|
Browse categories
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty.
How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again!
How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty.
How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again!
How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library.
Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty.
How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again!
How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library.
Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one.
A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.
Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.
If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.
A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.
However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.
This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty.
How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again!
How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library.
Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one.
A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.
Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.
If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.
A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.
However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.
This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.
Very expert, but very florid and dramatic, 24 Nov 2008
There is no doubt whatsoever that this man knows his birds. However, the language in which the information is presented is so florid and over dramatic, it seems (to me) to show a very strange, and anthropomorphic, view of nature. For example; his description of a Sparrowhawk (with it's 'psychotic stare') - making a kill - the chase 'running its sickening course'. I feel strongly that we humans interpret animal activity far too much in human terms (often with moral overtones) and it distracts from real understanding; this kind of dramatization just compounds the confusion. Maybe he (or the publishers) feels that people do need this kind of presentation to maintain their interest in wildlife (a misplaced intention to 'popularise') - I don't feel that, and in fact I think it is misguided. Surely we are now grown up enough to see nature (moving and beautiful) simply as it is and we should not need it presented to us as a soap opera - with goodies and baddies and human style domestic tiffs. Shame, because the man clearly is very expert - and I would unreservedly recommend the only other book which I have read by him: 'Bird Migration'
Light reading and unsentimental approach, 29 Jul 2008
I'm not quite as stunned as the other reviewers of this book. It's in A4 format and contains a series of short articles (one to two pages long) about individual bird's behaviours divided into the months of the year. Photographs and paintings by Peter Partington are liberally scattered throughout.
Couzens has a very unsentimental, striking approach. He compares the strife at the bird table in winter, as different individuals establish a pecking order, to desperate refugees fighting over humanitarian food drops. That Robin perching on your spade couldn't care less about you as a gardener- to the bird you're a substitute for a wild boar, disturbing the ground and bringing to light food.
Ultimately though it's a book to dip into as a pleasant read. It lacks real factual depth. whereas I agree with the other reviewers that it is a very pleasant book, it's not one that I wished to keep to read again.
An excellent book, 03 Sep 2007
This book is a great read; the text is easy to read and is written in an engrossing style by the author. The illustrations really capture what the page is talking about. I can't see how anyone would not learn something about garden birds after reading this. It has made me watch my garden birds more closely. A highly recommended read.
Getting to know them..., 12 Jun 2007
I am thoroughly enjoying the information provided by this book, which is very well-written and clearly based on a great deal of personal bird-watching experiences. The illustrations are also of a very high quality, the drawings are superb! While I consider myself as quite knowledgeable with regard to birds, I have already learnt some new facts which I have not found in other books, and am now getting to know birds intimately! Great book!
superb, 19 Nov 2005
I get a lot of various species of bird in my garden and after spending years watching them, and their mannerisms, I treated myself to this book.
I have read it a few times, and now read each months section as we go into a new month. It has helped me understand the mannerisms of the birds and their reasoning for doing what they do. It's certainly given me a better understanding of the birds and what to look for, and has helped me to attract more birds into the garden.
A pleasure to read and extremely informative. If you enjoy our feathered friends in your garden, then this is a must for you. I'm now ordering more for christmas gifts.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty.
How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again!
How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library.
Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one.
A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.
Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.
If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.
A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.
However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.
This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.
Very expert, but very florid and dramatic, 24 Nov 2008
There is no doubt whatsoever that this man knows his birds. However, the language in which the information is presented is so florid and over dramatic, it seems (to me) to show a very strange, and anthropomorphic, view of nature. For example; his description of a Sparrowhawk (with it's 'psychotic stare') - making a kill - the chase 'running its sickening course'. I feel strongly that we humans interpret animal activity far too much in human terms (often with moral overtones) and it distracts from real understanding; this kind of dramatization just compounds the confusion. Maybe he (or the publishers) feels that people do need this kind of presentation to maintain their interest in wildlife (a misplaced intention to 'popularise') - I don't feel that, and in fact I think it is misguided. Surely we are now grown up enough to see nature (moving and beautiful) simply as it is and we should not need it presented to us as a soap opera - with goodies and baddies and human style domestic tiffs. Shame, because the man clearly is very expert - and I would unreservedly recommend the only other book which I have read by him: 'Bird Migration'
Light reading and unsentimental approach, 29 Jul 2008
I'm not quite as stunned as the other reviewers of this book. It's in A4 format and contains a series of short articles (one to two pages long) about individual bird's behaviours divided into the months of the year. Photographs and paintings by Peter Partington are liberally scattered throughout.
Couzens has a very unsentimental, striking approach. He compares the strife at the bird table in winter, as different individuals establish a pecking order, to desperate refugees fighting over humanitarian food drops. That Robin perching on your spade couldn't care less about you as a gardener- to the bird you're a substitute for a wild boar, disturbing the ground and bringing to light food.
Ultimately though it's a book to dip into as a pleasant read. It lacks real factual depth. whereas I agree with the other reviewers that it is a very pleasant book, it's not one that I wished to keep to read again.
An excellent book, 03 Sep 2007
This book is a great read; the text is easy to read and is written in an engrossing style by the author. The illustrations really capture what the page is talking about. I can't see how anyone would not learn something about garden birds after reading this. It has made me watch my garden birds more closely. A highly recommended read.
