The complete definitive encyclopaedia is now available for the first time in large softback, and Bibliophile is the first to acquire copies. It provides meanings, powers, facts and folklore for over 1,001 flower species organised by both scientific and common names, along with a beautiful colour visual depiction. The characteristics, historic meanings and powers from mythology, medieval legends, folklore and flower poetry, symbolic flower meanings have fascinated readers, writers, poets and romantic couples alike for centuries. Extremely popular during the Victorian era, these floriographies blossomed whether helping create a bespoke wedding bouquet or planning stunning garden planting combinations. The use of one particular plant over any other in any working is dependent on its ability to boost confidence in the possible inherent power of that plant and its potent magical elements such as the dandelion puff. Sunflowers represent ambition, constancy and devotion; the daisy childlike playfulness and beauty; the amaryllis adventurousness, passion and the purple tulip eternal love, the Salix or pussywillow illness recovery or receiving a blessing, the petunia creativity and a settled lifestyle, and the rose of Sharon hibiscus persistent love and protection. Four to six entries per page, each with a beautiful colour artwork, Latin and alternative names, symbolic meanings, folklore and facts. 256 large pages, 15.4 x 19cm approx. Colour throughout.

'50 Signs, Symbols and Practices from the Natural World to Bring Inner Peace, Protection and Good Fortune', from a feather to a fallen leaf or a pebble on the beach, we are all drawn to collect natural charms. It is a living symbol of your wishes and this book is an invitation to collect and create your own natural charms for protection, personal insight, good fortune and healing. From a herb sprig or a fallen twiglet or shell, the book features folklore, symbology and practical rituals, alongside ancient crafts and modern techniques and how to use the gifts to make charms, talismans, amulets, altars and natural mandalas. Work with plants, trees, herbs, feathers, shells and stones, and for each there is a beautiful colour or line artwork and fact boxes for techniques such as making a altar to the sea, pressing seaweed and finding the significance of the crow for wisdom, the shadow self, courage, transformation and magic or the robin, a sign from a loved one in spirit. Exquisitely designed, full of colour and colourful pages, 240 natural pages full of wishes and blessings.

Covering all vertebrate animals apart from birds that live wild on land in Britain, and including all four-legged animals, snakes and a slow-worm as well as seals, the land animals described in this book belong to three major groups: amphibians, reptiles or mammals. The main part of the book features more than 70 wild land animals, species by species, their habitats, lifespan, size, life expectancy and how they are related to their surroundings. To help you understand how an animal's observed behaviour is linked to its body structure and lifestyle, pages 8 to 25 outline some of the reasons why animals feed, breed and behave in different ways, and distribution maps are given for each wild species, coloured maroon on the map. Covers skin whether waterproof, furry, breathable, changing colour, a new summer coat or a specially developed under fur and structure such as four limbs of flippers like the seal or as wings like the bat, long or short necks, feet with two toes or legs that spread sideways like the lizard. From adders and badgers to voles and weasels, you will find fascinating facts on where they breed, feed and how to identify each creature in their natural environment which greatly enhances any outdoor experience. All superbly illustrated and with detailed artworks showing how to distinguish between species and special features covering animal centres and recognising tracks and other signs of animal activity. 256pp, 15 x 14cm, softback packed with colour.

