uses of the trees.

This compact, easy-to-use guide makes an ideal travelling companion and will help readers to become more knowledgeable about trees.

Over the years, Japanese gardeners have fine-tuned a distinctive set of pruning techniques that coax out the essential characters of their garden trees, or niwaki. In this highly practical book, Western gardeners are encouraged to draw upon the techniques and sculpt their own garden trees to unique effect. After discussing the principles that underpin the techniques, the author offers in-depth guidelines for shaping pines, azaleas, conifers, broadleaved evergreens, bamboos, and deciduous trees. Complete with abundant photographs, personal anecdotes and a wealth of advice, this unprecedented resource will inspire gardeners everywhere to transform their own trees into niwaki.

-- First field guide in 25 years to treat Florida's amazing variety of ferns
-- Color plates feature more than 200 images, some of which include rare species never before illustrated in color
-- Includes notes on each species' growth form and habit, as well as general remarks about its botanical and common names, unique characteristics, garden use, and history in Florida
-- All professional or amateur botanists, plant lovers, and gardeners will want this important book in their libraries

Of course, we are entirely dependent on plants for our food and the air we breathe, but did you know that 5,000 mature English oak trees were used in the construction of Admiral Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, or that sweet peas were involved in the birth of the science of genetics? King Cotton was the driver of the slave trade, which was the first domino to fall in the American Revolution, and cotton was also the catalyst for the Industrial Revolution. These, and many other extraordinary facts in Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History, highlight the dynamic ways in which plants have influenced human history. This beautifully designed and illustrated volume provides an engaging guide to the fifty key plants that have had the most impact on human history. Packed full of information, the book includes details about the habitat and characteristics of each plant, fact boxes, full colour photographs and lovely botanical illustrations. Weaving together strands of economic, political and agricultural history, each entry is a fascinating look at the most influential plants known to mankind.

The sixth title in the bestselling Collins Guide series, this book covers the fungi of the British Isles, with considerable relevance for Europe and the wider temperate world. Leading mycological artists have been specially commissioned to ensure accurate, detailed illustrations. Where possible, species are described and illustrated on the same page, with up-to-date authoritative text aiding identification. Nearly 2,400 species are illustrated in full colour, with detailed notes on how to correctly identify them, including details of similar, confusing species. Illustrations of young and mature fruiting bodies are included where necessary, and key features are highlighted for quick and easy reference. Written by one of Europe's leading mycologists and horticultural scientists, Stefan Buczacki, and illustrated by two of the world's leading natural history illustrators, Chris Shields and Denys Ovenden, this is the ultimate field guide for mushroom and toadstool lovers.

Arranged in a directory of categories divided into wild plants, herbs, fruits, nuts, mushrooms, seaweeds and shellfish, this book has all of the information you need to forage for yourself.You'd be surprised at the bounty of wild food you can find practically on your doorstep: some native plants, some escapes from ancient gardens and all delicious. Most of these foods are within easy reach - however, you've got to know what you're looking for and where to go and when.Clear illustrations to help you identify a wholesome and natural food store, all for free. Hints on how to prepare and eat your foraged bounty are also included, along with advice on seasonality.

Take a stroll to discover the ingredients for a wild apple tarte tatin. Turn the lilac bush found in a vacant lot into a delicious, delicately flavoured jelly for your morning pastry. Your city is full of wild food, you just need to know where to find it. In this stylish, scrumptious guide to wildcrafting in the city you'll learn how to find, identify, harvest, and cook with 50 common wild plants, such as chickweed, dandelion, echinacea, honeysuckle, red clover, and pine. Urban Foraging, by expert forager Lisa M. Rose, shares all the basics necessary for successful foraging: clear photos that help identification during harvest, tips for ethical and safe gathering, details on culinary uses, and simple recipes will help you make truly fresh, nutritious meals.

This guide from the experts of Kew Royal Botanical Gardens is filled with tips and advice to help you grow your best vegetable garden ever! In this book Kew's Kitchen Gardener, Helena Dove, combines practical elements with inspiration and beauty to make a comprehensive and informative guide with all you need to know to master theart of growing vegetables. She shows how to grow some of the most popular staple crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, radishes and rocket, and also some more unusual and exciting choices such as oca, tomatillo, seakale and yacon. She gives easy to follow instructions on how to be a successful vegetable gardener, plus 12 exciting projects to try throughout the year including forcing rhubarb, creating an asparagus border and growing in raised beds. From sowing, to planting young plants, to hardening off and harvesting, find out what you need to do and when, to produce the most magnificent harvests. All the advice is underpinned by the expertise and authority of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and illustrated from Kew's world-famous botanical collection. With this book, you wil be able to reap a rich bounty of delicious vegetables from just a few packets of seed and some fertile ground! This book is from the Kew Experts series, in which the top gardeners and botanical scientists from Royal Botanic Kew Gardens offer up advice and information as well as suggesting handy projects on a range of gardening topics. Other titles include: Companion to Medicinal Plants, Guide to Growing Bulbs, Guide to Growing Fruit, Guide to Growing Orchids, Guide to Growing Roses, Guide to Growing Succulents and Cacti, Guide to Growing Trees, Guide to Growing Herbs and Guide to Growing House Plants.