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The Brother Gardeners

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About the book

A fascinating look at the men who made Britain the center of the botanical world—from the author of Magnificent Rebels and New York Times bestseller The Invention of Nature. 

“Wulf’s flair for storytelling is combined with scholarship, brio, and a charmingly airy style.... A delightful book—and you don’t need to be a gardener to enjoy it.” —The New York Times Book Review

Bringing to life the science and adventure of eighteenth-century plant collecting, The Brother Gardeners is the story of how six men created the modern garden and changed the horticultural world in the process. It is a story of a garden revolution that began in America.

In 1733, colonial farmer John Bartram shipped two boxes of precious American plants and seeds to Peter Collinson in London. Around these men formed the nucleus of a botany movement, which included famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus; Philip Miller, bestselling author of The Gardeners Dictionary; and Joseph Banks and David Solander, two botanist explorers, who scoured the globe for plant life aboard Captain Cook’s Endeavor. As they cultivated exotic blooms from around the world, they helped make Britain an epicenter of horticultural and botanical expertise. The Brother Gardeners paints a vivid portrait of an emerging world of knowledge and gardening as we know it today.

Editions (1)

ISBN9780307454751
PublisherKnopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication Date03/09/10

Reviews & Ratings

2 ratings

2 reviews

4.0

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  • theoctobergirl
    theoctobergirl

    1 Followers

    4.0

    * between 3.5 and 4 Stars This was a wonderful and enlightening book. The writing is beautiful and kept me entertained and excited for the whole of the book, all the while educating the reader about the history of botany and horticulture in England/the UK. The focus on this handful of influential, adventerous and passionate men made it easy to follow, and by the end I was really attached to them. BUT there is one big point of criticism I have: I would have wished for there to be more of "Empire". The very problematic and violent aspects as well as the notion of power fell way too short. I understand that this is a book aimed at the broader public and is supposed to be a light read, but nontheless I would have wished for a more critical approach. All in all, I now really want to visit the English Gardens and wander the paths of Miller, Collins, Banks and the like and admire the wonders of nature.

    May 19, 2024

  • 4.0

    * between 3.5 and 4 Stars This was a wonderful and enlightening book. The writing is beautiful and kept me entertained and excited for the whole of the book, all the while educating the reader about the history of botany and horticulture in England/the UK. The focus on this handful of influential, adventerous and passionate men made it easy to follow, and by the end I was really attached to them. BUT there is one big point of criticism I have: I would have wished for there to be more of "Empire". The very problematic and violent aspects as well as the notion of power fell way too short. I understand that this is a book aimed at the broader public and is supposed to be a light read, but nontheless I would have wished for a more critical approach. All in all, I now really want to visit the English Gardens and wander the paths of Miller, Collins, Banks and the like and admire the wonders of nature.

    Feb 24, 2024

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