From geraniums to begonias, the common plants that often adorn backyard gardens are rarely native to our region. The same goes for many of the diverse and delicious fruits and vegetables that grace our dinner tables. We take their accessibility and ubiquity for granted, unaware of the great debt we owe to the naturalists and explorers who traveled around the world in search of these then unusual plants and brought back samples and seeds—along with fantastic stories. In The Plant Hunters, Carolyn Fry pays homage to those whose obsession with plants gave rise to our own passion for botanicals and gardening. Lavishly illustrated with more than one hundred images from the archives at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, The Plant Hunters offers an accessible history of plant exploration and discovery through short, informative entries. From the naturalists of Alexander the Great’s entourage to pioneering botanists such as Joseph Hooker, Joseph Banks, and Alexander von Humboldt, Fry’s history covers the globe in its celebration of our fascination with plants. She shows how coconut trees and numerous fruits and vegetables were spread from one country to many, and the significant role that newly discovered plants, including tulips, tea, and rubber, have played in economic history. The Plant Hunters also traces the establishment of botanical gardens and the many uses of plants in medicine. In addition to stunning botanical drawings, the book features several unique facsimiles, including a letter from Carl Linnaeus, the father of taxonomy; extracts from Joseph Hooker’s notebooks; an extract from the orchid sketchbook of John Day; and an original map of Kew Gardens made in 1740 by Jean Rocque. This gorgeous and entertaining history will be a perfect gift for gardeners, and anyone fascinated by the intersection of the histories of science and discovery.

The Plant Hunters: The Adventures of the World's Greatest Botanical Explorers

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Fry, Carolyn

Gardening & Landscape Design

University of Chicago Press

From the magnificence of a towering redwood to the simple elegance of a tiny dandelion, seed-bearing plants abound on planet Earth. The sheer diversity of plants thriving today is largely thanks to the evolution of the seed, as this made plants resilient to environmental changes by enabling them to await optimum conditions for growth before springing to life. In a time of declining biodiversity, studying seeds is now helping scientists preserve this plant diversity for future generations. With Seeds, Carolyn Fry offers a celebration of these vital but unassuming packages of life. She begins with a sweeping tour through human history, designed to help us understand why we should appreciate and respect these floral parcels. Wheat, corn, and rice, she reminds us, supply the foundations of meals eaten by people around the world. Countless medicines, oils, clothing materials, and building supplies are available only because of the versatility and variety of seed-bearing plants. Fry then provides a comprehensive history of the evolution of seeds, explaining the myriad ways that they have adapted, survived, and thrived across the globe. Delving deeper into the science of seeds, she reveals the fascinating processes of dormancy, reproduction, germination, and dispersal, and showcases the estimable work conservationists are doing today to gather and bank seeds in order to prevent species from going extinct. Enriched by a stunning array of full-color images, Seeds offers a comprehensive exploration of some of the most enduring and essential players in the natural world.

Seeds: A Natural History

From the Ancient Egyptians to the travelers along the silk and spice routes to the scientists still uncovering nearly 200 species a day, Plant Hunters tells the story of our obsession with all things that grow-both for their beauty and their economic potential. Accompanied by hundreds of beautiful illustrations, this intriguing tale moves from East to West and back again, introducing the botanists, explorers, and empire builders who gathered plants such as the coconut tree, roses, and numerous fruits and vegetables and brought them to foreign lands. These are the stories behind the plants we now take for granted in our gardens, as well as those that have enriched and impoverished nations.

The Plant Hunters: The Adventures of the World's Greatest Botanical Explorers (Y)

History

World

Andre Deutsch

From our hunter-gatherer ancestors to the first agricultural societies and beyond, the great events of history have been entwined with the discovery and utilization of plant species for medicinal, nutritional, and commercial purposes. Now, as we face the challenges of climate change, our relationship with plants is more important than ever. Featuring many rare images from the archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, and 12 items of facsimile memorabilia--including extracts from the notebooks of famed explorers and naturalists--The Plant Hunters casts a fascinating light on the human past . . . and future.

Travel across the world and through history to meet the botanical pioneers who changed our landscape. Plant Hunters tells the story of our obsession with all things that grow—both for their beauty and their economic potential—and the creation of botanical gardens to cultivate them. This sumptuous, intriguing volume moves from East to West and back again, introducing the botanists, explorers, and empire builders who gathered plants such as the coconut tree, roses, and numerous fruits and vegetables to bring back home. Showcasing hundreds of breathtaking illustrations and historical documents, it examines the species we now take for granted and the plants that have enriched and impoverished nations.

Discover a vast treasure trove of botanical knowledge in The Botanist's Library, a superbly illustrated collection of 300+ seminal books and illustrations from throughout history. From the earliest manuscripts penned by visionary naturalists, to the modern tomes that continue to shape our understanding of the plant kingdom, this book is a testament to the tireless dedication of the world's greatest botanists. Its compelling narrative and visual journey make it a must-have addition to the library of anyone fascinated by the beauty and complexity of the plant kingdom. This complete guide traces the development of botanical science through era-defining publications, covering: <ul> <li>Historia Plantarum, the first history of botany, written between c. 350 BC and c. 287 BC, in which Theophrastus described plants by their uses, and attempted a biological classification, based on how plants reproduced, to the authors of the herbals of the 16th century</li> <li>Brunfels, Fuchs, Bock and Mattioli, who regarded plants as the vehicles of medicinal virtues</li> <li>The golden age of the 18th- and 19th-century flower hunters, who travelled to every corner of the world in search of new and exotic plants</li> <li>Today's most significant works of botanical reference</li> </ul> Each chapter delves into the pages of a seminal work, unveiling the insights, controversies, and stories behind the books that have shaped our understanding of the plant world. Whether you are a seasoned botanist, a budding enthusiast, or simply someone with an insatiable curiosity about the natural world, The Botanist's Library offers a comprehensive reference that will enrich your understanding of botany and its evolution.

