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DK Nature
Flora: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Plant Kingdom
Let the experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens guide you around the beautiful and mysterious world that is the plant kingdom.
From regulating the air we breathe to providing food, clothes, fuels, and medicines – plants are fundamental to our lives. Discover an extraordinary diversity of species, which includes a grass that grows a meter a day, roots that breathe air, and "queen of the night" cactuses whose rare blooms vanish before dawn.
In a combination of art and science, Flora celebrates plants from majestic trees to microscopic algae, explaining how they germinate, grow, and reproduce. It presents species that have evolved to accommodate pollinating insects such as the foxglove, and plants that have adapted to flourish in even the most hostile of habitats.
Pierre-Joseph Redoute in the 18th-century was described as the "Raphael of flowers". Flora showcases his botanical paintings as well as those of Georg Ehret and others in this gorgeous visual celebration of plants through the ages.
Whether you are a keen gardener, naturalist, or botany student, this beautiful book is a treat that will entice, inform, and amaze.
From regulating the air we breathe to providing food, clothes, fuels, and medicines – plants are fundamental to our lives. Discover an extraordinary diversity of species, which includes a grass that grows a meter a day, roots that breathe air, and "queen of the night" cactuses whose rare blooms vanish before dawn.
In a combination of art and science, Flora celebrates plants from majestic trees to microscopic algae, explaining how they germinate, grow, and reproduce. It presents species that have evolved to accommodate pollinating insects such as the foxglove, and plants that have adapted to flourish in even the most hostile of habitats.
Pierre-Joseph Redoute in the 18th-century was described as the "Raphael of flowers". Flora showcases his botanical paintings as well as those of Georg Ehret and others in this gorgeous visual celebration of plants through the ages.
Whether you are a keen gardener, naturalist, or botany student, this beautiful book is a treat that will entice, inform, and amaze.
440 pages, Hardcover
Published October 23, 2018
100 people are currently reading
692 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,143 books2,013 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 28, 2021
This is a brilliantly illustrated crash course in Botany that will become a reliable family resource for generations to come.
February 10, 2021
Incredible photography on lovely, huge pages. What's not to love?
Highly recommended for any plant lover.
Highly recommended for any plant lover.
November 17, 2018
This book seems suitable for both children and adults. The science and information inside it is presented simply and clearly while not seeming to be 'dumbed-down'. This is hardly a botany textbook but does possess much information of interest to anyone interested in plants, including structure, classification, and history. The images are beautiful and it is a great joy to flip through this book's pages. This book would make a great gift.
April 14, 2021
One of the most gorgeous and informative books I've ever read.
February 11, 2019
This book is a work of art. The photos are stunning. The text can appeal to both the beginner and advanced plant lover.
August 22, 2024
Libro que me dio pena terminar (llevaba unos 2 años dosificándomelo), un tratado con gran atención al detalle. Está lleno de imágenes preciosas de alta calidad, dibujos que consiguen explicar todos los conceptos... y una sección excelente que relaciona botánica y arte a través de distintas corrientes de ilustración. No es una enciclopedia exhaustiva, sino una especie de colección de las maravillas estéticas de la naturaleza. Si de entrada tienes interés por las plantas y la botánica, lo disfrutarás todavía más.
April 24, 2025
Good reference book. I learned a lot from this, plus saw plenty of flowers I want to paint!
July 19, 2024
A work of art and a labor of love. I learned so much, and was ‘wow’d frequently by both the art and the information.
July 24, 2019
"If you have a garden and a library,
you have everything you need."
Cicero, To Varro, in Ad Familiares IX, 4
Summer is short in Canada (perhaps even more this year), to the point that a family fried quips that "we have two seasons in Canada, winter and July" so can you blame us for our bias to want to bask in a field of flowers, surrounded by luscious, bountiful greenery?
Every Spring, human beings reveal in glee at the first sign of life. The slightest green buds on a barren tree, reminds us that we will soon be able to rid the drudgery of the winter blues. In fact the term green shoots is used to indicate signs of economic recovery -- such is the hold of nature on our subconscious.
Did you know that the first gardens were created by the earliest societies of the Middle East, when the need for self-sufficiency led people to enclose plots of land next to their homes. Over time, as societies moved away from subsistence, the practical function of the garden was super-ceded by people's desire to enhance their surroundings, with the emerging ruling classes using gardens to enjoy their leisure time and reinforce their status.
