Anatomy Of A Rose

Anatomy Of A Rose

The Secret Life of Flowers

Summary

An acclaimed nature writer reveals the secret life of flowers. In Anatomy of a Rose, Sharman Apt Russell eloquently unveils the "inner life" of flowers. From their diverse fragrances to their nasty deceptions, Russell proves that, where nature is concerned, 'wonder is not only our starting point, it can also be our destination.'

Throughout this botanical journey, she reveals that the science behind these intelligent plants - how they evolved, how they survive, how they heal - is even more awe-inspiring than their fleeting beauty. Russell helps us imagine what a field of snapdragons looks like to a honeybee, and she introduces us to flowers that regulate their own temperature, attract pollinating bats, even smell like a rotting corpse. She also delves into cutting-edge research on everything from flower senses to their healing power.

Long used to ease everything from depression to childbirth, flowers are now our main line of defence against childhood leukaemia and the deadly Ebola virus. In this wonderful book, which combines graceful writing with a scientist's clarity, Russell brings together the work of botanists around the globe, and illuminates a world at once familiar and exotic.

Reviews

  • A truly engaging book on the extraordinary world of flowers into which the writer takes us with wry wit and fearsome knowledge... Fascinating stuff, and will ensure you never look at your garden in the same way again.
    Sunday Times

About the author

Sharman Apt Russell

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