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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Plant life: general > General
Where will you look for the biggest, tallest or most corpulent trees in South Africa, or trees that have witnessed major events in the country’s history? These interesting specimens, and many others, are found in parks, nature reserves, on farms, on town and city streets and in private gardens – some perhaps even right on the reader’s doorstep.
Remarkable Trees of South Africa journeys into the fascinating world of trees. Written in an easy, anecdotal style, the authors relate, in text and photographs, the historical, cultural and economical significance of South Africa’s trees. Also included are accounts of the major tree families, as well as an overview of trees as monuments and in botanical gardens, parks and arboreta.
Now in its second edition, the text has been completely updated with additional information on Champion Trees and the authors’ selection of the Big Five Trees of South Africa. Presented as a coffee-table book with full-colour photographs throughout, anyone with an interest in history and nature, South African flora in particular, will find this book an essential addition to their home library.
Back in print just in time for spring! Originally published in
1948, this is the germinal text on nearly 250 species of spring
wildflowers found in West Virginia. Common or English names and
scientific or Latin names are given for each species. The
descriptions are in two sections: The first description includes
the meaning of the name of the flower, uses, habitats, and ranges
in West Virginia. Secondly, the plant itself is described in deep
detail to help in identification. Each description is accompanied
by a facing page detailed line drawing. This book is a must have
for those interested in the beauty and science of West Virginia's
spring flora.
As indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall
Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the
ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How,
she asks, can we learn from indigenous wisdom and the plant world to
reimagine what we value most?
Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of
resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively
harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the
natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and
gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth―its abundance of sweet,
juicy berries―to meet the needs of its natural community. And this
distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains,
“Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity,
where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the
illusion of self-sufficiency.”
As Elizabeth Gilbert writes, Robin Wall Kimmerer is “a great teacher,
and her words are a hymn of love to the world.” The Serviceberry is an
antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times,
and a reminder that “hoarding won’t save us, all flourishing is mutual.”
Ireland, the Emerald Isle, is famous for its checkerboard landscape
of green fields and hedgerows. Its coast showcases sandy beaches,
mudflats and saltmarshes, Atlantic Rainforests, rocky shores and
cliffs, all home to a staggering variety of wildlife. Ireland's
coastal waters are among the best in Europe to see whales and
dolphins and other rare marine animals. The Crossbill Guide Ireland
is the authoritative wildlife and nature travel guidebook to that
island and includes both the Republic of Ireland and Northern
Ireland. The book provides insights into how this varied landscape
came into being with a description of its flora and fauna. The book
combines this background with carefully selected hiking and driving
routes that cover the best places to discover Ireland's wildlife
and ecosystems. If you want to explore Ireland's wild side, this is
the book you need.
A globe-trotting, behind-the-scenes look at the dazzling world of
flowers and the fascinating industry it's created.
It might be unromantic to call a flower a commodity or a
manufactured product, but flowers are both. They've become big
business--created in laboratories, bred in test tubes, grown in
factories, harvested by machines, packed into boxes, sold at
auctions, and then flown across oceans and continents to your
supermarket or local florist. Amy Stewart tracks down the
hybridizers, geneticists, growers, and vendors working to invent,
manufacture, and sell flowers that are bigger, brighter, and
sturdier than anything nature can provide. From big agribusiness to
local farming, from Europe to Latin America, "Flower Confidential"
explores the intersection of nature and technology, of sentiment
and commerce.
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