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Where the Wildflowers Grow: Longlisted for the Wainwright Prize
‘When was the last time you stopped and noticed a wild plant?’
An intriguing and timely exploration of the importance of Britain and Ireland’s plant life.
Leif Bersweden has always been fascinated by wild plants. From a young age, his afternoons were spent hunting for and cataloguing the plants in his local area. But it is a landscape that is fast disappearing.
Climate change, habitat destruction and declining pollinator populations mean that the future for plant life looks bleaker than ever before. Many of us are also unable to identify, or even notice, the plants that grow around us.
Now a botanist, Leif decides to go on a mission, to explore the plants that Britain and Ireland have to offer and to meet those who spend time searching for them. Over the course of a year, Leif goes on a journey around the UK and Ireland, highlighting the unique plants that grow there, their history and the threats that face them. His journey takes him from the Cornish coast to the pine forests of Scotland – even to the streets of London, proving that nature can be found in the most unexpected places. Along the way, Leif highlights the joy and positivity that can be found through understanding nature and why it is so desperately important to protect our wildflowers.
An intriguing and timely exploration of the importance of Britain and Ireland’s plant life.
Leif Bersweden has always been fascinated by wild plants. From a young age, his afternoons were spent hunting for and cataloguing the plants in his local area. But it is a landscape that is fast disappearing.
Climate change, habitat destruction and declining pollinator populations mean that the future for plant life looks bleaker than ever before. Many of us are also unable to identify, or even notice, the plants that grow around us.
Now a botanist, Leif decides to go on a mission, to explore the plants that Britain and Ireland have to offer and to meet those who spend time searching for them. Over the course of a year, Leif goes on a journey around the UK and Ireland, highlighting the unique plants that grow there, their history and the threats that face them. His journey takes him from the Cornish coast to the pine forests of Scotland – even to the streets of London, proving that nature can be found in the most unexpected places. Along the way, Leif highlights the joy and positivity that can be found through understanding nature and why it is so desperately important to protect our wildflowers.
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 4, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
August 25, 2022
(3.5) A good case of nominative determinism – the author’s name is pronounced “leaf” – and fun connections abound: during the course of his year-long odyssey, he spends time plant-hunting with Jon Dunn and Sophie Pavelle, whose books featured earlier in my flora-themed summer reading: Orchid Summer and Forget Me Not [review pending for the TLS]. With Dunn on Unst, Shetland, he sees not only rare flowers but close-up orcas. Like Pavelle, who he meets up with in Cornwall, he has an eye to how species will be affected by climate change and commits to doing his hunting by train and bike; there’s only so much you can see when zooming by in a car. Bersweden makes a case for spending time with plants – after all, they don’t move, so once you’ve found them you can commune in a way you can’t during, say, a fleeting mammal encounter.
He starts 2021 with a New Year Plant Hunt in central London with his mother – more is in bloom in January than ever before, at least in part due to climate warming. Even when the weather is foul on his travels, there is plenty to be seen. Everywhere he goes, he meets up with fellow experts and plant enthusiasts to marvel at bluebell woodlands or ancient pine forests, alpine or bog species. The floral circuit (documented in full on the book’s website through chapter-by-chapter photographs; there are two small sections of colour plates in the hardback) is also a chance to tour the British Isles, from Kent to Cork, coast to mountaintop.
Bersweden has been in love with plants ever since childhood; he believes they have nostalgia value for many people, and can be an easy way into appreciation of nature. “A wildflower growing from a crack in the wall is an everyday miracle.” His casual writing style and clear zeal for his subject – his author photo is of him hugging a tree, and another has such a cute caption: “Being given the opportunity to hold a Greater Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris) was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me!” – make this a pleasure even though it’s a bit overlong at points.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
He starts 2021 with a New Year Plant Hunt in central London with his mother – more is in bloom in January than ever before, at least in part due to climate warming. Even when the weather is foul on his travels, there is plenty to be seen. Everywhere he goes, he meets up with fellow experts and plant enthusiasts to marvel at bluebell woodlands or ancient pine forests, alpine or bog species. The floral circuit (documented in full on the book’s website through chapter-by-chapter photographs; there are two small sections of colour plates in the hardback) is also a chance to tour the British Isles, from Kent to Cork, coast to mountaintop.
Bersweden has been in love with plants ever since childhood; he believes they have nostalgia value for many people, and can be an easy way into appreciation of nature. “A wildflower growing from a crack in the wall is an everyday miracle.” His casual writing style and clear zeal for his subject – his author photo is of him hugging a tree, and another has such a cute caption: “Being given the opportunity to hold a Greater Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris) was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me!” – make this a pleasure even though it’s a bit overlong at points.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
August 16, 2022
Leif Bersweden has been fascinated by wild plants for as long as he can remember. As a child, he would spend his afternoons collecting the various leaves and flowers that he found. Being given a digital camera meant that he could collect a digital record and he would then fill notebooks with his findings.
