To some, botany still smacks of the 19th century, when vicars and maiden ladies took to the hedgerows with plant press and sketchbook in hand. Although I have no objection to that image, it is pleasing to see John King's Reaching for the Sun, a book which clearly demonstrates its crucial importance in an elegant and stimulating matter. I believe that most members of the general public do treat botany seriously. Richard Mabey's new book, Flora Britannica, has been selling like the proverbial hot cakes. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is doing very well under the dynamic directorship of Sir Ghillian Prance. The relatively new charity Plant Life is growing. There is no shortage of interest in campaigns to save the tropical rainforests, such as those organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), while at the institutional level, Britain's Tropical Forest Forum is well attended. Around the country, garden centres have taken off in a big way, swelling in size, number of visitors and range of products. So who says people are not interested in plants?
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