Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland - Hardcover

As our lives become more urbanised, many of us have lost the ability to name these beautiful flowers, whether in cities or countryside, in gardens or conservation areas. This comprehensive field guide will appeal to expert and beginner alike, with over 600 wild-flower specimens from the woodlands, grasslands and chalk downlands and the mountainous, aquatic and maritime habitats of Britain and Northern Europe. Each entry gives: Latin and common names Descriptions of flowers, fruit and leaves (size, colour, structure and fruiting season), height, spread, habitat and region found. Anecdotes on historical background, medicinal or herbal uses and common folklore breathe life into the text. The plants are arranged by colour (white, yellow, orange, red, pink, blue/purple, green/brown/black) so that you don't need botanical knowledge to identify them and the detailed photographs show every aspect of the flower. Superb location photography complements the plant identification shots, showing the plants in natural habitats. Chapters also discuss the importance of wild flowers in their ecosystems, conservation and endangered species and offer advice on designing your own wildflower garden.

Rae Spencer-Jones studied Horticulture and Landscape & Amenity Management before becoming a garden writer. She has written for Gardeners' World, Homes and Gardens, New Eden, Country Living and many more; most recently she was a staff writer and commissioning editor with Gardens Illustrated magazine. THE PHOTOGRAPHER - Sarah Cuttle is one of the UK's most inspiring young photographers. Her work has been published in Gardens Illustrated, Waitrose and Sainsbury's magazines and her photographs for Trees for the Garden (Kyle Cathie 2002) were described as 'mouth-watering' by Gardens Illustrated.