It was this fascination that led to a degree in biology and now a PhD from Kew on orchids. He has never fallen out of love with our green friends and have already been to various parts of the country with the intention of finding orchids he wanted to see for himself other plants in their location. He brogan this trip though in London with his mum looking for plants that were flowering on the 1st of January 2021.
It is the start of a journey that will take him from Ireland discovering mosses to Shetland seeking the mouse ear. He travels back to his original home in Wiltshire walking the paths of his childhood to the Fens where he was searching for lilies and cycles the south downs at peak bluebell time. The trips to see these plants and many many others took place over the year, the various travel restrictions and lockdowns meant that rather than it being some sort of grand plant tour, it was a series of shorter journeys written up as essays.
I really liked this, not only is he really knowledgeable, but what comes across is his enthusiasm. It is infectious to reading this makes me want to go and discover what is out in my local patch! He is utterly besotted by plants and this is evident in his prose and the pictures included in his book of him, especially when he gets to hold a bladderwort.
One of the main things that he is trying to show in this book is that some of the plants that he goes to see are extremely threatened by climate change and human actions. I liked that sometimes he is in a spot to see a very rare and specific plant and more importantly sometimes he is there just because being in the natural world is equally important. It is a good follow-up to his first book, The Orchid Hunter and can recommend reading it. Even better each of the plants that he mentions in the book can be seen on this website:
https://www.wherethewildflowersgrow.c...
It was this fascination that led to a degree in biology and now a PhD from Kew on orchids. He has never fallen out of love with our green friends and have already been to various parts of the country with the intention of finding orchids he wanted to see for himself other plants in their location. He brogan this trip though in London with his mum looking for plants that were flowering on the 1st of January 2021.
It is the start of a journey that will take him from Ireland discovering mosses to Shetland seeking the mouse ear. He travels back to his original home in Wiltshire walking the paths of his childhood to the Fens where he was searching for lilies and cycles the south downs at peak bluebell time. The trips to see these plants and many many others took place over the year, the various travel restrictions and lockdowns meant that rather than it being some sort of grand plant tour, it was a series of shorter journeys written up as essays.
I really liked this, not only is he really knowledgeable, but what comes across is his enthusiasm. It is infectious to reading this makes me want to go and discover what is out in my local patch! He is utterly besotted by plants and this is evident in his prose and the pictures included in his book of him, especially when he gets to hold a bladderwort.
One of the main things that he is trying to show in this book is that some of the plants that he goes to see are extremely threatened by climate change and human actions. I liked that sometimes he is in a spot to see a very rare and specific plant and more importantly sometimes he is there just because being in the natural world is equally important. It is a good follow-up to his first book, The Orchid Hunter and can recommend reading it. Even better each of the plants that he mentions in the book can be seen on this website:
https://www.wherethewildflowersgrow.c...
July 6, 2022
What a wonderful book, I got the audiobook version and have really enjoyed being taken on the most wonderful journey around Britain and Ireland through the lens of all the wildflowers found on that journey.
Leif's passion and excitement for wildflowers is so infectious and it has definitely helped my understanding of wildflowers, helping me to spot more and appreciate not only their beauty, but their tenacity too.
This is a good humoured book, with lots of knowledge and expertise, delivered in a very exciting and easy to access way.
Leif's passion and excitement for wildflowers is so infectious and it has definitely helped my understanding of wildflowers, helping me to spot more and appreciate not only their beauty, but their tenacity too.
This is a good humoured book, with lots of knowledge and expertise, delivered in a very exciting and easy to access way.
November 25, 2023
In Where the Wildflowers Grow, Leif Bersweden travels around Britain by bicycle and by train on a treasure hunt for our wild plants and flowers.
He travels around, from Ireland to Cornwall, from the New Forest where his interest in botany began, to Ben Lawers in the Scottish Highlands where he tracks down the elusive and rarest plant of all, Snow Pearlwort. He is full of infectious enthusiasm, not just for the rarities, although he clearly loves ticking those off his wishlist, but also for the commonplace. The chapter on a winter plant hunt through the streets of London with its groundsel and daisies and chickweed is equally as inspiring as the hunt for burnt orchids on Salisbury Plain.
At many of the locations, he meets experts in various specialised fields. All are generous with their time and knowledge and clearly enjoy sharing their passions. Leif is a great communicator and describes his pleasure in immersing himself in nature, of getting to know a new patch intimately, or learn more about a species with an unbridled joy.
Whether you are a botanist yourself, or can only name a handful of our commonest wildflowers, this book will make you want to get outside.
