Limit this search to....

Latin for Gardeners: Over 3,000 Plant Names Explained and Explored
Contributor(s): Harrison, Lorraine (Author)
ISBN: 022600919X     ISBN-13: 9780226009193
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
OUR PRICE:   $22.50  
Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats
Published: September 2012
Qty:
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
- Gardening | Reference
- Science | Life Sciences - Taxonomy
- Science | Life Sciences - Botany
Dewey: 580.14
LCCN: 2012020837
Physical Information: 1" H x 7" W x 9" (1.55 lbs) 224 pages
 
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
Publisher Description:

Since Latin became the standard language for plant naming in the eighteenth century, it has been intrinsically linked with botany. And while mastery of the classical language may not be a prerequisite for tending perennials, all gardeners stand to benefit from learning a bit of Latin and its conventions in the field. Without it, they might buy a Hellebores foetidus and be unprepared for its fetid smell, or a Potentilla reptans with the expectation that it will stand straight as a sentinel rather than creep along the ground.

An essential addition to the gardener's library, this colorful, fully illustrated book details the history of naming plants, provides an overview of Latin naming conventions, and offers guidelines for pronunciation. Readers will learn to identify Latin terms that indicate the provenance of a given plant and provide clues to its color, shape, fragrance, taste, behavior, functions, and more.

Full of expert instruction and practical guidance, Latin for Gardeners will allow novices and green thumbs alike to better appreciate the seemingly esoteric names behind the plants they work with, and to expertly converse with fellow enthusiasts. Soon they will realize that having a basic understanding of Latin before trips to the nursery or botanic garden is like possessing some knowledge of French before traveling to Paris; it enriches the whole experience.

Contributor Bio(s): Harrison, Lorraine: -

Lorraine Harrison is the author of several books, including Inspiring Sussex Gardeners, The Shaker Book of the Garden, How to Read Gardens, and A Potted History of Vegetables: A Kitchen Cornucopia.