A complete guide to orchids and their cultivation, these flamboyant, intriguing, beautiful and exotic plants have evolved to become the largest family of plants in the world. This classic book written by two of the world's leading orchid authorities and newly updated helps you identify, choose and display these delightful flowers successfully. It offers a round-the-world tour of the range of tropical and temperate habitats in which orchids are found and explains main orchid types, how early explorers discovered the first tropical orchids and started an orchid craze that continues today. It explains orchid botany and nomenclature, inspirational ideas for growing these plants indoors whether in glass tanks and baskets or on trees and stones, as well as growing orchids outdoors. There is information on basic tools and equipment, compost mixes, potting and mounting, propagation, feeding, watering and light control and dealing with pests and diseases. The Orchid Directory explains their natural habitat, size, flowering time and growing requirements, and all the main genera are covered from Cymbidium to Dendrobium, from Phalaenopsis to Phragmipedium as well as a selection of specialist orchids. There is also an easy-to-use glossary. On each grand very glossy bright white heavyweight page are between one and four colour photographs, many in close up, exhibiting the range of colours of pinks and orange and white and mottles and veins and patterns and blotches and spots, and shapes and textures, standing clear of the foliage and how flowers are produced at various times of the year, blooming again the following year. In 2009, the authors were jointly awarded the Westonbirt Orchid Medal for Outstanding Literary Achievement on the Subject of Orchids. The final inside back cover photograph is so close up you can almost feel the spongy iridescent silver sparkling texture of the pin spots on the beautiful white flower photographed. 256 very large pages, colour.
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Sub-titled 'The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain', much has been written about Britain's trailblazing post-1975 Privatisation Programme, but the biggest privatisation of them all has until now escaped scrutiny - the privatisation of land. Since Margaret Thatcher took power in 1979, and hidden from the public eye, about 10% of the entire British land mass including some of its most valuable real estate has passed from public to private hands. Forest land, defence land, health service land and above all else local authority land for farming and school sports, for recreation and housing has been sold off en masse. Why? How? And with what social, economic and political consequences? This book is the first ever study of this profoundly significant phenomenon, setting it as a centrepiece of neoliberalism in Britain as a successor programme to the original 18th century enclosures. With more public land still slated for disposal, the book identifies the stakes and asks what if anything can and should be done. 'Necessary reading for anyone who wants to know where ruling-class power comes from, and how to take it back.' - Owen Hatherley. The economic geographer looks at the whole of Britain's 80,823 square miles. 362pp, paperback.

One of the great and most marvellous mysteries of science is that beneath the complexities of the Universe there is an underlying harmonious order, described by Einstein as "a miracle". Perhaps even more miraculous is that these fundamental rules can be described in the language of mathematics. In their search for these laws, physicists have developed ever more ambitious mathematical models, but without observation and experiment to guide them, their detractors have accused them of engaging in "fairytale physics". Chapters include Shining the Torch on Gravity Again and Quantum Mathematics. Graham Farmelo argues that such claims are far too pessimistic, and that today's greatest mathematical minds are working in the same tradition that dates back to Newton. He takes us on a mathematical adventure from the Enlightenment, through the breakthroughs of Einstein and Dirac up to today, where we have the world's greatest mathematicians and physicists shedding light on each others' fields to immense mutual advantage, this blossoming relationship being responsible for the huge recent advances in our understanding of space and time - in many ways actually redefining reality. With a light but always authoritative touch, guides the reader through the most exciting and contemporary developments in contemporary thought to understand how physicists are attempting, as Stephen Hawking put it, "to know the mind of God." 317pp.

Award-winning nature photographer Jonathan Chester captures the essence of the Antarctic's most popular residents to illustrate the similarities between penguins' lives and our own. Patrick Regan's clever narrative offers surprising insights and humorously entertaining life lessons. The appeal of penguins is undeniable and universal. And we can learn a lot from these fat, funny birds. Lessons like: The meek sleep alone, It's better to be smart than cute, and You can be too thin. Includes helpful environmental information about the penguin habitat and the effects of global warming, including Web sites that show how you can help. One UK reads writes; 'The pictures are beautiful and there are lots of interesting penguin facts, but the jokes are pretty bad and clearly aimed at an adult American audience. I got where they were coming from, but none of them raised a laugh. I have no real idea what the 'Daytona mating call' is or who the 'Olson twins' are. I do know who Sonny and Cher are but my daughter won't have a clue!' Colour, 64 pages.

With news recently about the Great Sycamore being vandalised and cut down overnight on Hadrian's Wall, we turn today to this beautiful little book on why, which, where and how to plant trees. It is a practical guide written by an archaeologist concerned with understanding human relations with the landscape over the last few thousand years, involved with planting, growing, felling and studying trees for more than a quarter of a century. An old Chinese proverb says that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; but the next best time is now. For those who have never planted a tree in their lives, the book offers guidance on how to plant, propagate and care for your trees, the virtues of particular native British trees from Beech to Blackthorn, Oak to Alder, Willow to Whitebeam, Silver Birch, Hazelnut, Rowan, to the good old Yew and Oak tree. And advice on pollarding, weeding, disease and failure and growing trees from seed. 168pp, woodcut illus.