Where the Wildflowers Grow: Shortlisted for the Richard Jefferies Award

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Flowers evolved for reproduction and, in their simplest form, the fertile structures at the centre – the plant’s private parts – consist of the female stigma and pollen-covered male stamens. Pollen is transferred from the stamens of one plant to the stigmas of another, which initiates seed production. A typical flower has a ring of green, leaf-like flaps called sepals that protect the unopened bud. When the flower opens, these shadow the petals, which are usually brightly coloured and serve to attract pollinators. In the end, this was an interesting book. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I needed to know what was going to happen next. The Cassidy family is a messed up family to all extremes. The only "normal" one was Lily, but she had major issues too....I'm glad she made up with her mom though, it was utterly stupid for her to shut her out like she did. Can't say why, but it was a dumb reason. Meh. ANYWAYS! I would recommend this those that like dramas and people stories. Out of five stars I shall stamp this with 4 stars. Mainly because some of the ending made me mad and I didn't like a lot of the characters. haha A good case of nominative determinism – the author’s name is pronounced “leaf” – and fun connections abound: during the course of his year-long odyssey, he spends time plant-hunting with Jon Dunn and Sophie Pavelle, whose books featured earlier in my flora-themed summer reading: Orchid Summer and Forget Me Not [review pending for the TLS]. With Dunn on Unst, Shetland, he sees not only rare flowers but close-up orcas. Like Pavelle, who he meets up with in Cornwall, he has an eye to how species will be affected by climate change and commits to doing his hunting by train and bike; there’s only so much you can see when zooming by in a car. Bersweden makes a case for spending time with plants – after all, they don’t move, so once you’ve found them you can commune in a way you can’t during, say, a fleeting mammal encounter. Leif’s new book, Where the Wildflowers Grow, follows him on that journey as he botanises his way through an entire calendar year, meeting our plants, telling their stories and exploring people’s connection to their local flora. The structure of the book as an ongoing journey was excellent. Each chapter focuses on a particular place and plant or habitat and it creates a good flow that keeps the reader interested but not overwhelmed.

Dalton, who as a thirteen year old boy believed a few lies, doing what he had to, to protect his sister. His sense of understanding had lead him on several wrong paths, but at the end he turned out to be a well adjusted man. These struggles continued throughout his adult life, where he became a Priest and teacher. It's a truly inspiring novel from a gifted young writer, who also happens to be a botanist! My only gripe is the realisation that 60% of my children are older than Leif, making me feel a little bit ancient ... Big blue, white or violet flowers on a handsome plant, one of the signatures of midsummer in limestone grassland and vergesThe last part of the book is disjointed. There is a lengthy description of autumn trees and of seaweed foraging. This chapter is way off topic. The last chapter is way too reflective. It would be more interesting to have an epilogue about what he did next. Did he go on to study orchids? Is he working at Kew Gardens? Has he got a science education business? I was given this book for review and I was very surprised with it. I was transported to the early 60's in this book where so many things were considered taboo. Marital affairs, teenagers having sex, murder, even lesbianism; those were quite a few twists and surprises in this book. A charming, detailed and insightful adventure showing off the botanical delights of Britain and Ireland. The author spends a year cycling the land, getting to know the diverse range of plants and habitats these countries have to offer.

The book centered around one family a husband and wife with 2 teenage children, a boy and a girl. They all have secrets and they all go basically unpunished except by themselves. The characters were very well developed and it was interesting as the story weaved in and out of their lives and revealing so many secrets by the whole family. It was this fascination that led to a degree in biology and now a PhD from Kew on orchids. He has never fallen out of love with our green friends and have already been to various parts of the country with the intention of finding orchids he wanted to see for himself other plants in their location. He brogan this trip though in London with his mum looking for plants that were flowering on the 1st of January 2021. The only specification for planting wildflowers is that the area needs to be open and sunny. If your planting area is shaded then you should look at planting woodland wildflowers as they will be more likely to thrive. Lily and Dalton were also characters that were interesting to get wrapped in. Lily had known love when she was younger and as steadily trying to find this again when she got older. She gets in and out of relationships without care to try and find her ultimate happiness. dalton is only thirteen years old and is trying his best to protect his sister. He moves into his adult life and becomes a teacher and a Priest. It’s amazing how people’s lives can change so dramatically. Pierce was also a character that I was not sure about at the beginning but he is also turned out to be one of my favorites along the way.On the way he cycles or takes the train to meet up with botanists and conservationists. They reflect on the many other benefits of plant hunting, as well as the sad decline of great swathes of natural habitat.

From Lizard Peninsula, Britain's southern most point, north to Unst Island, from the lowland plains Fens and forests to the alpine heights, it's a travel itinerary with a purpose. Conservation features heavily in this book. There was barely a chapter that went by without mention of degraded or disappearing habitats, climate change, shrinking populations and changes to biodiversity. And that is how it should be. Organisms do not exist in isolation and especially now humans need to act and realise how much harm we are doing to our planet. Everything deserves a chance and a place to exist, even if it doesn't benefit us as a species (though usually nature does). A woodland plant on limestone, the flowers of this garden ancestor symbolised a flight of doves to the medieval mind Ryan was constantly one that was searching for more and more. He seemed that he was never satisfied with anything including his marriage. He has many times where he makes mistakes, but this let’s the reader know that he is struggling to eventually find what makes him happy. Growing from a man who was at first very centered around himself to a person that cares a lot about people around him. One thing I truly enjoyed was that he became a better father figure as he got older compared to when he was younger. It’s nice to see people learn from what they were doing wrong and change those things to make an ultimately better life for themselves and everyone around them.Conscious that facts are only half the story, the emotional part of the book varies from overly reserved when it comes to his relationships with people to overly exuberant when it comes to his relationship with plants. It's as if all of his buttoned up Englishness just can't wait to burst free into this eccentric, joyful and endearing pastime. An easy umbellifer to recognise because of its distinctively concave, off-white flowerhead on verges and coastal walks everywhere Leif is clearly not as enthusiastic about estuarine plants, so either this chapter needed more effort on his part to learn more, or it should have been excluded. This bicycle Odyssey of Britain and Ireland's wild flora is joyous, inspirational and beautifully observed. In Leif Bersweden our wild flowers have found both their rhapsodist and their champion."

But it is a landscape that is fast disappearing. Climate change, habitat destruction and declining pollinator populations mean that the future for plant life looks bleaker than ever before. Many of us are also unable to identify, or even notice, the plants that grow around us.

Ahead of his Plant Science Lecture at the Garden Museum on Friday 25 November, adventuring botanist Leif Bersweden shares an extract from his new book Where the Wildflowers Grow: Honestly, though, this is a lovely book written by a person who earnestly loves plants. In a country with so little nature left and so little endemic biodiversity, this is particularly endearing.