In different parts of the world, gardens meant different things. In ancient Greece, gardens were less associated with domestic pleasure, and more with religion. Relatively simple gardens were closely associated with the divine; trees and plants grown in them were associated with particular deities.
In Ancient Rome, things were different. With a big influence from Egypt and Persia, garden design and horticultural techniques became highly advanced. From town houses of Pompeii to Rome's imperial palaces, gardens were places for relaxation and escape, and often featured art and objects with religious and symbolic meaning.
"...to collect and paint the finest specimens obtainable, and to depict the natural grace and beauty of the plant without conventional design."
Mary Vaux Walcott
In the 19th century there was natural curiosity amongst adventure seekers, to explore what lay beyond their horizon. The expansion of the railroads helped in the quest for more knowledge. From artists to photographers, the landscape was bountiful for exploration. Amongst those was a watercolour artist who produced remarkable collections of botanical artworks.
Mary Vaux Walcott was born into a prosperous Quaker family from Philadelphia. For many years she would traverse the rugged terrains of North America, seeking out significant and new species of wild plants, and creating hundreds of watercolour paintings. Some 400 of these were reproduced in a five-volume book set titled North American Wildflowers, published by the Smithsonian Institute between 1925 and 1929.
DK Books Smithsonian Flora is full of facts, and balance with beautiful pictures and illustrations. Flipping the pages through the book, is akin to walking through a museum. You can go fast and marvel at the emotional tug it creates on your heart, or you can stop at your heart's content, to any page, and dive deeper into the historical significance of flora.
Highly recommended: 5 out of 5 Sukasa Stars
you have everything you need."
Cicero, To Varro, in Ad Familiares IX, 4
Summer is short in Canada (perhaps even more this year), to the point that a family fried quips that "we have two seasons in Canada, winter and July" so can you blame us for our bias to want to bask in a field of flowers, surrounded by luscious, bountiful greenery?
Every Spring, human beings reveal in glee at the first sign of life. The slightest green buds on a barren tree, reminds us that we will soon be able to rid the drudgery of the winter blues. In fact the term green shoots is used to indicate signs of economic recovery -- such is the hold of nature on our subconscious.
Did you know that the first gardens were created by the earliest societies of the Middle East, when the need for self-sufficiency led people to enclose plots of land next to their homes. Over time, as societies moved away from subsistence, the practical function of the garden was super-ceded by people's desire to enhance their surroundings, with the emerging ruling classes using gardens to enjoy their leisure time and reinforce their status.
In different parts of the world, gardens meant different things. In ancient Greece, gardens were less associated with domestic pleasure, and more with religion. Relatively simple gardens were closely associated with the divine; trees and plants grown in them were associated with particular deities.
In Ancient Rome, things were different. With a big influence from Egypt and Persia, garden design and horticultural techniques became highly advanced. From town houses of Pompeii to Rome's imperial palaces, gardens were places for relaxation and escape, and often featured art and objects with religious and symbolic meaning.
"...to collect and paint the finest specimens obtainable, and to depict the natural grace and beauty of the plant without conventional design."
Mary Vaux Walcott
In the 19th century there was natural curiosity amongst adventure seekers, to explore what lay beyond their horizon. The expansion of the railroads helped in the quest for more knowledge. From artists to photographers, the landscape was bountiful for exploration. Amongst those was a watercolour artist who produced remarkable collections of botanical artworks.
Mary Vaux Walcott was born into a prosperous Quaker family from Philadelphia. For many years she would traverse the rugged terrains of North America, seeking out significant and new species of wild plants, and creating hundreds of watercolour paintings. Some 400 of these were reproduced in a five-volume book set titled North American Wildflowers, published by the Smithsonian Institute between 1925 and 1929.
DK Books Smithsonian Flora is full of facts, and balance with beautiful pictures and illustrations. Flipping the pages through the book, is akin to walking through a museum. You can go fast and marvel at the emotional tug it creates on your heart, or you can stop at your heart's content, to any page, and dive deeper into the historical significance of flora.
Highly recommended: 5 out of 5 Sukasa Stars
March 23, 2020
DK has published several coffee-table books on scientific subjects in association with the Smithsonian museums. This one, however, despite the title of the American edition under review, was actually produced by staff at Kew Gardens in England, and differs in style from the other Smithsonian volumes I've seen, which are packed more densely with text and illustrations. There is also a British edition with a different cover and title not mentioning Smithsonian. Some 400 double-page spreads describe and illustrate on a very generous scale the plant kingdom, the varied components of plants (roots, stems and branches, leaves, flowers, seeds and fruits), and then each plant family in turn. It's a wonderful book that could have been half the page size and fitted on my bookshelves. Unfortunately I have it on good authority that we don't have room for another coffee table.
