Extraordinary Leaves

by Dennis Schrader

A stunning collaboration between a master nature photographer and a horticulturalist. Leaves are everywhere, appearing in an astonishing variety of shapes, colors and textures. They are the unappreciated gifts of nature, worthy of far more extensive study by all. Extraordinary Leaves is a celebration of one of nature's miracles. As Dennis Schrader "To prepare this book, I have been obligated to take a more intimate look at all aspect of leaves -their many uses, their place in history, the science behind what's going on in a leaf and the unadulterated, simple beauty of the leaf itself." Photographer Stephen Green-Armytage discovered the beauty of leaves while browsing in a greenhouse. The more he looked at the intricate patterns, the more fascinated he became. His photography in this book is the result of years of study, and it is strikingly beautiful. Through words and images, Extraordinary Leaves provides an insightful tour. Topics include color, pattern, texture and shape. Among the specific plants covered are coleus, kale, caladium and ferns.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Nature, Art, Photography

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 2008

Reviews

[Rose Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are really good leaves.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mainly got this from the library assuming it would be eye-candy. The cover photo was by far the best of the book! Interesting, if meandering mini-essays on types of plants and leaves.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning pictures and fascinating facts - did you know that ginkgo trees were one of the few living things to survive the nuclear bombs in hiroshima?? I also liked how the categories were done; they brought out some unusual features of the leaves included. Since the writing was not focused on providing all the education about leaves, it could instead focus on bringing out thought-provoking facts and drawing different parallels than I'm used to thinking about. This was such a fun book to read!

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful documentation of various horticultural wonders. Perfect for learning and rediscovering a love/awe for nature. The pictures are wonderful, and the commentary is very informative. The only thing I didn't like was the large blocks of text - I preferred when details about various plants were written alongside the images. Would recommend!

[HadiDee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photos

[Astri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so shiny and amazing!

[Terri D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic photo's and of huge interest to me and anyone interested in botanical art or, er, leaves!
Not too science-y but informative and a joy to look at.