GARDEN GOODNESS

A round-up of fascinating books that celebrate colour, shape, texture and history

FIFTY PLANTS THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY

By Bill Laws, Firefly Books, R310

A fascinating look at the plants that changed civilisations, it features wellknown stories about rice, tea, cotton and tobacco. But its charm lies in the lesser-known stories such as agave, which has over the centuries been used to make sisal, poison arrows, bullets, tequila and surgical thread; sweet pea, which Mendel used in his research on genetics; and white willow, used in the manufacture of aspirin, cricket bats, hot-air balloon baskets and coffins. Each entry includes a description of the plant, its botanical name, native range and primary functions. Elegant botanical drawings, paintings, photographs and insightful quotes add to an innovative perspective on both botanical and human history.