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Title details for A Short History of Flowers by Advolly Richmond - Available

A Short History of Flowers

The stories that make our gardens

by Advolly Richmond
Sarah Jane Humphrey
ebook
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1 of 1 copy available
Garden and social historian Advolly Richmond (of Gardener's World) unravels the surprising histories of 60 flowers that shape our gardens.
Have you ever wondered where your favorite garden flowers came from? Where their names derived? Or why some cultivars go in and out of favor? Every flower in your herbaceous border has a story, and in this book Advolly Richmond takes you on a tour of the most intriguing, surprising and enriching ones.
Tales of exploration, everlasting love and bravery bring these beautiful flowers to life. Advolly has dug down to uncover the royalty, scholars, pioneers, and a smuggler or two that have all played a part in discovering and cultivating some of our favorite species. From the lavish and exotic bougainvillea, found by an 18th century female botanist in disguise to the humble but majestic snowdrop casting a spell and causing a frenzy. These plants have played pivotal roles in our societies, from boom to bust economies, promises of riches, and making fashion statements. These unassuming blooms hold treasure troves of stories.

With specially commissioned artworks from award-winning botanical illustrator Sarah Jane Humphrey, which sumptuously bring each flower to life – this is a beautiful compendium for every garden lover.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 5, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780711282230

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780711282230
      • File size: 9609 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      April 1, 2024

      Richmond, a garden historian and presenter on BBC Gardener's World, gathers the origin stories of flowers in this illustrated volume that will please gardeners, trivia lovers, and readers who enjoy floral almanacs. Richmond details how flowers, transported from one continent to another, lost their names, identities, and stories. She corrects that, for UK gardeners, with a sense of rigor, fun, and fancy. Each entry includes a range of stories and details, such as when the flower first arrived in Great Britain, its associations, its notable aspects through history, and a wealth of details that touch on art, commerce, friendships, royalty, and more. Readers will learn of Jean-Honor� Fragonard's association with hollyhocks and his Progress of Love paintings; of the role the East India Company played in bringing a camellia to English gardens; and how the lily of the valley was considered a good luck charm and distilled into a golden water. A selected bibliography that will please scholars and an index that will please browsers round out the offering. VERDICT A lovely work to dip in and out of, as interest and flowers dictate.--Neal Wyatt

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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