Getting to know them..., 12 Jun 2007
I am thoroughly enjoying the information provided by this book, which is very well-written and clearly based on a great deal of personal bird-watching experiences. The illustrations are also of a very high quality, the drawings are superb! While I consider myself as quite knowledgeable with regard to birds, I have already learnt some new facts which I have not found in other books, and am now getting to know birds intimately! Great book!
superb, 19 Nov 2005
I get a lot of various species of bird in my garden and after spending years watching them, and their mannerisms, I treated myself to this book.
I have read it a few times, and now read each months section as we go into a new month. It has helped me understand the mannerisms of the birds and their reasoning for doing what they do. It's certainly given me a better understanding of the birds and what to look for, and has helped me to attract more birds into the garden.
A pleasure to read and extremely informative. If you enjoy our feathered friends in your garden, then this is a must for you. I'm now ordering more for christmas gifts.
Highly recommended for garden use but not a 'field guide', 26 Oct 2001
Despite the availability of many larger and more comprehensive bird identification books, I still recommend this one for those who just want to identify the birds in their garden, especially beginners. Dave Daly's paintings are beautifully clear and with half a dozen good-sized images for each species, including juveniles, this is by far the clearest and most user-friendly guide for those who just want to sort out which species are using their bird tables or feeders in the UK. It's also very good value.
Andrew Cannon
|
|
|
 |
|
Garden Birds (Collins GEM)
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
|
*Amazon: £1.75
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty.
How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again!
How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library.
Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one.
A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.
Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.
If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.
A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.
However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.
This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.
Very expert, but very florid and dramatic, 24 Nov 2008
There is no doubt whatsoever that this man knows his birds. However, the language in which the information is presented is so florid and over dramatic, it seems (to me) to show a very strange, and anthropomorphic, view of nature. For example; his description of a Sparrowhawk (with it's 'psychotic stare') - making a kill - the chase 'running its sickening course'. I feel strongly that we humans interpret animal activity far too much in human terms (often with moral overtones) and it distracts from real understanding; this kind of dramatization just compounds the confusion. Maybe he (or the publishers) feels that people do need this kind of presentation to maintain their interest in wildlife (a misplaced intention to 'popularise') - I don't feel that, and in fact I think it is misguided. Surely we are now grown up enough to see nature (moving and beautiful) simply as it is and we should not need it presented to us as a soap opera - with goodies and baddies and human style domestic tiffs. Shame, because the man clearly is very expert - and I would unreservedly recommend the only other book which I have read by him: 'Bird Migration'
Light reading and unsentimental approach, 29 Jul 2008
I'm not quite as stunned as the other reviewers of this book. It's in A4 format and contains a series of short articles (one to two pages long) about individual bird's behaviours divided into the months of the year. Photographs and paintings by Peter Partington are liberally scattered throughout.
Couzens has a very unsentimental, striking approach. He compares the strife at the bird table in winter, as different individuals establish a pecking order, to desperate refugees fighting over humanitarian food drops. That Robin perching on your spade couldn't care less about you as a gardener- to the bird you're a substitute for a wild boar, disturbing the ground and bringing to light food.
Ultimately though it's a book to dip into as a pleasant read. It lacks real factual depth. whereas I agree with the other reviewers that it is a very pleasant book, it's not one that I wished to keep to read again.
An excellent book, 03 Sep 2007
This book is a great read; the text is easy to read and is written in an engrossing style by the author. The illustrations really capture what the page is talking about. I can't see how anyone would not learn something about garden birds after reading this. It has made me watch my garden birds more closely. A highly recommended read.
Getting to know them..., 12 Jun 2007
I am thoroughly enjoying the information provided by this book, which is very well-written and clearly based on a great deal of personal bird-watching experiences. The illustrations are also of a very high quality, the drawings are superb! While I consider myself as quite knowledgeable with regard to birds, I have already learnt some new facts which I have not found in other books, and am now getting to know birds intimately! Great book!
superb, 19 Nov 2005
I get a lot of various species of bird in my garden and after spending years watching them, and their mannerisms, I treated myself to this book.
I have read it a few times, and now read each months section as we go into a new month. It has helped me understand the mannerisms of the birds and their reasoning for doing what they do. It's certainly given me a better understanding of the birds and what to look for, and has helped me to attract more birds into the garden.
A pleasure to read and extremely informative. If you enjoy our feathered friends in your garden, then this is a must for you. I'm now ordering more for christmas gifts.
Highly recommended for garden use but not a 'field guide', 26 Oct 2001
Despite the availability of many larger and more comprehensive bird identification books, I still recommend this one for those who just want to identify the birds in their garden, especially beginners. Dave Daly's paintings are beautifully clear and with half a dozen good-sized images for each species, including juveniles, this is by far the clearest and most user-friendly guide for those who just want to sort out which species are using their bird tables or feeders in the UK. It's also very good value.
Andrew Cannon
For garden use, 02 Oct 2008
A good book to have in the house to keep the children amused whilst still educating them. Very descriptive and easy to use as a reference book.
