Book Review – “Botany for Gardeners” by Brian Capon
January 6, 2011 by Andy
Filed under Species and Product Overview
Do you ever wonder how plants manage to get by in nature? They do so with a remarkable order and complexity and enough variation among species to fit virtually every environment. Gardeners and plant enthusiasts with an interest in science can quench their curiosity with Botany for Gardeners by Brian Capon.
The language Capon uses is friendly to the layperson, yet there is enough information to serve as a concise review of botanical basics for the grower or other professional. Terminology is always explained where necessary. Many beautiful photographs and clear illustrations support the text. The end result of this read is an enhanced appreciation of plants as experts of survival and reproduction among the elements and myriad life forms of nature.
Major topics covered include:
- Growth and organization of the plant’s parts from cells and seeds to roots, shoots and leaves
- Adaptations for protection against physical and biological stresses
- Growth responses to the environment and plant nutrition
- Reproduction, including how flowers work to produce seed and the genetic principles of plant life
Botany for Gardeners is not a strictly practical guide, although it does provide useful information. For example, pruning and vegetative propagation will be better understood with a knowledge of plant anatomy and growth hormones. Common terms that are used to describe plants in identification guides are reviewed. Several useful tables are presented for reference, including common house and garden plants that are poisonous. The appendix explains the logic and importance of scientific plant names.
Plants allow us to exist and they make our world beautiful. So ground yourself in the fundamentals of botany and see plants in a new light with Botany for Gardeners.
