This fascinating compilation of accumulated wisdom includes traditional sayings and superstitions to explain whether, and why, they still work today. With advice on the practical necessities of cooking, gardening, housekeeping and health, as well as proverbial wisdom concerning good behaviour for children, adults and life in general. AUTHOR: Ruth Binney has been studying the countryside and nature for over 50 years. She holds a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and has been involved in countless publications during her career as an editor. She is the also a bestselling author having published numerous books on the gardening, countryside, country sayings and customs. Ruth lives in Yeovil, Somerset. 100 b/w illustrations

Are the creatures that visit and live in your garden friends or foes? How can you discourage the bad and nurture the good? And how does each animal fit into the essential garden ecosystem? You'll find the answers in the verdicts, evidence and treatments presented in this innovative new book. Including more than 50 common garden residents - from squirrels to starlings, from ladybirds to leatherjackets, and from frogs to flea beetles - it tells you how to encourage the forces for good and explains how best to deter or get rid of (ideally organically) those that bring damage, disease or even death to your precious plants. And vitally, it pieces together the key links in the garden food chain and shows how to maintain nature's delicate balance on your plot. As well as the key gardening information you need, you'll discover here the extraordinary ways in which garden wildlife is adapted for success, how to encourage vital pollinators and how to plan planting and cultivation to pre-empt problems. You'll see how to use pesticides safely if you must, and there are hints and tips on the best ways to deal with cats and dogs, chickens and geese in the garden. So whether you want your garden to be a haven for hedgehogs and honeybees, to have fewer slugs and snails, or to be know all the pros and cons of crows and cabbage white caterpillars, then these are the verdicts you need. Garden Wildlife on Trial is the sequel and companion volume to Ruth Binney's successful Weeds on Trial published in 2019 (ISBN 9781910821299).

For as long as humans have inhabited the earth, we have lived alongside the multitude of other creatures with which we share our planet. However it is undoubtedly true that today most of us are not as close to the animals around us as our forebears were, and that many of the world's best loved large mammals and most beautiful birds are in danger of becoming extinct. The threats of the 21st century to the animal world make it even more pertinent to explore the many legends and folktales, myths and superstitions that reflect this past closeness, highlight our desire to explain nature's wonders and mysteries, and underline the necessity to preserve for future generations all creatures great and small.Gathered together in this fascinating book are the lore and legends of the animal world, alongside the realities of nature. Yet whatever their natural attributes, in folklore animals can do almost anything. They can be our friends and foes - and of course they can talk to each other. They can be evil witches and devils in disguise, they can bring good luck and bad. And in real life they can be our dearest companions, to the point of sheer worship.An amazing collection of fanciful superstitions, intriguing tales and amusing anecdotes, which any animal lover will truly relish.

With a foreword by Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey who concludes that: `This is the world that Ruth Binney has brought so wonderfully to life in her book'. Inside the country house, what exactly were the duties of the master's valet and the lady's maid? How did these fit into the daily routine? And what were the protocols for visitors? The answers to these, and many more questions, are revealed in this entertaining and intimate guide to the self-contained world of the country house. Here you'll learn the rules of etiquette essential both upstairs and down -for both residents and visitors -marvel at the intricacies of housekeeping, and enter a bygone age of hunts, house parties and grand balls. All these aspects of country house life, and many more, are introduced here through the contemporary maxims used to instruct the members of the household and their guests, from running a large kitchen to entertaining royalty. Each is brought to life with both practical detail and direct, compelling quotes and illustrations from period manuals and advice books, giving every entry a totally authentic feel and `voice'. Rounding off the book is an informative list of houses to visit, stressing the features that relate directly to the descriptions included in the book.

Why is 7 such a lucky number and 13 so unlucky? Why does a jury traditionally have `12 good men and true', and why are there 24 hours in the day and 60 seconds in a minute? This fascinating new book explores the world of numbers from pin numbers to book titles, and from the sixfold shape of snowflakes to the way our roads, houses and telephone numbers are designated in fact and fiction. Using the numbers themselves as its starting point it investigates everything from the origins and meaning of counting in early civilizations to numbers in proverbs, myths and nursery rhymes and the ancient `science' of numerology. It also focuses on the quirks of odds and evens, primes, on numbers in popular sports - and much, much more. So whether you've ever wondered why Heinz has 57 varieties, why 999 is the UK's emergency phone number but 911 is used in America, why Coco Chanel chose No. 5 for her iconic perfume, or how the title Catch 22 was chosen, then this is the book for you. Dip in anywhere and you'll find that numbers are not just for adding and measuring but can be hugely entertaining and informative whether you're buying a diamond or choosing dinner from the menu.

This ingenious and informative new illustrated book reveals the inside stories of more than 50 common and successful weeds, including cultivated `thugs' which gardeners plant at their peril, and presents its findings as evidence for the prosecution and defence. It then explores the ways in which the weeds are so successful, whether annual, biennial or perennial, and suggests effective ways of removing or controlling them, and for using them wisely. Where important, as with weeds such as Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam, it includes your legal obligations as a gardener to stop these most pernicious weeds from spreading. A useful reference section tells you all you need to know about weeding tools, weedkillers, composting weeds and using mulches to stop them spreading, plus specific details on weeds in lawns and ponds and weeds and the law. So whether you're worried by groundsel or ground elder, nettles or knotweed, bamboo or brambles, or would like to encourage dandelions or clovers to grow exactly where you want them, then these are the verdicts you need.

Trying to understand the wonders and mysteries of the natural world has been a human preoccupation since the earliest times. Myriad myths and legends have subsequently evolved to explain the existence and power of our fertile planet. At the same time, the knowledge of which plants to use as essential foods, remedies, and for construction was of obvious importance, not only to learn but also to pass on and remember. It is therefore hardly surprising that from all corners of the globe a wealth of stories, myths and legends about plants has been passed down to us, gathered together in this fascinating volume. Here you will discover sound principles in some of the traditional advice, and wisdom in many of the observations of the plant world. However there are also highly fanciful superstitions, intriguing tales and amusing anecdotes, which any plant lover will truly relish. Discover which trees are believed to have healing powers? How, in legend, the white rose turn red? Why the lily is a symbol of purity? Any why is it considered unlucky to bring some flowers indoors?

Amazing & Extraordinary Facts about the English Countryside explores the flora and fauna, customs and traditions that give the English countryside its unique charm and special identity. From the standing stones and carvings of our ancestors to the modern farming methods and woodland management of today, discover hundreds of fascinating facts about rural England. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.