Just ok, 04 Sep 2008
To be honest I found the book a little too small, when I spot a bird in my front garden I find it a little too fiddley to use quickly.
I'ts a good size if you are out walking but if you are spotting birds from indoors I would go for something different.
Handy Guide for the Casual Observer, 09 Aug 2007
This is exactly what it say in the title, a handy little book of the one hundred or so species of the more common garden birds. It is possible, but hardly probable that you may see a Snowy Owl in your back garden, stranger things have happened, but if you do you won't find it in this book. If you live in the wilds of Scotland a Golden Eagle may be perched on your chimney pot at this very moment, but again you will not find it in this book.
Joking apart the book is for those who see a handsome little bird in their garden and think "I wonder what that one is called." This book will help them to identify those birds without having to fork out a great deal of money on an expensive book. It is also useful for those bird clues in crossword puzzles.
Ideal for the windowsill, 24 Jun 2007
A lovely little book and just what I needed as a non bird watcher to identify what was coming into the garden. The book has a nice layout and is small enough to slip into your pocket.
Great pocket bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
Nice introduction, with ints on attracting birds to your garden.
It's lovely and compact (3.75 x 4.25 x 0.5 inches), easy to use layout of one bird per page. Each page includes a brief section on identification, habits, feeding, breeding, voice and habitat. Also a clear photo of each bird with some sketches of juveniles.
My only minor dissapointment is on the lack of data on the size of each bird.
|
|
|
 |
|
Hidden Trees of Britain
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
|
*Amazon: £14.44
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty.
How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again!
How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library.
Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one.
A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.
Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.
If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.
A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.
However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.
This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.
Very expert, but very florid and dramatic, 24 Nov 2008
There is no doubt whatsoever that this man knows his birds. However, the language in which the information is presented is so florid and over dramatic, it seems (to me) to show a very strange, and anthropomorphic, view of nature. For example; his description of a Sparrowhawk (with it's 'psychotic stare') - making a kill - the chase 'running its sickening course'. I feel strongly that we humans interpret animal activity far too much in human terms (often with moral overtones) and it distracts from real understanding; this kind of dramatization just compounds the confusion. Maybe he (or the publishers) feels that people do need this kind of presentation to maintain their interest in wildlife (a misplaced intention to 'popularise') - I don't feel that, and in fact I think it is misguided. Surely we are now grown up enough to see nature (moving and beautiful) simply as it is and we should not need it presented to us as a soap opera - with goodies and baddies and human style domestic tiffs. Shame, because the man clearly is very expert - and I would unreservedly recommend the only other book which I have read by him: 'Bird Migration'
Light reading and unsentimental approach, 29 Jul 2008
I'm not quite as stunned as the other reviewers of this book. It's in A4 format and contains a series of short articles (one to two pages long) about individual bird's behaviours divided into the months of the year. Photographs and paintings by Peter Partington are liberally scattered throughout.
Couzens has a very unsentimental, striking approach. He compares the strife at the bird table in winter, as different individuals establish a pecking order, to desperate refugees fighting over humanitarian food drops. That Robin perching on your spade couldn't care less about you as a gardener- to the bird you're a substitute for a wild boar, disturbing the ground and bringing to light food.
Ultimately though it's a book to dip into as a pleasant read. It lacks real factual depth. whereas I agree with the other reviewers that it is a very pleasant book, it's not one that I wished to keep to read again.
An excellent book, 03 Sep 2007
This book is a great read; the text is easy to read and is written in an engrossing style by the author. The illustrations really capture what the page is talking about. I can't see how anyone would not learn something about garden birds after reading this. It has made me watch my garden birds more closely. A highly recommended read.
Getting to know them..., 12 Jun 2007
I am thoroughly enjoying the information provided by this book, which is very well-written and clearly based on a great deal of personal bird-watching experiences. The illustrations are also of a very high quality, the drawings are superb! While I consider myself as quite knowledgeable with regard to birds, I have already learnt some new facts which I have not found in other books, and am now getting to know birds intimately! Great book!
superb, 19 Nov 2005
I get a lot of various species of bird in my garden and after spending years watching them, and their mannerisms, I treated myself to this book.
I have read it a few times, and now read each months section as we go into a new month. It has helped me understand the mannerisms of the birds and their reasoning for doing what they do. It's certainly given me a better understanding of the birds and what to look for, and has helped me to attract more birds into the garden.
A pleasure to read and extremely informative. If you enjoy our feathered friends in your garden, then this is a must for you. I'm now ordering more for christmas gifts.
Highly recommended for garden use but not a 'field guide', 26 Oct 2001
Despite the availability of many larger and more comprehensive bird identification books, I still recommend this one for those who just want to identify the birds in their garden, especially beginners. Dave Daly's paintings are beautifully clear and with half a dozen good-sized images for each species, including juveniles, this is by far the clearest and most user-friendly guide for those who just want to sort out which species are using their bird tables or feeders in the UK. It's also very good value.
Andrew Cannon
For garden use, 02 Oct 2008
A good book to have in the house to keep the children amused whilst still educating them. Very descriptive and easy to use as a reference book.
Just ok, 04 Sep 2008
To be honest I found the book a little too small, when I spot a bird in my front garden I find it a little too fiddley to use quickly.