October 17, 2020
Although this book can be easily read in one or two sittings, it should be savored slowly, over time, and again and again. The pictures are stunning, the captions are informative, and for those of us who are new to the fields of botany/horticulture, this book is like that TV show that reveals the well-guarded secrets of famous magicians. As your typical "coffee table" book, it's meant to be beautiful, captivating, and interesting, and certainly, it succeeds at achieving all of those things. Every time I open this book, I feel like I'm transported into a different world and it's always a struggle to return to reality. Highly recommend!
August 26, 2022
A beautifully photographed "coffee table book" that is a pleasure to leaf through, but on closer reading it is also a useful and lovely visual tour through the basics of botany and the plant families. Though I should mention that I checked this out of the library as a companion to the "Plant Science: An Introduction to Botany" course with Dr. Catherine Kleier that I'm watching on the Great Courses/Wondrium, and I'm not sure I would have been able to absorb all this book has to offer without that guidance, as it is not organized as an introduction to botany.
April 2, 2021
An incredible combination of botanical knowledge and gorgeous photography to illustrate the presented information. This is one has a treasured place in my horticulture collection. A true multi-tasker, it's as useful reading from cover to cover, as a go-to reference or spending time on a Sunday afternoon just flipping pages enjoying the pictures. I go back to it over and over again. It deserves a place on any plant lover's coffee table or book shelf.
January 8, 2025
I ordered this book when I was doing research for a series of projects I had as a brand stylist, years ago. This company was super focused on botanicals and sent me heart-first into my current affair with flowers. This is one of my favorite books! I love to look at the images. They are so clear and detailed -plus I love how the plants work with the text in the spreads.
Flora is a beautiful and inspiring book.
Flora is a beautiful and inspiring book.
October 26, 2019
This book a beautiful book...the drawings and photos are stunning. The quick synopsis of each flower or plant is also great. My only critique is the size, this was one huge and heavy book. Its basically even to big as a coffee table book, gorgeous but to big in my opinion. Still a great book and I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars!
January 25, 2024
The colors and gradations of the natural world, and the shapes of plants and trees are incredibly beautiful. We are overwhelmed by the beauty of the natural world.
If you are looking for a book in the DK series about flowers, plants, and plants, you will definitely choose this book.
With clear photographs and detailed descriptions of their features, you will be delighted.
If you are looking for a book in the DK series about flowers, plants, and plants, you will definitely choose this book.
With clear photographs and detailed descriptions of their features, you will be delighted.
July 14, 2022
Beautiful book
This book is gorgeous. Artists, gardeners and anyone with a love of growing things would enjoy perusing these pages. The sheer adaptations of nature will lead you through the botany and the science while filling you with awestruck curiosity.
This book is gorgeous. Artists, gardeners and anyone with a love of growing things would enjoy perusing these pages. The sheer adaptations of nature will lead you through the botany and the science while filling you with awestruck curiosity.
October 9, 2022
Stunning images and comprehensive information. Would love to have a copy of this book at home (rather than borrowing it from the library) so I could continue to read and learn more about the diversity of plants.
January 22, 2019
Very cool book about plants.
January 29, 2019
This book has beautiful pictures and excellent descriptions. I found it to be a fun and visually stimulating read.
February 4, 2019
Beautiful photos! interesting information. I feel like I learned so much from this book. It was a pleasure to read.
February 16, 2019
I mostly looked at the pictures. Let's be honest. But WOW. It made my wanderlust worse. I want to go see these now. Some of these I HAVE seen. Some of these I've raised...
December 14, 2019
Surprisingly informative for a coffee table book. I really enjoyed this and found myself actually reading it all instead of simply flipping through.
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October 4, 2020i really enjoyed this! would definitely recommend if you love plants haha
January 27, 2021
Fascinating with lots of information and pictures, drawings and photos.
October 5, 2021
Not only does "flora" offer magnificent miniature photography, but its insight and informative writing is easy to read and understand.
March 10, 2022
Describing the fascinating world of plants. Incredibly beautiful photography and lay-out.
August 18, 2022
Beautiful pictures, like any DK tome
September 12, 2022
The photographs in this book are beautiful and amazing! Wow! They just pop out at you.
January 14, 2023
such wonderful photography
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews