Bøker av Matthew Biggs

Botanists have been the trailblazers in discovering how plants work tobenefit our species, collecting many of the plant-species we find in ourgardens today from all around the world. This informative and beautiful guidepresents the stories and revealsthe secrets of 35 of these botanists, plant collectors and gardening pioneers of thepast and present.This includes Joseph Banks, Asa Gray and Marianne North, highlighting the qualities that brought themsuccess. Every botanist included in TheSecrets of Great Botanists was, or is, passionate about their particular specialty.Whether they were searching for plants in wild places, prescribing herbalmedicines or forming new structures of plant classification, they were drivenby an insatiable desire to learn and discover, so that we, as humans, mightbenefit from improved crops, medicines or gardens.Through the vibrancy of botanical photographs andbeautifully illustrated period botanical watercolours, this book aims to teachreaders about the observations, ideas, secrets and discoveries of these ground-breakingbotanists. Their influence on gardening and the wider world will provide inspiration and practical guidance forbudding gardeners of all levels and inspire readers to try these plants andtips at home.

Journey across 40 incredible habitats around the world to discover the biggest, boldest, and stinkiest plants Without plants there would be no life on Earth, but most people are blind to their impact. This stylish and informative introduction to plants sets out to cure 'plant blindness' by introducing children to 66 amazing plants from the six major climactic zones around the world. From the smelliest, such as the massive Titan Arum of the Indonesian rainforest, which stinks of rotting flesh to attract insects, to the hardest-working, including peat moss, an overlooked bog plant that helps protect our planet by trapping carbon dioxide, readers will learn about the vital role of plants in Nature through detailed, vibrant illustrations and fascinating facts. Children will also learn how to use their new-found knowledge of the plant's natural environment to care for the plants around them and at home. Fully researched, written, and vetted by expert botanists from around the world, this book teaches children about plants in the context of their natural environment, and is ideal for geography and biology curricular tie ins, as well as being a book that will inspire children to love and care for the plants around them. This is the perfect compendium for plant-lovers, budding gardeners, and would-be botanists and nature-lovers alike. Ages 7 - 12