I'ts a good size if you are out walking but if you are spotting birds from indoors I would go for something different.
Handy Guide for the Casual Observer, 09 Aug 2007
This is exactly what it say in the title, a handy little book of the one hundred or so species of the more common garden birds. It is possible, but hardly probable that you may see a Snowy Owl in your back garden, stranger things have happened, but if you do you won't find it in this book. If you live in the wilds of Scotland a Golden Eagle may be perched on your chimney pot at this very moment, but again you will not find it in this book.
Joking apart the book is for those who see a handsome little bird in their garden and think "I wonder what that one is called." This book will help them to identify those birds without having to fork out a great deal of money on an expensive book. It is also useful for those bird clues in crossword puzzles.
Ideal for the windowsill, 24 Jun 2007
A lovely little book and just what I needed as a non bird watcher to identify what was coming into the garden. The book has a nice layout and is small enough to slip into your pocket.
Great pocket bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
Nice introduction, with ints on attracting birds to your garden.
It's lovely and compact (3.75 x 4.25 x 0.5 inches), easy to use layout of one bird per page. Each page includes a brief section on identification, habits, feeding, breeding, voice and habitat. Also a clear photo of each bird with some sketches of juveniles.
My only minor dissapointment is on the lack of data on the size of each bird.
Another superb book from Archie!, 14 Jan 2008
This is an exceptional book, containing superb photographs beautifully reproduced. Archie Miles is a well-known photographer with a penchant for trees, with previous publications such as The Trees That Made Britain and Silva, and this latest offering continues in the same vein. His photographic work is technically faultless, combining an intimate knowledge and passion of the subject with superb, crisp, beautifully-lit pictures of the whole range of British trees shown nicely in their respective environments. Many of the locations have to remain secret, as they're on private land. But the other locations are listed in a comprehensive Gazetteer, which even tells you how easy it is to reach them on foot. I hate the term "Coffee Table Book", as it implies the book will sit there looking beautiful but mostly un-read. But be sure if you love trees and know the difference between mundane and exceptional photography, then this book will stay on your coffee table for years, and you'll struggle to put it down!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty. How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again! How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library. Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one. A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.
Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.
If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book. A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.
However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.
This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night. Very expert, but very florid and dramatic, 24 Nov 2008
There is no doubt whatsoever that this man knows his birds. However, the language in which the information is presented is so florid and over dramatic, it seems (to me) to show a very strange, and anthropomorphic, view of nature. For example; his description of a Sparrowhawk (with it's 'psychotic stare') - making a kill - the chase 'running its sickening course'. I feel strongly that we humans interpret animal activity far too much in human terms (often with moral overtones) and it distracts from real understanding; this kind of dramatization just compounds the confusion. Maybe he (or the publishers) feels that people do need this kind of presentation to maintain their interest in wildlife (a misplaced intention to 'popularise') - I don't feel that, and in fact I think it is misguided. Surely we are now grown up enough to see nature (moving and beautiful) simply as it is and we should not need it presented to us as a soap opera - with goodies and baddies and human style domestic tiffs. Shame, because the man clearly is very expert - and I would unreservedly recommend the only other book which I have read by him: 'Bird Migration' Light reading and unsentimental approach, 29 Jul 2008
I'm not quite as stunned as the other reviewers of this book. It's in A4 format and contains a series of short articles (one to two pages long) about individual bird's behaviours divided into the months of the year. Photographs and paintings by Peter Partington are liberally scattered throughout.
Couzens has a very unsentimental, striking approach. He compares the strife at the bird table in winter, as different individuals establish a pecking order, to desperate refugees fighting over humanitarian food drops. That Robin perching on your spade couldn't care less about you as a gardener- to the bird you're a substitute for a wild boar, disturbing the ground and bringing to light food.
Ultimately though it's a book to dip into as a pleasant read. It lacks real factual depth. whereas I agree with the other reviewers that it is a very pleasant book, it's not one that I wished to keep to read again.
An excellent book, 03 Sep 2007
This book is a great read; the text is easy to read and is written in an engrossing style by the author. The illustrations really capture what the page is talking about. I can't see how anyone would not learn something about garden birds after reading this. It has made me watch my garden birds more closely. A highly recommended read. Getting to know them..., 12 Jun 2007
I am thoroughly enjoying the information provided by this book, which is very well-written and clearly based on a great deal of personal bird-watching experiences. The illustrations are also of a very high quality, the drawings are superb! While I consider myself as quite knowledgeable with regard to birds, I have already learnt some new facts which I have not found in other books, and am now getting to know birds intimately! Great book! superb, 19 Nov 2005
I get a lot of various species of bird in my garden and after spending years watching them, and their mannerisms, I treated myself to this book. I have read it a few times, and now read each months section as we go into a new month. It has helped me understand the mannerisms of the birds and their reasoning for doing what they do. It's certainly given me a better understanding of the birds and what to look for, and has helped me to attract more birds into the garden. A pleasure to read and extremely informative. If you enjoy our feathered friends in your garden, then this is a must for you. I'm now ordering more for christmas gifts. Highly recommended for garden use but not a 'field guide', 26 Oct 2001
Despite the availability of many larger and more comprehensive bird identification books, I still recommend this one for those who just want to identify the birds in their garden, especially beginners. Dave Daly's paintings are beautifully clear and with half a dozen good-sized images for each species, including juveniles, this is by far the clearest and most user-friendly guide for those who just want to sort out which species are using their bird tables or feeders in the UK. It's also very good value. Andrew Cannon For garden use, 02 Oct 2008
A good book to have in the house to keep the children amused whilst still educating them. Very descriptive and easy to use as a reference book. Just ok, 04 Sep 2008
To be honest I found the book a little too small, when I spot a bird in my front garden I find it a little too fiddley to use quickly.