He travels around, from Ireland to Cornwall, from the New Forest where his interest in botany began, to Ben Lawers in the Scottish Highlands where he tracks down the elusive and rarest plant of all, Snow Pearlwort. He is full of infectious enthusiasm, not just for the rarities, although he clearly loves ticking those off his wishlist, but also for the commonplace. The chapter on a winter plant hunt through the streets of London with its groundsel and daisies and chickweed is equally as inspiring as the hunt for burnt orchids on Salisbury Plain.
At many of the locations, he meets experts in various specialised fields. All are generous with their time and knowledge and clearly enjoy sharing their passions. Leif is a great communicator and describes his pleasure in immersing himself in nature, of getting to know a new patch intimately, or learn more about a species with an unbridled joy.
Whether you are a botanist yourself, or can only name a handful of our commonest wildflowers, this book will make you want to get outside.
February 3, 2024
A wholesome, inspiring and easy read. It might help to have a little bit of plant knowledge to help you picture what he's talking about, but his descriptions and the pictures in the book are great anyway. I'll be cracking out my flower ID book and seeing what I can find near me
May 14, 2023
The authors enthusiasm for botany is obvious from page one, and , along with some excellent descriptive writing, the reader is carried along with him from one end of the UK to the other. There was a good mix of Information, history, and anecdote, and plenty of photos at the end of the book. There were a few instances where the author goes on a bit too much about the plight of the plants/environment- I suspect that most people reading a book like this are already with the program in that respect. However this is not enough to seriously detract from the contagious zeal exuding from this book regarding botanising. I think I have been infected....
July 22, 2022
This book is so beautifully written it makes you feel as if you are there with the author. He has such a wonderful way of describing what he sees and where he is without over egging it. So many books are too irritating to read because the author is trying too hard to be interesting. Leif (perfect name for s botanist) does not try too hard. He writes as if he is speaking and it's a joy to read.
I have learned a lot about flowers thanks to this book!
I have learned a lot about flowers thanks to this book!
March 10, 2023
I completely adore this book, to the point where finishing it has both encompassed me in joy and made me unbearably sad about the fact that I will never again read it for the first time.
I think it's an excellent nurturer of even the smallest interest in nature, and it feels wrong to sit inside and read it (though i was unfortunately confined to do so due to poor weather). On several occasions I wanted to move outside and sit among nature while I read. I've already planned a small, local trip with a friend to see what we can identify in our city using a book of theirs, and I'm very excited for it!
Leif is amazing. The way he describes the plants he comes into contact with is imaginative and very visual, even endearing. His love of nature shines through this book brilliantly, and he makes botany so accessible. I have a terrible habit of getting every book recommended to me, so he's also just expanded my collection by at least another shelf, but I don't mind.
I think he's also very inspiring. We're the same age, and I never thought that anything I did in concerns to nature preservation would ever matter that much, but seeing him travel around Britain and Ireland, and especially hearing of Ellen Hutchins in the 1800's, has made me feel like what I do does matter, and that doing more isn't out of reach. Both of them have become major role models for me.
I really do recommend you read this, even if you have no real interest in nature I think Leif will be able to change your mind. I first started reading it as a book I saw at the library and picked up because I felt it might help with my dissertation. After 5 chapters I'd bought my own copy and continued my reading with that one, and the only reason I didn't get my own copy sooner is because I was waiting for it in the mail. I've annotated this book so much via sticky notes that it doesn't sit closed anymore, and I love that.
I could honestly write a book about this book. So I think I'll stop here for the sake of your time. But, please, do read it. I think Leif can speak for himself quite nicely, you just need to give him a chance.
I think it's an excellent nurturer of even the smallest interest in nature, and it feels wrong to sit inside and read it (though i was unfortunately confined to do so due to poor weather). On several occasions I wanted to move outside and sit among nature while I read. I've already planned a small, local trip with a friend to see what we can identify in our city using a book of theirs, and I'm very excited for it!
Leif is amazing. The way he describes the plants he comes into contact with is imaginative and very visual, even endearing. His love of nature shines through this book brilliantly, and he makes botany so accessible. I have a terrible habit of getting every book recommended to me, so he's also just expanded my collection by at least another shelf, but I don't mind.
I think he's also very inspiring. We're the same age, and I never thought that anything I did in concerns to nature preservation would ever matter that much, but seeing him travel around Britain and Ireland, and especially hearing of Ellen Hutchins in the 1800's, has made me feel like what I do does matter, and that doing more isn't out of reach. Both of them have become major role models for me.
I really do recommend you read this, even if you have no real interest in nature I think Leif will be able to change your mind. I first started reading it as a book I saw at the library and picked up because I felt it might help with my dissertation. After 5 chapters I'd bought my own copy and continued my reading with that one, and the only reason I didn't get my own copy sooner is because I was waiting for it in the mail. I've annotated this book so much via sticky notes that it doesn't sit closed anymore, and I love that.
