The Secrets of Great Botanists

Botanists have been the trailblazers in discovering how plants work to
benefit our species, collecting many of the plant-species we find in our
gardens today from all around the world. This informative and beautiful guide
presents the stories and reveals
the secrets of 35 of these botanists, plant collectors and gardening pioneers of the
past and present.
This includes Joseph Banks, Asa Gray and Marianne North, highlighting the qualities that brought them
success. Every botanist included in The
Secrets of Great Botanists was, or is, passionate about their particular specialty.
Whether they were searching for plants in wild places, prescribing herbal
medicines or forming new structures of plant classification, they were driven
by an insatiable desire to learn and discover, so that we, as humans, might
benefit from improved crops, medicines or gardens.
Through the vibrancy of botanical photographs and
beautifully illustrated period botanical watercolours, this book aims to teach
readers about the observations, ideas, secrets and discoveries of these ground-breaking
botanists. Their influence on gardening and the wider world will provide inspiration and practical guidance for
budding gardeners of all levels and inspire readers to try these plants and
tips at home.