Showing titles in Botany & Plants

Thomas Pakenham's classic portraits of 60 distinctive trees, available in download form for the first time. Written by Thomas Pakenham and read by Bill Paterson with an introduction read by the author and music by Orlando Gough. This download includes a fully illustrated accompanying PDF booklet. In 1996, with this astonishing collection, Thomas Pakenham produced a new kind of tree book. The arrangement owes little to conventional botany.

Since his early days of plant restoration, amateur plant scientist Matt Candeias has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection. 

This captivating history of medicine traces healing practices from the Stone Age to modern times, highlighting ancient knowledge and plant-based treatments. This absorbing history of medicine takes the reader on a sweeping journey, revealing that Western medicine has its origins not only in the...

Countless research and anecdotal reports have shown that psilocybin can help relieve numerous mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, crippling fear, substance dependence, PTSD, and OCD, among others. And not only mental health conditions, but also physical ailments such as migraines or cluster headaches, among others. Additionally, it has been used to noticeably improve your daily performance and general well-being.

FROM THE TEAM BEHIND BBC RADIO 4'S AWARD-WINNING NATURE AND COMEDY SERIES NATURE TABLE Did You Know That... A housefly buzzes in the key of F? A cockroach can live for a week without its head, before dying of starvation? Slugs have four noses? So, if you thought that couldn't get slimier, now...

Master the science of dendrochronology and decode the environmental history hidden inside everyday wood. Perfect for a relaxing nature walk or a quiet commute, this immersive exploration turns the outdoors into a living museum. Transform your casual curiosity into a mindful practice of botanical...

Conquer the challenges of indoor gardening by easily growing bizarre, insect-eating flora right on your windowsill. Whether you need a relaxing weekend project or an educational commute listen, this botanical journey demystifies the captivating biology of nature's strangest traps. Transform...

Long before humans evolved, ancient botanical life engineered a hostile, toxic planet into an oxygen-rich haven. Perfect for a contemplative morning commute or a quiet nature walk, this awe-inspiring journey through evolutionary biology explores how prehistoric forests transformed Earth's...

A spellbinding guide to the entwined evolution of humans and flowers—and what they can teach us about life The love story between flowers and humans is millions of years old. Over millennia of ecological changes and challenges, flowers have inspired us, comforted us, and taught us some of our...

A step-by-step audio guide to gardening in lockdown. Gardener and journalist Alice Vincent talks you through turning a handful of seeds into your very first plants. Whether you've got a north-facing balcony, a sunny windowsill or a shaded nook, Alice will help you bring a little bit of green into your life. With clear instructions and expert insight, Alice will illuminate, engage and reassure first-time gardeners, whether you're confined to the indoors or just want to get in touch with the earth.

When Christmas comes for the four March girls, there is no money for expensive presents and they give away their Christmas breakfast to a poor family. But there are no happier girls in America than Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. They miss their father, of course, who is away at the Civil War, but they try hard to be good so that he will be proud of his ’little women’ when he comes home.

Master tree identification and explore forest ecosystems to turn your next outdoor walk into a calming nature escape. Far from a dry academic textbook, this gentle auditory guide translates the complex science of botany into intuitive, sensory-rich language. You will quickly learn to recognize...

Over seven billion people depend on plants for healthy, productive, secure lives, but few of us stop to consider the origin of the plant kingdom that turned the world green and made our lives possible. And as the human population continues to escalate, our survival depends on how we treat the plant kingdom and the soils that sustain it. Understanding the evolutionary history of our land floras, the story of how plant life emerged from water and conquered the continents to dominate the planet, is fundamental to our own existence.

In The Secret Therapy of Trees, Marco Mencagli and Marco Nieri explore the relationship between plants and organisms, and illustrate how to benefit from nature's positive impact on our psychological and physical well-being. Our connection to nature is deeply rooted in the history of our...

Have you ever wondered why the leaves of the Swiss cheese plant have holes? How aloe vera came to be harnessed as a medicinal powerhouse? Or why—despite your best efforts—you can’t keep your Venus flytrap alive? You are not alone: houseplant expert Jane Perrone has asked herself those very questions, and in Legends of the Leaf she digs deep beneath the surface to reveal the answers.

A birth month flower is a symbolic flower assigned to a month of the year. What determines birth month flowers? Birth month flowers are determined by many factors such as history, seasons, symbolism, availability, or culture.

Brought to you by Altrusian Grace Media (altrusiangrace.com) and human-narrated by Matthew Schmitz. Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics by Richard Folkard is an expansive compendium of the myths, customs, superstitions, symbolism, medicinal beliefs, religious associations, and traditional stories connected with plants across many cultures. Moving from flowers, trees, herbs, and fruits to sacred, magical, and ominous vegetation, Folkard traces how the plant kingdom has shaped folklore, poetry, ritual, healing, divination, and everyday life.

California now has more trees than at any time since the late Pleistocene. This green landscape, however, is not the work of nature. It’s the work of history. In the years after the Gold Rush, American settlers remade the California landscape, harnessing nature to their vision of the good life. Horticulturists, boosters, and civic reformers began to "improve" the bare, brown countryside, planting millions of trees to create groves, wooded suburbs, and landscaped cities.

All around us are plants and herbs that can be used to improve our wellbeing and encourage a more nature-focused approach to health. Steeped in history, the herbalist's art paved the way for modern science - but didn't necessarily need to have been replaced by it. In The Time Traveller's Herbal, the traditional remedies and recipes that were passed down through the ages are offered to the modern listener as a means to reconnect with the natural world, while reaping the benefits.

In THE WORST HARD TIME, Timothy Egan put the environmental disaster of the Dust Bowl at the center of a rich history, told through characters he brought to indelible life. Now he performs the same alchemy with the Big Burn, the largest-ever forest fire in America and the tragedy that cemented...