I'ts a good size if you are out walking but if you are spotting birds from indoors I would go for something different. Handy Guide for the Casual Observer, 09 Aug 2007
This is exactly what it say in the title, a handy little book of the one hundred or so species of the more common garden birds. It is possible, but hardly probable that you may see a Snowy Owl in your back garden, stranger things have happened, but if you do you won't find it in this book. If you live in the wilds of Scotland a Golden Eagle may be perched on your chimney pot at this very moment, but again you will not find it in this book.
Joking apart the book is for those who see a handsome little bird in their garden and think "I wonder what that one is called." This book will help them to identify those birds without having to fork out a great deal of money on an expensive book. It is also useful for those bird clues in crossword puzzles. Ideal for the windowsill, 24 Jun 2007
A lovely little book and just what I needed as a non bird watcher to identify what was coming into the garden. The book has a nice layout and is small enough to slip into your pocket. Great pocket bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
Nice introduction, with ints on attracting birds to your garden. It's lovely and compact (3.75 x 4.25 x 0.5 inches), easy to use layout of one bird per page. Each page includes a brief section on identification, habits, feeding, breeding, voice and habitat. Also a clear photo of each bird with some sketches of juveniles. My only minor dissapointment is on the lack of data on the size of each bird. Another superb book from Archie!, 14 Jan 2008
This is an exceptional book, containing superb photographs beautifully reproduced. Archie Miles is a well-known photographer with a penchant for trees, with previous publications such as The Trees That Made Britain and Silva, and this latest offering continues in the same vein. His photographic work is technically faultless, combining an intimate knowledge and passion of the subject with superb, crisp, beautifully-lit pictures of the whole range of British trees shown nicely in their respective environments. Many of the locations have to remain secret, as they're on private land. But the other locations are listed in a comprehensive Gazetteer, which even tells you how easy it is to reach them on foot. I hate the term "Coffee Table Book", as it implies the book will sit there looking beautiful but mostly un-read. But be sure if you love trees and know the difference between mundane and exceptional photography, then this book will stay on your coffee table for years, and you'll struggle to put it down! Root and Branch, 12 Oct 2008
I recall hearing Richard Mabey discussing this book on a radio show, before it was published and thinking its premise: collecting contibutors' personal experiences of British plant life, seemed rather uninspired. Surely this kind of thing has been done to death? Nature magazine columns have been filled for years with people writing accounts of things they have seen in the British countryside.
When it was published, I was further put off by the high price of the book.
I was completely wrong on both counts, the price, when the size, scope and quality of the book are considered, seems more than reasonable. As to the premise of the work, Richard Mabey, a genius writer in my opinion, pulls all the various accounts from amateur contributors together into a cohesive and coherent whole, that manages to maintain the same well mannered and good humoured tone throughout its long length.
It is possible to read the book piecemeal, picking out species that interest you specially , but I feel reading it from cover to cover best allows the reader to appreciate what the author has achieved.
This is not an identification guide, although the photographs are of top quality, and the amount of space devoted to each species varies wildly, but the "Flora" succeeds in its aim to be a folk history rather than purely a Natural History work.
Beware of books that may seem to continue this work, e.g."Fauna Britannica", which do not, in fact, have much in common with this fine volume. mistitled but fun, 22 Sep 2007
It is true that this has to be one of the worse titled books of all time. A FLORA in any sense here should be an identification guide and it isn't that at all - it is a personal exploration of various plants concentrating not necessarily on the most important but on those for which the author has an affection for or simply information on. The main interests are folklore and distribution - industry and use and even literature get short shrift, oddly. It is true too that plant introductions are widely covered, but the distinction in terms of salience would be rather misleading (do we miss out horse-chstnut?...). The joy of this book which frankly does NOT look as though it was twenty years (flap) in the making is the writing and out of the way sources Mabey has dug up and in the feel of the book. A strange bestseller - but not to be dismissed. Serious misdescription, 23 Aug 2007
Flora Britannica may be a fine book for what it is, as an essay or encyclopedia about British plants, but it is NOT what the title and description clearly imply - a comprehensive identification guide. I myself was misled by this, and indeed by the uncritical acceptance of this blatant misrepresentation by reviewers, and ordered a copy, only to find on opening it that it wasn't at all the comprehensive identification guide that I wanted - and so I'm returning it. A slapped wrist for the publisher, presumably the author, and for Amazon for not checking that the book contents match the meaning of the title and description of the work!