I could honestly write a book about this book. So I think I'll stop here for the sake of your time. But, please, do read it. I think Leif can speak for himself quite nicely, you just need to give him a chance.
August 31, 2023
We could all only wish to be loved as much as Leif loves plants.
Honestly, though, this is a lovely book written by a person who earnestly loves plants. In a country with so little nature left and so little endemic biodiversity, this is particularly endearing.
This book is interesting, informative, beautifully written and nostalgic for a time he was not really alive to ever see. I really loved it, and I have recommended it to many people, especially those who love the countryside but know little about its degradation, those who would love the countryside if they had a clearer picture of what they were looking at, or those who think everything is delightful in the countryside and have no idea just how much we have lost in the UK.
My two main grievances (if you can call them that) are: 1) that the book is far longer than it needed to be, and it got very repetitive. Especially when we are talking about a country with such low species richness and abundance; it felt excessive and he started to sound disingenuously enthusiastic when talking about so many similar plants and places; and 2) the cycling aspect was simply unnecessary and seemed like a gimmick.
Nonetheless, I certainly recommend this book and hope it makes more people connect with nature in the UK.
Honestly, though, this is a lovely book written by a person who earnestly loves plants. In a country with so little nature left and so little endemic biodiversity, this is particularly endearing.
This book is interesting, informative, beautifully written and nostalgic for a time he was not really alive to ever see. I really loved it, and I have recommended it to many people, especially those who love the countryside but know little about its degradation, those who would love the countryside if they had a clearer picture of what they were looking at, or those who think everything is delightful in the countryside and have no idea just how much we have lost in the UK.
My two main grievances (if you can call them that) are: 1) that the book is far longer than it needed to be, and it got very repetitive. Especially when we are talking about a country with such low species richness and abundance; it felt excessive and he started to sound disingenuously enthusiastic when talking about so many similar plants and places; and 2) the cycling aspect was simply unnecessary and seemed like a gimmick.
Nonetheless, I certainly recommend this book and hope it makes more people connect with nature in the UK.
March 26, 2024
Where The Wild Flowers Grow is a botanical journey through Britain and Ireland.
Author Leif Bersweden thrills us with his enthusiasm for wild flowers and plant life. Set out in twenty easy to read chapters, Leif highlights the natural world around us, so important as botanical knowledge is being lost as we speed into more and more technology.
I really liked the book and learnt so much about wild flowers. A couple of my favourite chapters were the Bluebells of the South Downs Way and Sea Pinks and The Lizard as they had real meaning to me.
There are a few colour photos of the plants, but I would have loved pictures of all the plants mentioned. I am slowly making my own note book about the plants that I want to recognise, to improve my own plant knowledge. A good book for all wild flora enthusiasts.
Author Leif Bersweden thrills us with his enthusiasm for wild flowers and plant life. Set out in twenty easy to read chapters, Leif highlights the natural world around us, so important as botanical knowledge is being lost as we speed into more and more technology.
I really liked the book and learnt so much about wild flowers. A couple of my favourite chapters were the Bluebells of the South Downs Way and Sea Pinks and The Lizard as they had real meaning to me.
There are a few colour photos of the plants, but I would have loved pictures of all the plants mentioned. I am slowly making my own note book about the plants that I want to recognise, to improve my own plant knowledge. A good book for all wild flora enthusiasts.
February 7, 2024
A great story, or actually many stories, of Leif's love for plants. Very accessible for anyone who needs a little push to love nature just that little bit more, or wants to start loving our wild plants. I would have loved to see more of Ireland in this, but as is explained in the last chapter, Covid interfered. I'm hoping he'll do another book on this... but that might be a bit presumptuous.
I definitely want to go find more wild plants after reading this book, and as anyone who knows me, I already look at a lot of plants.
I definitely want to go find more wild plants after reading this book, and as anyone who knows me, I already look at a lot of plants.
February 29, 2024
I bought this book because I follow the author on twitter and have always loved how his botanical musings provided a respite in my day. I had high hopes I would be hooked as a lover of nature and plants, but my longstanding war with non-fiction won out and it took me two months to finish. I definitely enjoyed it, especially the plant and environment descriptions, but I found it hard to get sucked in and I got bored at times. Still a worthwhile read.
3.5
3.5
August 17, 2024
A joyous journey through a year of wildflowers across the British Isles. The author's passion and enthusiasm for plants shines through on every page and I defy anyone not to start noticing more plants after reading this book. An interesting and informative book with an important message.
February 19, 2023
Really enjoyed this book, and I’m very grateful for the introduction to Ellen Hutchins - Ireland’s first female botanist, botanical artist; and seaweed, lichen & moss expert of the early 1800s. What a hero!
January 27, 2025
Read as part of the UK Youth 4 Nature book club!
A interesting read that has inspired me to take part in the New Year Plant Hunt and dispell the myth that plants are "not that interesting" (they are... Really really interesting), and even plants like daisy, bluebell, mosses and more are cool!
