Latin for Gardeners: Over 3000 Plant Names Explained and Explored

摘要

Latin for Gardeners is that pleasant rarity, a beautiful reference book, well-produced, reasonably priced, and as suitable for the reference shelf as for gift-giving. The subtitle, however, is somewhat misleading. What the book explains and explores is plant name elements, and more specifically species names, not genus names. But this does not detract from its purpose, which is "to encourage the blossoming of better gardeners" (p. 11); as the author goes on to explain, "[m]any species names provide the gardener with helpful information concerning the origins of a plant" which tells us about its preferred habitat and needs. Thus "[a]rmed with one or two clues about the natural location of a particular plant, the gardener can then begin to assess whether it might thrive or flounder once transplanted to his or her own plot, saving the heartache and expense caused by choosing inappropriate plants" (p. 32). One can deduce, for example, that a plant with a name including the element ammophilia likes sandy soil and one with the element silva prefers the shady understories of wooded areas, and plan one's garden accordingly.