Publishers of nature books generally are being given far too much licence to misrepresent certain books in such a way - such as the Collins "Complete" guides, some of which cannot possibly be anything like complete. Not for the serious horticulturist, 15 Oct 2004
I was thinking for some positives to write on this book and not much came to mind. It is a perfectly fine book. However the name flora brittanica indicates the plants in this book ought to be indiginous to this land but a great number of them are not. So the author spends time telling us about plants that have been brought over here in the last 100 - 200 years which is of no interest to anyone who is interested in FLORA BRITTANICA. Consequently what could have been a book containing a greater source of information on the fewer number of truly native species becomes a book with little information on a grater number of introduced species. Some of our native species aren't even worthy of a photograph where as japanese knotweed gets 2 photographs all because some idiot brought the wretched plant over here a few hundred years ago because he thought it was decorative. The explanation that goes with (most) the plants is largely centered around ancient beliefs about its uses. Which is o.k to the casual reader but doesn't really interest me. I would have liked to have seen which animals and wildlife benifited from each plant and more about the enviroment the plants naturally inhabit. A good book overall, 04 Jun 2003
This is a very good encyclopedia, with a lot of information about the history and uses of the various plants found in Britain. My only criticism is that the pictures show the plants in their natural habitat rather than close up. This means it is sometimes difficult to identify the plant from the picture. After saying that, this book is not a hady field guide that you would carry round anyway. It being 400+ pages. As a home fererence work, I can reccomend it, and I have spent ages browsing through it's pages discovering interesting things about the plants that are all arround us. Paul
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
How to grow your own food, 19 Jul 2007
This delightful book is a practical guide to enjoying the growing as much as the eating of your own food. It clearly presents a week by week guide to sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting your own crops, plus some veggie recipes to further enjoy the fruits of your labour. Along side this are notes to engender closer observation of the wildlife encountered while in the garden or allotment and historical background to the food grown. It would be a stimulating book to encourage a beginner but being informative on many levels it is a really rewarding read for all who are willing to get their nails dirty. How to Grow, 18 Jul 2007
A delightful read. A "must" for ANY gardener. I felt so sad when I turned the page for the last week of January and found the year's week-by-week guide had finished. I wanted to just start all over again! How to Grow Your Own Food, 18 Jul 2007
What a wonderful book I have just read! It reads like a novel with the main character being 'Dirty Nails'. And what is it? A gardening book!! But it is more than that - wildlife, histories of various vegetables, soil information and for both the experienced and inexperienced gardener a week-by-week guide to planning, sowing, looking after and finally harvesting your very own veggies. Beautifully laid out and with a comprehensive contents page and extensive index, this is DEFINITELY one for the Gardener's library. Superb illustrations and highly informative, 22 Dec 2008
I am very impressed by this book. I'm a keen bird-watcher and have many bird books, but must say that the photographs and illustrations in this book are outstandingly good. The distribution maps appear to be up-to-date reflecting the spread North of some species as the climate warms. It's very difficult nowadays to get pictures of birds' eggs and so I am delighted to see excellent examples in this publication. The birds described are not exclusively the common garden birds and I think this book would be useful for identifying most of the birds you're likely to encounter in the countryside. It's not just about birds: there are most informative and well-illustrated sections on amphibians, mammals, butterflies and moths that you may see in your garden and beyond. With the modern emphasis on habitat being crucial to encouraging wildlife there is helpful advice about which garden plants are beneficial and which wild-flowers to encourage. Altogether a "must have" for anybody interested in the other life forms that share your garden.
The book would be good value at the full price and is an absolute bargain at the discounted one. A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.
Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.
If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book. A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.
However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.
This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night. Very expert, but very florid and dramatic, 24 Nov 2008
There is no doubt whatsoever that this man knows his birds. However, the language in which the information is presented is so florid and over dramatic, it seems (to me) to show a very strange, and anthropomorphic, view of nature. For example; his description of a Sparrowhawk (with it's 'psychotic stare') - making a kill - the chase 'running its sickening course'. I feel strongly that we humans interpret animal activity far too much in human terms (often with moral overtones) and it distracts from real understanding; this kind of dramatization just compounds the confusion. Maybe he (or the publishers) feels that people do need this kind of presentation to maintain their interest in wildlife (a misplaced intention to 'popularise') - I don't feel that, and in fact I think it is misguided. Surely we are now grown up enough to see nature (moving and beautiful) simply as it is and we should not need it presented to us as a soap opera - with goodies and baddies and human style domestic tiffs. Shame, because the man clearly is very expert - and I would unreservedly recommend the only other book which I have read by him: 'Bird Migration' Light reading and unsentimental approach, 29 Jul 2008
I'm not quite as stunned as the other reviewers of this book. It's in A4 format and contains a series of short articles (one to two pages long) about individual bird's behaviours divided into the months of the year. Photographs and paintings by Peter Partington are liberally scattered throughout.
Couzens has a very unsentimental, striking approach. He compares the strife at the bird table in winter, as different individuals establish a pecking order, to desperate refugees fighting over humanitarian food drops. That Robin perching on your spade couldn't care less about you as a gardener- to the bird you're a substitute for a wild boar, disturbing the ground and bringing to light food.
Ultimately though it's a book to dip into as a pleasant read. It lacks real factual depth. whereas I agree with the other reviewers that it is a very pleasant book, it's not one that I wished to keep to read again.
An excellent book, 03 Sep 2007
This book is a great read; the text is easy to read and is written in an engrossing style by the author. The illustrations really capture what the page is talking about. I can't see how anyone would not learn something about garden birds after reading this. It has made me watch my garden birds more closely. A highly recommended read. Getting to know them..., 12 Jun 2007
I am thoroughly enjoying the information provided by this book, which is very well-written and clearly based on a great deal of personal bird-watching experiences. The illustrations are also of a very high quality, the drawings are superb! While I consider myself as quite knowledgeable with regard to birds, I have already learnt some new facts which I have not found in other books, and am now getting to know birds intimately! Great book! superb, 19 Nov 2005
I get a lot of various species of bird in my garden and after spending years watching them, and their mannerisms, I treated myself to this book. I have read it a few times, and now read each months section as we go into a new month. It has helped me understand the mannerisms of the birds and their reasoning for doing what they do. It's certainly given me a better understanding of the birds and what to look for, and has helped me to attract more birds into the garden. A pleasure to read and extremely informative. If you enjoy our feathered friends in your garden, then this is a must for you. I'm now ordering more for christmas gifts. Highly recommended for garden use but not a 'field guide', 26 Oct 2001
Despite the availability of many larger and more comprehensive bird identification books, I still recommend this one for those who just want to identify the birds in their garden, especially beginners. Dave Daly's paintings are beautifully clear and with half a dozen good-sized images for each species, including juveniles, this is by far the clearest and most user-friendly guide for those who just want to sort out which species are using their bird tables or feeders in the UK. It's also very good value. Andrew Cannon For garden use, 02 Oct 2008
A good book to have in the house to keep the children amused whilst still educating them. Very descriptive and easy to use as a reference book. Just ok, 04 Sep 2008
To be honest I found the book a little too small, when I spot a bird in my front garden I find it a little too fiddley to use quickly.
I'ts a good size if you are out walking but if you are spotting birds from indoors I would go for something different. Handy Guide for the Casual Observer, 09 Aug 2007
This is exactly what it say in the title, a handy little book of the one hundred or so species of the more common garden birds. It is possible, but hardly probable that you may see a Snowy Owl in your back garden, stranger things have happened, but if you do you won't find it in this book. If you live in the wilds of Scotland a Golden Eagle may be perched on your chimney pot at this very moment, but again you will not find it in this book.
Joking apart the book is for those who see a handsome little bird in their garden and think "I wonder what that one is called." This book will help them to identify those birds without having to fork out a great deal of money on an expensive book. It is also useful for those bird clues in crossword puzzles. Ideal for the windowsill, 24 Jun 2007
A lovely little book and just what I needed as a non bird watcher to identify what was coming into the garden. The book has a nice layout and is small enough to slip into your pocket. Great pocket bird guide, 07 Jan 2005
Nice introduction, with ints on attracting birds to your garden. It's lovely and compact (3.75 x 4.25 x 0.5 inches), easy to use layout of one bird per page. Each page includes a brief section on identification, habits, feeding, breeding, voice and habitat. Also a clear photo of each bird with some sketches of juveniles. My only minor dissapointment is on the lack of data on the size of each bird. Another superb book from Archie!, 14 Jan 2008
This is an exceptional book, containing superb photographs beautifully reproduced. Archie Miles is a well-known photographer with a penchant for trees, with previous publications such as The Trees That Made Britain and Silva, and this latest offering continues in the same vein. His photographic work is technically faultless, combining an intimate knowledge and passion of the subject with superb, crisp, beautifully-lit pictures of the whole range of British trees shown nicely in their respective environments. Many of the locations have to remain secret, as they're on private land. But the other locations are listed in a comprehensive Gazetteer, which even tells you how easy it is to reach them on foot. I hate the term "Coffee Table Book", as it implies the book will sit there looking beautiful but mostly un-read. But be sure if you love trees and know the difference between mundane and exceptional photography, then this book will stay on your coffee table for years, and you'll struggle to put it down! Root and Branch, 12 Oct 2008
I recall hearing Richard Mabey discussing this book on a radio show, before it was published and thinking its premise: collecting contibutors' personal experiences of British plant life, seemed rather uninspired. Surely this kind of thing has been done to death? Nature magazine columns have been filled for years with people writing accounts of things they have seen in the British countryside.
When it was published, I was further put off by the high price of the book.
I was completely wrong on both counts, the price, when the size, scope and quality of the book are considered, seems more than reasonable. As to the premise of the work, Richard Mabey, a genius writer in my opinion, pulls all the various accounts from amateur contributors together into a cohesive and coherent whole, that manages to maintain the same well mannered and good humoured tone throughout its long length.
It is possible to read the book piecemeal, picking out species that interest you specially , but I feel reading it from cover to cover best allows the reader to appreciate what the author has achieved.
This is not an identification guide, although the photographs are of top quality, and the amount of space devoted to each species varies wildly, but the "Flora" succeeds in its aim to be a folk history rather than purely a Natural History work.