I'm on the start of this plant journey, but I'm glad to have begun.
The website with images of each plant mentioned is helpful to have alongside the book if you're the type wanting to connect a name to a photo. But the little doodles and insert photos are helpful in the paper copy of the book to get a understanding of the plants colours and locations.
A interesting read that has inspired me to take part in the New Year Plant Hunt and dispell the myth that plants are "not that interesting" (they are... Really really interesting), and even plants like daisy, bluebell, mosses and more are cool!
I'm on the start of this plant journey, but I'm glad to have begun.
The website with images of each plant mentioned is helpful to have alongside the book if you're the type wanting to connect a name to a photo. But the little doodles and insert photos are helpful in the paper copy of the book to get a understanding of the plants colours and locations.
January 8, 2023
This is a beautiful walk through the botany of the UK - our rarest wildflowers are tracked down and described - I found it fascinating and very informative.
July 28, 2022
4.5 Stars
I learnt so much as I followed the author through his botanical journey of Britain.
Nature books where it feels like you are in conversation with the author like this are the ones I enjoy the most. Leif's passion and excitement shone through and made me be more observant of flowers and plants.
A book I would highly recommend.
I learnt so much as I followed the author through his botanical journey of Britain.
Nature books where it feels like you are in conversation with the author like this are the ones I enjoy the most. Leif's passion and excitement shone through and made me be more observant of flowers and plants.
A book I would highly recommend.
May 4, 2023
This had to be read slowly, as it followed a repetitive pattern of travelling to a place and describing landscape and plants with the help of a local expert. There were some really fascinating plant facts along the way, but 80% of book was description of some kind, which got a little hard-going for me at times. I often googled the plant species to get a clearer idea of what was being talked about. Leif's enthusiasm is genuine and contagious and I learnt a lot, but it seems to work slightly better on instagram posts than on a book format. Still a lovely book for people interested in plants and flowers in particular!
November 4, 2023
"Where the Wild Flowers Grow" by Leif Brsweden is a mesmerizing journey through the lush landscapes of British and Irish wildflowers, awakening a longing within me for the countryside and a desire to embark on similar explorations.
One of the book's chapters themes revolves around the preservation of grass planes through grazing to promote biodiversity, while lamenting the encroachment of forests. Although these ideas are thought-provoking, I found myself yearning to direct the author's attention toward the works of George Monbiot, who presents a more holistic perspective on land management and the complexities of biodiversity conservation. Leif Brsweden emphasizes the need for a mosaic of habitats, yet I felt that he didn't fully address the broader consequences of preserving excessive grassland and farmland.
The author remarks at one point that "poor soils breed biodiversity," a concept that requires a more nuanced definition of "poor." I believe that if the soil supports a diverse range of life, it is, in fact, rich rather than poor. I found this bit frustratingly paradoxical.
The author's eccentricity adds a unique and beautiful touch to his narrative. He speaks of farming as a means to improve the land, a viewpoint that often contradicts the prevailing ecological understanding. While he contends that ploughing can increase biodiversity, I believe he takes a somewhat narrow perspective on the concept, primarily focusing on a select group of flowering plants. There is a need for a more comprehensive exploration of biodiversity that encompasses the intricate web of life within the soil and beyond.
For me these points suggested that the author may suffer from a touch of 'shifting baseline syndrome', wherein he idealises the land as it was during his youth, assuming it to be its original or natural state.
Nonetheless, the book is not without its merits. Leif does highlight critical concerns such as water abstraction and runoff's harmful impact on fauna and flora.
One of the book's most powerful moments is when it reveals how certain landscapes, like vast expanses of heathland, are unnatural and have been meticulously managed. This includes practices such as draining and burning moorland to favor grouse, which are undeniably environmentally damaging and contribute to a distorted image of the countryside's true nature.
Leif Brsweden eventually returns to these problematic aspects, somewhat mitigating the earlier content. He highlights the pressing issues of climate change, perpetual fertilizer application, and chronic overgrazing, all of which have detrimental effects on biodiversity. The example of flowers blooming a month earlier than in the 1980s serves as a stark reminder of climate change's profound impact on delicate ecosystems.
In sum, "Where the Wild Flowers Grow" paints a magnificent portrait of British and Irish wildflowers, rekindling my fascination with the intricate beauty of nature in our small islands. His tales from all over the British Isles are wonderful and awe inspiring. While there were moments that left me frustrated, particularly in the author's glorification of farming and grazing, the book's overall impact on my appreciation for the natural world remains profound. It is a captivating read that stirs a yearning for adventure and a deeper connection with the wonders of our environment.
