Plants not only make our lives possible but meaningful. So why do we think so little of their everyday presence?

Since childhood, Cynthia Fan has been obsessed with plants, scientifically studying, artistically arranging and being continually surprised by their quirks and nature.

In this, her first book, Fan ponders profound questions about plant life – What exactly is a leaf? How does a plant think? – by reflecting on her own, as well the world around her. Whether in the South Africa of her birth, the China of her parents, or the blustery Britain in which she works today, Fan delights in the complex beauty of what she finds.

Accompanied by her own photos and sculptural arrangements, Fan discovers plants and people in a constant dance of deception and adaptation, inviting her readers to marvel at the fluidity of biology, the supremacy of serendipity, and the porous boundaries between self and environment.

This book shows you how to identify, tackle and solve both pests and diseases naturally in your organic edible garden. The book is divided into 5 easily navigable chapters:

1. Prevention

Learn how to create and maintain a balanced garden to help plants naturally withstand pests and diseases, including detailed methods of preventing problems before they start.

2. Solutions

If problems do occur, this chapter provides effective natural solutions. It also traces the rise and impact of chemical pesticides in agriculture, and the shift back to safer organic alternatives. Included is a comprehensive A–Z of natural solutions.

3. Host plants

This chapter provides details of edible plants (vegetables, herbs, grains, fruit and nuts) and potential pests or diseases that can affect them, with a focus on ideal growing conditions to prevent problems.

4. Pests

This chapter is a guide to commonly found pests, organised within their biological orders, with separate sections on larger and opportunistic pests. Each entry features photographs and descriptions to help with identification, plus information about their size, host plants, targeted plant parts, damage symptoms and natural enemies.

5. Diseases

Diseases are divided into three sections – Bacterial, Fungal and Viral – with detailed methods for prevention and solutions, plus plenty of photographs for easy identification. Included is information on hosts, symptoms, how each disease spreads and optimum conditions.

There are also quick guides at the start of both the Pests and Diseases sections to help identify common problems, a glossary and detailed index for further reference

Bulbous plants produce some of the most striking natural floral displays, and our region is endowed with the greatest number and richest variety globally. With over 1,200 naturally occurring bulb species, the Cape Floristic Region is the undisputed bulb capital of the world and the source of many species now found growing in other parts of the world, including Europe, the UK and the USA.

Bulbs of the Fynbos features 345 of the region’s more common or showy species, meticulously arranged for easy comparison and identification.

This guide features:

• detailed accounts of each species, including diagnostic features, flowering times, habitat and distribution, as well as information on subspecies and similar species
• colour photographs capturing the plants’ splendour and diversity
• an informative introduction examining the biology, structure and conservation status of fynbos bulbs, and explaining the botanical features that are essential for identification

An innovative guide with wide appeal to wildflower lovers, natureenthusiasts, hikers, students and gardeners.THE AUTHO