It’s easy to imagine that beyond the domestic garden, it’s nigh on impossible to really appreciate nature in the middle of a city. In fact, as The Botanical City shows, our urban spaces are just as filled with plants as any country setting.
Plants are, we’re told, “the still and silent counterparts to our noise and haste.”
I was given a copy of The Botanical City in return for a fair review.
True many are commonly classed as weeds: “If a weed is a plant out of place, then on urban streets all plants are misfits.” However, all have their uses be they culinary, medicinal or just being tough enough to bring a little beauty to our streets.
The Botanical City is based upon a seminal work by botanist William Curtis who set out to record this green element to city life in Flora Londinensis. The first part was published in 1775 and by the time Curtis finished in 1798, he had recorded more than 430 plants growing in and around London.
Taking this as a starting point, Helena Dove and Harry Ades use modern horticultural knowledge to update the information alongside the original botanical drawings produced for Curtis. Some of his observations are also included.
The plants are divided into five sections: eat, make, grow, kill and heal. It is, the authors admit, fairly arbitrary, as many would fall into several of the categories.
Each entry has notes on the plant’s anatomy, common names and either a botanist’s recipe, craft or tip, depending on the category.
It is an informative read. We learn that Good King Henry (Blitum bonus-henricus) was traditionally used to cure coughs in sheep and that a stem of Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum) should be put in shoes to prevent blisters. It also fends off demons.
Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus) is particularly useful as its seeds can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute, while the leaves, flowers and roots between them produce three different dyes. Meanwhile, Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) is used by Maoris to make chewing gum.
I for one will be more careful with Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) having learned that it’s poisonous.
What makes the book though is the prose style, which manages to convey a wealth of facts in a lively, entertaining way. I found myself enjoying it far more than many other similar books.
One of the unexpected benefits of lockdown for many was the chance to slow down and look around. As the authors state, this book gives you another excuse to do just that.
The Botanical City by Helena Dove and Harry Ades is published by Hoxton Mini Press in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The RRP is £25. You can buy it here for £16.44. If you buy from this link, I receive a small commission. The price you pay is not affected.)
Enjoyed this? You can read more of my gardening and garden-related book reviews here.
Do follow my blog for an email alert to new posts.