One of the book's chapters themes revolves around the preservation of grass planes through grazing to promote biodiversity, while lamenting the encroachment of forests. Although these ideas are thought-provoking, I found myself yearning to direct the author's attention toward the works of George Monbiot, who presents a more holistic perspective on land management and the complexities of biodiversity conservation. Leif Brsweden emphasizes the need for a mosaic of habitats, yet I felt that he didn't fully address the broader consequences of preserving excessive grassland and farmland.
The author remarks at one point that "poor soils breed biodiversity," a concept that requires a more nuanced definition of "poor." I believe that if the soil supports a diverse range of life, it is, in fact, rich rather than poor. I found this bit frustratingly paradoxical.
The author's eccentricity adds a unique and beautiful touch to his narrative. He speaks of farming as a means to improve the land, a viewpoint that often contradicts the prevailing ecological understanding. While he contends that ploughing can increase biodiversity, I believe he takes a somewhat narrow perspective on the concept, primarily focusing on a select group of flowering plants. There is a need for a more comprehensive exploration of biodiversity that encompasses the intricate web of life within the soil and beyond.
For me these points suggested that the author may suffer from a touch of 'shifting baseline syndrome', wherein he idealises the land as it was during his youth, assuming it to be its original or natural state.
Nonetheless, the book is not without its merits. Leif does highlight critical concerns such as water abstraction and runoff's harmful impact on fauna and flora.
One of the book's most powerful moments is when it reveals how certain landscapes, like vast expanses of heathland, are unnatural and have been meticulously managed. This includes practices such as draining and burning moorland to favor grouse, which are undeniably environmentally damaging and contribute to a distorted image of the countryside's true nature.
Leif Brsweden eventually returns to these problematic aspects, somewhat mitigating the earlier content. He highlights the pressing issues of climate change, perpetual fertilizer application, and chronic overgrazing, all of which have detrimental effects on biodiversity. The example of flowers blooming a month earlier than in the 1980s serves as a stark reminder of climate change's profound impact on delicate ecosystems.
In sum, "Where the Wild Flowers Grow" paints a magnificent portrait of British and Irish wildflowers, rekindling my fascination with the intricate beauty of nature in our small islands. His tales from all over the British Isles are wonderful and awe inspiring. While there were moments that left me frustrated, particularly in the author's glorification of farming and grazing, the book's overall impact on my appreciation for the natural world remains profound. It is a captivating read that stirs a yearning for adventure and a deeper connection with the wonders of our environment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2023
"Knowing and interacting with plants wherever we are can help us to feel connected with the living world, not separated from it. We need nature, we are part of it; I just hope enough of us realise before it's too late."
Leif's publisher was kind enough to send me a proof copy of this book - exactly a year to the day before I finished reading - thank you! It's taken me a while to get to this one (you don't want to see the various teetering TBR piles scattered around my room) but I am so so glad that I finally did.
Anybody that has met Leif, seen him on Springwatch (!) or follows his social media accounts will tell you just how passionate he is about plants, and how beautifully infectious that passion is. Thankfully, this passion comes across in droves throughout Where the Wildflowers Grow. While many of us enjoy the star species (hellooooo bluebells) so many other plants are overlooked and under-appreciated, and they need somebody like Leif cheerleading them, very often while laying on the ground to get a closer look. Travelling around the country by bike Leif botanises at every opportunity, meeting fellow plant lovers on the way and telling us their stories and those of the plants, and of course telling us the threats that many of our plant species face. Lots of science is intertwined but presented to us in a really accessible and fun way - the writing style, humour, and sustainable mode of travel draws comparisons to Forget Me Not by Sophie Pavelle to mind, and Sophie actually features in the book, as does Lee Schofield (Wild Fell).
One of the coolest things about this book, too, is that there is an accompanying website where you can look at photos of ALL of the plants mentioned throughout. Brilliant combination of physical book/technology. We love to see it!
To conclude: I adored this book, cried at the end (that quote at the top!), can't wait to read his previous book The Orchid Hunter and would LOVE to go on a walk with Leif (though I'm not sure we'd get very far.)
Leif's publisher was kind enough to send me a proof copy of this book - exactly a year to the day before I finished reading - thank you! It's taken me a while to get to this one (you don't want to see the various teetering TBR piles scattered around my room) but I am so so glad that I finally did.
Anybody that has met Leif, seen him on Springwatch (!) or follows his social media accounts will tell you just how passionate he is about plants, and how beautifully infectious that passion is. Thankfully, this passion comes across in droves throughout Where the Wildflowers Grow. While many of us enjoy the star species (hellooooo bluebells) so many other plants are overlooked and under-appreciated, and they need somebody like Leif cheerleading them, very often while laying on the ground to get a closer look. Travelling around the country by bike Leif botanises at every opportunity, meeting fellow plant lovers on the way and telling us their stories and those of the plants, and of course telling us the threats that many of our plant species face. Lots of science is intertwined but presented to us in a really accessible and fun way - the writing style, humour, and sustainable mode of travel draws comparisons to Forget Me Not by Sophie Pavelle to mind, and Sophie actually features in the book, as does Lee Schofield (Wild Fell).
