THE EARTH IN HER HANDS: 75 EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN WORKING IN THE WORLD OF PLANTS

Timber Press, £26.99 ISBN 978-1604699029

An illuminating and inspiring book of personal and professional journeys with plants is a must-read for anyone interested in the human impulse to garden. Reviewer Hannah Gardner is a horticulturist and garden writer.

As host of the award-winning podcast Cultivating Place, Jennifer Jewell is mindful of the human instinct to interact with plants. Her first book is an empowering and expertly curated collection of 75 portraits of women working in diverse sectors of horticulture, with a focus on those active in the past 25 years. Drawing together these women in one book allows the reader to appreciate their contributions in the wider context of protecting biodiversity and cultivating our interdependence with plants.

The women are of diverse ethnicity, sexual orientation and age, but the geographic scope of the book is represented by women from the USA, Canada, Australia, India, Japan, Ireland and the UK. The author clearly demonstrates that women’s contribution to horticulture is central to an increased social and environmental responsibility. A thread that quickly becomes apparent is the importance not just of individual knowledge and achievements, but also of communication. These women are instinctive educators and mentors. Their output is considerable, many are authors, also communicating via social media, broadcasting, workshops or lecturing. This enables their energy, focus and insight to radiate out, shining a light on the challenges facing the natural world and our place in it. The scope of Jewell’s selection is impressive: ‘I want to explore the ways this field is a more viable and creative career path for women than ever before,’ she writes.

In each profile a short, paragraph describes a favourite landscape followed by an exploration of each woman’s ‘plant journey’. The text is lively and engaging, enriched by the considerable knowledge and awareness of the author. Other inspirational women are listed for each entry. This greatly expands the range of the text, directing the reader towards other rewarding material and an appreciation of great lives lived.