Weeds, Plants and People
Weeds, Plants and People

by John Dwyer

 

Published by PenFolk Publishing in 2016, 293 pages, softback

 

Price $49.95 plus $A13.50 postage within Australia [up to 3 kg], overseas postage please request a quote


ISBN 9780958699372


Foreword by Professor Tim Entwisle

 

What is the perplexing category of plants that we call ‘weeds’? Why do some people spend so much effort trying to eradicate plants in certain circumstances, while other people nurture those very same species for food, medicine, or simple enjoyment of their beauty? Could there be a better way for us to live alongside the many wild plants we encounter in our gardens, farms and landscapes, than to wage war on them?

Weeds, Plants and People traces the fascinating history of many common plants that we now treat as weeds. From the thistles and thorns that appear in the Bible, to the seeds eaten by Stone Age people, and the grasses and flowers brought to Australia by European settlers, the story of the relationship between people and weeds is a complex and intriguing one.

Here it is told in a lively and engaging way for readers with or without botanical knowledge. Anybody interested in gardening, agriculture, the natural environment, medicinal herbs or cooking will glean a great deal from John Dwyer’s account of some of the most ancient plants known to humankind.


About the author

After some 40 years practising and teaching law, 20 of them as a QC, John Dwyer enrolled at the Burnley College of Horticulture. He found that he had a real interest in this fieled and went on to complete a PhD on weeds in Victorian landscapes. He has published widely on garden history, landscapes, our relationship with nature, and weeds.