Book reviews
A passionate and eloquent, if one-sided, exploration of the ethical case for native plants and its philosophical implications. Reviewer Noel Kingsbury is a plantsman and garden writer.
Ethics is rarely openly discussed in garden circles, but lies just beneath the surface in all expressions of concern over pollinators, the use of peat in potting composts, garden chemicals and so on. This book promises much, but focuses almost wholly on one issue: it is a restatement of what has become known as ‘nativism’, the belief that gardens and designed landscapes should be entirely or overwhelmingly planted with locally native plant species. The author argues that reconnecting our gardens with nature involves planting species that have ‘co-evolved’ with the natural environment, that only natives can support the web of life that human civilisation has done so much to destroy. Underlying the discussion is a belief in deep ecology, the idea that the human species has no more intrinsic rights than any other.
This book joins a vigorous debate that is largely a North American one, and one where scientific backing can be called on to support different conclusions. The issues in Europe are different, there being little real evidence for justifying native-only planting. Besides, we have a more uncomfortable history – the promotion of native plants was part of Nazi landscape policy. Ecologists are increasingly talking about ‘novel ecosystems’, of which our gardens can be a very good example, composed of species of many different origins, but with a rich ecological functioning, an extension of the idea that natural ecosystems themselves are very accidental in nature.
Sadly, however, this idea is more or less dismissed. In these politically fevered times, an attempt to address some of the more contentious implications of ‘nativism’ might have added to this otherwise spirited and well-argued defence.
A book of wide-ranging and solid horticultural advice for beginners, backed up by lavish and colourful illustrations. Reviewer Lia Leendertz is a garden writer and blogger.
New gardeners must be the most prolific buyers of gardening books, as there seem to be endless and varied attempts at attracting and educating them. Flora is a book that covers the basics for those new to the game, and does it well. First things first, though: this book is not a ‘flora’ in any traditional sense. It does not belong with the grand tomes that fall under this name in the RHS Lindley Library, that list and chart the plant species of Greece, Java or Brazil. Here we can presume that ‘flora’ has been chosen simply as an appealing title that will look beautiful on the cover and will lure in the curious, and in that it certainly succeeds.
The book is written by long-time RHS chief horticultural adviser Guy Barter, who also runs the RHS members’ advisory service, so we know that the calibre of the advice within will be top notch. And indeed it is, covering every possible aspect of gardening carefully and methodically. It shows you how to do everything you could think of in your garden from bee-friendly planting to making new plants from cuttings, checking soil pH and choosing ornamental grasses.
The book’s gimmick, if it is fair to call it that, is that it is beautiful: it has been lavishly, imaginatively and generously illustrated by Sam Falconer, who covers every page in colour and life. This has the effect of drawing the reader into the page and of holding interest. The illustrations bring to life elements of gardening that might otherwise be considered dull and help explain complicated topics in a simple, visual way. The breadth of focus of this book does mean that each topic is dealt with fairly briefly, but it will capture the interest of a beginner. It makes a beautiful and reliable starting point.