One of the coolest things about this book, too, is that there is an accompanying website where you can look at photos of ALL of the plants mentioned throughout. Brilliant combination of physical book/technology. We love to see it!
To conclude: I adored this book, cried at the end (that quote at the top!), can't wait to read his previous book The Orchid Hunter and would LOVE to go on a walk with Leif (though I'm not sure we'd get very far.)
May 2, 2023
Leif, in his very English, self conscious, slightly bonkers way, gets face to face with the miniature intricacies of wildflowers.
He meanders through England and Ireland, provides a map of important habitats and rare finds, shows good photographs, lists recommended readings and other resources such as you tube videos and social media contacts.
Written in the first person, with imagery rich, detailed explanations, Leif takes his inspiration from other naturalists. He has an engaging, in the moment, writing style, accessible to older children and adults. But it's not just about the plants.
Leif describes the landscapes, ecology (birds, insects), plant uses and other tantalising facts. Daisy, for example, is named after the sun, or day's eye. Broomrape is a parasite.
Conscious that facts are only half the story, the emotional part of the book varies from overly reserved when it comes to his relationships with people to overly exuberant when it comes to his relationship with plants. It's as if all of his buttoned up Englishness just can't wait to burst free into this eccentric, joyful and endearing pastime.
On the way he cycles or takes the train to meet up with botanists and conservationists. They reflect on the many other benefits of plant hunting, as well as the sad decline of great swathes of natural habitat.
From Lizard Peninsula, Britain's southern most point, north to Unst Island, from the lowland plains Fens and forests to the alpine heights, it's a travel itinerary with a purpose.
Leif is chasing down rare habitats and their associated plants before they disappear, largely due to urbanisation. Most of the habitats are actively managed and Leif accepts the need for grazing, but draws the line at fire management, possibly because it encourages bracken and grouse, at the expense of wildflowers.
Leif gives the briefest of mentions to his mother, his best friend, moving house, but either there needs to be more detail, or the mentions excluded as the reader is left hanging.
Leif is clearly not as enthusiastic about estuarine plants, so either this chapter needed more effort on his part to learn more, or it should have been excluded.
The last part of the book is disjointed. There is a lengthy description of autumn trees and of seaweed foraging. This chapter is way off topic. The last chapter is way too reflective. It would be more interesting to have an epilogue about what he did next. Did he go on to study orchids? Is he working at Kew Gardens? Has he got a science education business?
A contents page would be useful. The extra resources at the end need to be separated from the rest of the book e.g. in appendices.
Overall an enjoyable read and inspiring enough to make you want to visit these places and take a closer look.
He meanders through England and Ireland, provides a map of important habitats and rare finds, shows good photographs, lists recommended readings and other resources such as you tube videos and social media contacts.
Written in the first person, with imagery rich, detailed explanations, Leif takes his inspiration from other naturalists. He has an engaging, in the moment, writing style, accessible to older children and adults. But it's not just about the plants.
Leif describes the landscapes, ecology (birds, insects), plant uses and other tantalising facts. Daisy, for example, is named after the sun, or day's eye. Broomrape is a parasite.
Conscious that facts are only half the story, the emotional part of the book varies from overly reserved when it comes to his relationships with people to overly exuberant when it comes to his relationship with plants. It's as if all of his buttoned up Englishness just can't wait to burst free into this eccentric, joyful and endearing pastime.
On the way he cycles or takes the train to meet up with botanists and conservationists. They reflect on the many other benefits of plant hunting, as well as the sad decline of great swathes of natural habitat.
From Lizard Peninsula, Britain's southern most point, north to Unst Island, from the lowland plains Fens and forests to the alpine heights, it's a travel itinerary with a purpose.
Leif is chasing down rare habitats and their associated plants before they disappear, largely due to urbanisation. Most of the habitats are actively managed and Leif accepts the need for grazing, but draws the line at fire management, possibly because it encourages bracken and grouse, at the expense of wildflowers.
Leif gives the briefest of mentions to his mother, his best friend, moving house, but either there needs to be more detail, or the mentions excluded as the reader is left hanging.
Leif is clearly not as enthusiastic about estuarine plants, so either this chapter needed more effort on his part to learn more, or it should have been excluded.
The last part of the book is disjointed. There is a lengthy description of autumn trees and of seaweed foraging. This chapter is way off topic. The last chapter is way too reflective. It would be more interesting to have an epilogue about what he did next. Did he go on to study orchids? Is he working at Kew Gardens? Has he got a science education business?
A contents page would be useful. The extra resources at the end need to be separated from the rest of the book e.g. in appendices.
Overall an enjoyable read and inspiring enough to make you want to visit these places and take a closer look.