Beware of books that may seem to continue this work, e.g."Fauna Britannica", which do not, in fact, have much in common with this fine volume. mistitled but fun, 22 Sep 2007
It is true that this has to be one of the worse titled books of all time. A FLORA in any sense here should be an identification guide and it isn't that at all - it is a personal exploration of various plants concentrating not necessarily on the most important but on those for which the author has an affection for or simply information on. The main interests are folklore and distribution - industry and use and even literature get short shrift, oddly. It is true too that plant introductions are widely covered, but the distinction in terms of salience would be rather misleading (do we miss out horse-chstnut?...). The joy of this book which frankly does NOT look as though it was twenty years (flap) in the making is the writing and out of the way sources Mabey has dug up and in the feel of the book. A strange bestseller - but not to be dismissed. Serious misdescription, 23 Aug 2007
Flora Britannica may be a fine book for what it is, as an essay or encyclopedia about British plants, but it is NOT what the title and description clearly imply - a comprehensive identification guide. I myself was misled by this, and indeed by the uncritical acceptance of this blatant misrepresentation by reviewers, and ordered a copy, only to find on opening it that it wasn't at all the comprehensive identification guide that I wanted - and so I'm returning it. A slapped wrist for the publisher, presumably the author, and for Amazon for not checking that the book contents match the meaning of the title and description of the work!
Publishers of nature books generally are being given far too much licence to misrepresent certain books in such a way - such as the Collins "Complete" guides, some of which cannot possibly be anything like complete. Not for the serious horticulturist, 15 Oct 2004
I was thinking for some positives to write on this book and not much came to mind. It is a perfectly fine book. However the name flora brittanica indicates the plants in this book ought to be indiginous to this land but a great number of them are not. So the author spends time telling us about plants that have been brought over here in the last 100 - 200 years which is of no interest to anyone who is interested in FLORA BRITTANICA. Consequently what could have been a book containing a greater source of information on the fewer number of truly native species becomes a book with little information on a grater number of introduced species. Some of our native species aren't even worthy of a photograph where as japanese knotweed gets 2 photographs all because some idiot brought the wretched plant over here a few hundred years ago because he thought it was decorative. The explanation that goes with (most) the plants is largely centered around ancient beliefs about its uses. Which is o.k to the casual reader but doesn't really interest me. I would have liked to have seen which animals and wildlife benifited from each plant and more about the enviroment the plants naturally inhabit. A good book overall, 04 Jun 2003
This is a very good encyclopedia, with a lot of information about the history and uses of the various plants found in Britain. My only criticism is that the pictures show the plants in their natural habitat rather than close up. This means it is sometimes difficult to identify the plant from the picture. After saying that, this book is not a hady field guide that you would carry round anyway. It being 400+ pages. As a home fererence work, I can reccomend it, and I have spent ages browsing through it's pages discovering interesting things about the plants that are all arround us. Paul
Interesting and useful, but not enough pictures!, 05 Feb 2008
This book is well-written, informative and useful. However, I think it would have been greatly improved if the lists of natives plants had been accompanied by photos, which would make the selection of plants much easier for less experienced gardeners.
Exactly what I was looking for, 17 May 2007
After the recent (delightful) arrival of roe deer in my garden I bought this book yesterday and read it straight through - it has exactly the right kind of information on gardening for wildlife: why exactly you should plant native plants rather than exotics. Which butterflies and birds feed on which plants. How to propagate wildflowers. How to arrange shrubs and trees to provide better shelter and animal cover. It's Chris Baines's attitude which is the most refreshing - got big bites out of your foliage? Good, he says, it shows you're providing food for xy and z insects, which are food for birds, which are food for larger birds, foxes and so on. I am lucky enough to have a very large country garden, but this book is suitable even if all you have is a city balcony. I am hoping to put his ideas on different kinds of meadow planting, ponds and wetland planting into effect by next summer. A really good read.
Excellent book, 25 May 2005
This is the book I use all the time for my work as a wildlife garden designer. I also keep stocks of this book to sell to clients, so they can get the most out of their wildlife gardens, whether we (www.wildlifeservices.co.uk) build them or not.
An essential read for wildlife enthusiasts, 29 Apr 2005
I can only give this book 5 stars as it is a book that is consistantly recommended where wildlife gardening is concerned. Not to say that it couldn't be improved, but it is a very enjoyable read. It strikes a good balance between narrative and practicle tips (mostly in the form of tables) explaining the ways in which you can attract wildlife to your garden. For example in one table it shows you how many species a particular tree attracts. Now if your expecting the book to name all 300+ species oak (quercus robur) attracts then your in for a dissapointment. Although it would be a vast undertaking if someone were to do that complete with pictures of the species then that would appeal to my passion for details in areas concerning wildlife. It not only deals with trees but also our native flowers. Again not really naming all the species that they attract a lot of the time. But then again you don't really expect that from what is essentially a beginners guide. Anyone willing to take their knowlege of wildlife gardening to the next level I would seriously recommend this book.
Does everything it says on the cover..., 28 Dec 2001
This an excellent and well written book. There are sadly only a few books on creating wildlife habitats in your garden and this is the best one I have read.Included are sections on each area of the garden, useful lists of the best plants to grow, ideas for new habitat areas to create, I have followed some of the ideas and have seen the amount of wildlife in our garden grow consdierably, last year we did | | |