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A Little Book of Latin for Gardeners

Hardback

Main Details

Title A Little Book of Latin for Gardeners
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Peter Parker
Physical Properties
Format:Hardback
Pages:176
Dimensions(mm): Height 224,Width 143
Category/GenreLanguage - history and general works
Plants
Trees, wildflowers and plants
ISBN/Barcode 9781408706169
ClassificationsDewey:580.14
Audience
General
Illustrations Illustration details: Line drawings tbc

Publishing Details

Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Imprint Little, Brown
Publication Date 1 November 2018
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

How did the delphinium get its name? Which parts of the body lend their names to auriculas and orchids? Who are the gentian, lobelia and heuchera named after? Why are nasturtiums and antirrhinums connected? What does an everlasting pea have to do with Indian miniature paintings? These are some of the questions answered in Peter Parker's adventurous exploration of the mysteries of Botanical Latin. Evolved over many centuries and often thought to belong to the rarefied world of scholars and scientists, this invented language is in fact a very useful tool for everyday gardening. It allows us to find our way around nurseries; it sorts out confusions when two plants have the same English name; and it gives us all kinds of information about how big or small a plant will grow, what shape or colour it will develop, and what habitat it prefers. In his lively survey, Parker agues that Botanical Latin is not merely useful, but fun. The naming of plants draws upon geography, social and medical history, folklore, mythology, language, literature, the human body, the animal kingdom and all manner of ancient beliefs and superstitions. The book, beautifully illustrated with old woodcuts, explains how and why plants have been named, includes handy lists of identifying adjectives, and takes the reader down some of the stranger byways of human endeavour and eccentricity.

Author Biography

Peter Parker was born in Herefordshire and now lives and gardens in London's East End. He is the author of two books about the First World War, The Old Lie and The Last Veteran, biographies of J. R. Ackerley and Christopher Isherwood, and Housman Country: Into the Heart of England. He has written about plants and gardens for HORTUS and the Daily Telegraph, and is a former Chair of the Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Library Advisory Committee. He can be found online at www.peterparkerwriter.com, www.instagram.com/prnparker and www.twitter.com/PParkerWriting