Book Review: Plants & Fungi - The Definitive Visual Guide

It’s not often a book comes along that offers real information, beautiful artworks and stunning photography, yet is far removed from being just another pretty coffee-table tome, designed to look attractive while offering little substance. Part of the DK Definitive Visual Guides series (which includes Animal, Bird, History and Science), this has been compiled by five highly qualified and experienced people: Lynne Boddy, Chris Clennett, John Farndon, Tim Harris and Sarah Jose. Their experience and love of their subject shines through, making this a thoroughly enjoyable read. It is a breath of fresh air after endless books by people who are famous for nothing more than being on TV.

As a companion to anyone studying for an exam in Horticulture, this book is a must. It goes through the basics in a clear and very understandable way, with wonderful diagrams of plant life cycles, structure, seeds and roots. The forms, structure and reproduction of fungi and spores are detailed with superb photography. Lichens come to life, roots are revealed and bulbs blossom on these pages. Different environments are covered, with examples of plants you might find growing in, for instance, a boreal forest. History is included, with tales of how plants have been used over the years, and there are examples of the natural world that will blow your mind. Did you know that the current largest living fungus is an example of Armillaria ostoyae (honey fungus) that is over 2000 years old and covers a massive 3.5 square miles in Oregon. It is estimated to weigh at least 394 tons. However, the largest, oldest and heaviest organism on Earth is in Utah, where an area of 108 acres is covered by a grove of aspen (Populus tremuloides) that is thousands of years old. Known as Pando, it is composed of a colony of identical male plants (known as clones) growing as suckers from a single root system.

The reader is taken on an engrossing world tour of flora and fauna, with examples of plants from a wide range of countries and habitats, showing adaptations to local conditions and the many ways in which nature has encouraged cooperation between plants, fungi and local creatures.

This book is a fascinating source of information, stories and techniques. It is encyclopaedic in its coverage, beautiful enough to please a non-gardener, but packed with enough factual information to help and inform gardeners from absolute beginner to old hand. There’s no such thing as a gardening expert, because we can all learn more and this book will help everyone who picks it up.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough and I’m honestly surprised at the price. I have seen much worse books with a much higher price tag. This is amazing value and will keep you interested for a long time. Every page offers an interesting read. Add it to your wish list - you won’t be disappointed.

Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd
ISBN: 9780241634813
Price: £35
Pages: 448