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"This richly illustrated book provides an in-depth natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth, covering everything from the lethal effects of hemlock and deadly nightshade to the uses of such plants in medicine, ritual, and chemical warfare"--Dust jacket.
“Readers who enjoy plants and offbeat tales will find Brown’s book a happy mix” (Publishers Weekly). Mankind has always had a morbid fascination with poisonous plants. Over the centuries, poisonous plants have been used to remove garden pests—as well as unwanted rivals and deceitful partners. They have also been used for their medicinal qualities, as rather dangerous cosmetics, and even to help seduce a lover when perceived as an aphrodisiac. Some of these and other uses originate in a medieval book that has not yet been translated into English. This book delves into the history of these plants, covering such topics as: How shamans and priests used these plants for their magical attributes, as a means to foretell the future or to commune with the gods How a pot of basil helped to conceal a savage murder The truth about the mysterious mandrake A conundrum written by Jane Austen to entertain her family—the answer to which is one of the plants in this book These stories and many more will enlighten you on these treacherous and peculiar plants, their defensive and deadly traits, the facts behind them, and the folklore that has grown around them.
Hands up if you've killed a plant? Yep, me too. It's no secret that we've all become plant obsessed, but do we really understand how to look after them? I am not a Professor of Botany, but having run my florist and plant shop, Grace & Thorn, since 2011 I've learnt a few things along the way. HOW NOT TO KILL YOUR PLANTS is about taking the hocus-pocus out of plants and flowers and enabling you to understand a plant's needs in order to know where to place and how to style them, but most importantly how to keep them alive. I get asked every type of question you can imagine and I have written this book to answer them. Watering can down, it's time to go back to the roots. Keep it green. Nik x (AKA The Agony Plant)
"I kill everything I plant." Does this sound like you or someone you know? Give yourself a pat on the back because admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. And lucky for you, you can easily turn your brown thumb into a green one with the help of Plants You Can’t Kill. Seriously—it doesn’t matter how many plants you’ve killed in gardens past. It’s time to put those experiences behind you and finally grow something in your empty and bare spots. This is the only gardening book you’ll ever need with more than 100 plant picks for every situation. You want veggies? We have ’em. You need to fill a big space? We have shrub ideas for you. You just want something pretty? We have plenty of that, as well. The plants in Plants You Can’t Kill have been vetted by an amazing and famous panel of horticulture experts (this is just a fancy way of saying they went to college for gardening), so feel confident you’re not wasting money on yet another gardening book. These plants will actually survive your well-meaning, yet sometimes neglectful ways. Ready for the most resilient, hardcore, badass list of plants known to gardeners? Find them and grow them with the help of Plants You Can’t Kill.
It's time to take control of your outdoor (or indoor) space with 50 Plants That You Can't Kill. These 50 easy-to-grow plants have been selected for their love of neglect and their ability to withstand even the most forgetful of gardeners. Whether you're looking for edibles for your windowsill, potted plants for your balcony or climbers for your garden, there's something for everyone. Handy plant profiles tell you why to grow it, where to put it and how to look after it, helping your plants to thrive without too much maintenance from you! - 50 resilient and easy-to-care-for plants - Plants in the same family and other alternatives give you even more choice - Clear and simple profiles tell you the space, light, water and soil requirements of each plant - Expert care advice in the form of dos and don'ts - Contains basic information on planting, watering, growing from seed and feeding
A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother). Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.
Deadly flowers. Poisonous berries. Beans that kill. They may look safe, but stay away from killer plants. Read about some of the deadliest plants on the planet.
Following the success of Plants You Can’t Kill, Tornio now takes a look at those plants that can actually kill you if you’re not careful. This book will offer up information to gardening enthusiasts of all levels about common plants that are toxic, poisonous, and even deadly. While the level of toxicity varies from each plant, all are considered deadly in one way or another to wild animals, family pets, and even humans. With its colorful, easy-to-read format, Plants That Can’t Kill will introduce readers to what these plants look like, smell like, feel like, and sometimes even taste like. Fun facts, interesting tidbits, and history will combine to teach gardeners where these types of plants can be found, how poisonous each one is, and whether these plants are still okay to have in their gardens or if they should be gotten rid of immediately. Plants featured include many common and attractive species you may receive in bouquets or even decorate your homes with, including daffodils, irises, tulips, jasmine, witch hazel, mistletoe, poinsettias, buttercups, marigolds, and even fruits and vegetables like cherries, rhubarb, and some tomatoes.
Describes the physical characteristics and natural habitats of several varieties of plants, as well as their poisonous, medical, and magical properties.