The Botanists' Library: The most important botanical books in history (Liber Historica)

Wayland, Emma

Historical Study & Educational Resources

Ivy Press

Tie-in to the landmark 25-part BBC Radio 4 series with Kew Gardens. The peculiarly British obsession with gardens goes back a long way, and Plants: From Roots to Riches takes readers back to where it all began. Across 25 vivid episodes, Kathy Willis, Kew's charismatic Head of Science, will show how the last 250 years transformed Britain's relationship with plants. Behind the scenes at the Botanical Gardens all kinds of surprising things have been going on. As the British Empire painted the atlas red, explorers, adventurers, and scientists brought the most interesting specimens and information back to London. From the discovery of Botany Bay to the horrors of the potato famine, from orchid hunters to quinine smugglers, from Darwin's experiments to the unexpected knowledge unlocked by the 1987 hurricane, understanding how plants work has changed the UK's history and could safeguard their future. In the style of A History of the World in 100 Objects, each chapter tells a separate story, but, gathered together, a great picture unfolds, of a remarkable science, botany. Plants: From Roots to Riches is a beautifully designed cloth book, packed with 200 images in both color and black and white from Kew's amazing archives, some never reproduced before. Kathy Willis and Carolyn Fry, the acclaimed popular-science writer, have also added all kinds of fascinating extra history, heroes and villains, memorable stories, and interviews. Their book takes readers on an exciting rollercoaster ride through the past and future and shows how much plants really do matter.

Plants: From Roots to Riches

Willis, Kathy

John Murray

Tie-in to the landmark 25-part BBC Radio 4 series with Kew Gardens. The peculiarly British obsession with gardens goes back a long way, and Plants: From Roots to Riches takes readers back to where it all began. Across 25 vivid episodes, Kathy Willis, Kew's charismatic Head of Science, will show how the last 250 years transformed Britain's relationship with plants. Behind the scenes at the Botanical Gardens all kinds of surprising things have been going on. As the British Empire painted the atlas red, explorers, adventurers, and scientists brought the most interesting specimens and information back to London. From the discovery of Botany Bay to the horrors of the potato famine, from orchid hunters to quinine smugglers, from Darwin's experiments to the unexpected knowledge unlocked by the 1987 hurricane, understanding how plants work has changed the UK's history and could safeguard their future. In the style of A History of the World in 100 Objects, each chapter tells a separate story, but, gathered together, a great picture unfolds, of a remarkable science, botany. Plants: From Roots to Riches is a beautifully designed book, packed with 200 images in both color and black and white from Kew's amazing archives, some never reproduced before. Kathy Willis and Carolyn Fry, the acclaimed popular-science writer, have also added all kinds of fascinating extra history, heroes and villains, memorable stories, and interviews. Their book takes readers on an exciting rollercoaster ride through the past and future and shows how much plants really do matter.

A stunning photographic record of the world's endangered peoples and wild places. 
 The western world and its consumer-goods culture dominate almost all of Earth. But Living Tribes captures in images the peoples whose lives, traditions, and culture have remained unchanged for millennia. These cultures hold vital knowledge that is passed down from generation to generation through artwork, handicraft, and storytelling. Essential to tribal life are its age-old rituals and customs. 
 Colin Prior and his camera were allowed extraordinary access to the daily routines and special rites of 15 tribes. 
 From Africa
<ul> Berber Himba and Herero Turkana and Samburu Masai </ul>
 From Asia
<ul>Lisu and Padaung Bhutanese Ladakhi Khampa Balti Toraja </ul>
 From Australia
<ul>Aborigine </ul>
 From North America
<ul>Inuit </ul>
 The dignified and beautiful photographs capture the universal essence of humanity and the sweeping majesty of our environment. Informative introductions explain the cultural context of the images -- how tribal cultures evolved and the various threats to their existence. 
 This book is a tribute to humanity's relentless spirit to survive and thrive even in some of the most hostile conditions on Earth.

Living Tribes

Arts & Photography

Photography & Video

Firefly Books

Mapping The Oceans

Arcturus

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Fry, Carolyn. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Fry, Carolyn

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Fry, Carolyn. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Plant Hunters: The Adventures of the World's Greatest Botanical Explorers

Seeds: A Natural History

The Plant Hunters: The Adventures of the World's Greatest Botanical Explorers (Y)

The Plant Hunters: The Adventures of the World's Greatest Botanical Explorers (Y)

The Plant Hunters: The Adventures of the World's Greatest Botanical Explorers (Y)

The Botanists' Library: The most important botanical books in history (Liber Historica)

Plants: From Roots to Riches

Plants: From Roots to Riches

Living Tribes

Mapping The Oceans