September 23, 2023
5/5
Audiobook narrated by the author.
A charming, detailed and insightful adventure showing off the botanical delights of Britain and Ireland. The author spends a year cycling the land, getting to know the diverse range of plants and habitats these countries have to offer.
- The structure of the book as an ongoing journey was excellent. Each chapter focuses on a particular place and plant or habitat and it creates a good flow that keeps the reader interested but not overwhelmed.
- Conservation features heavily in this book. There was barely a chapter that went by without mention of degraded or disappearing habitats, climate change, shrinking populations and changes to biodiversity. And that is how it should be. Organisms do not exist in isolation and especially now humans need to act and realise how much harm we are doing to our planet. Everything deserves a chance and a place to exist, even if it doesn't benefit us as a species (though usually nature does).
- Bersweden's enthusiasm for wildflowers and botany is infectious and you can't help but get excited with him. As I listened to the audiobook, I had no picture references (though there are resources on the book's website) and despite having to try and visualise these plants entirely in my head, I loved hearing about these dinky little flowers or slimy seaweeds or bits of moss. I've also noticed that when I'm out and about, I'm more aware of the plant life around me and want to find out exactly what something is.
Perfect for nature lovers or those who enjoy nonfiction with a flow. Highly recommended.
Audiobook narrated by the author.
A charming, detailed and insightful adventure showing off the botanical delights of Britain and Ireland. The author spends a year cycling the land, getting to know the diverse range of plants and habitats these countries have to offer.
- The structure of the book as an ongoing journey was excellent. Each chapter focuses on a particular place and plant or habitat and it creates a good flow that keeps the reader interested but not overwhelmed.
- Conservation features heavily in this book. There was barely a chapter that went by without mention of degraded or disappearing habitats, climate change, shrinking populations and changes to biodiversity. And that is how it should be. Organisms do not exist in isolation and especially now humans need to act and realise how much harm we are doing to our planet. Everything deserves a chance and a place to exist, even if it doesn't benefit us as a species (though usually nature does).
- Bersweden's enthusiasm for wildflowers and botany is infectious and you can't help but get excited with him. As I listened to the audiobook, I had no picture references (though there are resources on the book's website) and despite having to try and visualise these plants entirely in my head, I loved hearing about these dinky little flowers or slimy seaweeds or bits of moss. I've also noticed that when I'm out and about, I'm more aware of the plant life around me and want to find out exactly what something is.
Perfect for nature lovers or those who enjoy nonfiction with a flow. Highly recommended.
November 23, 2023
A gentle enjoyable slow book which I somehow (and gratefully) managed to miss was a 'year of' endeavour, even though it starts with a New Year's Day urban plant hunt with his Mum. Leif Bersweden is one of those rare people who are almost born with a passion for botany (cf growing things which is much more common) and in this book he wears it lightly enough to be accessible for those less committed. It's just him travelling about by bike and train going to see plants (and areas) and meeting people. Which doesn't mean that he doesn't get very excited about finds and he does convey the pleasures of looking at small things very closely, but overall it isn't a confected emotional roller coaster of a book with suspense and disappointment.
I loved the way the book is constructed, the little pictures, the photographs and the focus on different types of habitat. Climate change, the pandemic, driven grouse shooting - all that is there, as it should be, whilst not dominating. I especially liked the chapter on bluebell woods, in which he discovers that there are exceptions to his impression that people in general are uninterested in wild plants. There were also many points at which the writing - either his words or reporting others - really hit me powerfully as important ways to look at, enjoy and protect life.
I loved the way the book is constructed, the little pictures, the photographs and the focus on different types of habitat. Climate change, the pandemic, driven grouse shooting - all that is there, as it should be, whilst not dominating. I especially liked the chapter on bluebell woods, in which he discovers that there are exceptions to his impression that people in general are uninterested in wild plants. There were also many points at which the writing - either his words or reporting others - really hit me powerfully as important ways to look at, enjoy and protect life.
September 10, 2022
Leif is one of the few authors that successfully blends his incredible passion for nature with the technical details of academia. Where the Wildflowers Grow is a beautiful story of one man’s twelve month journey around the United Kingdom exploring varied habitats looking for wildflower specialties.
Throughout reading, Leif’s anecdotes cast me back to when I was younger, fittingly the same age, bringing forward a whole host of emotions from collecting petals with my grandparents, to pointing out wildlife on family walks.
If you’re a reader who enjoys beautiful nature writing with hints of technical knowledge, I highly recommend Where the Wildflowers Grow.
Throughout reading, Leif’s anecdotes cast me back to when I was younger, fittingly the same age, bringing forward a whole host of emotions from collecting petals with my grandparents, to pointing out wildlife on family walks.
If you’re a reader who enjoys beautiful nature writing with hints of technical knowledge, I highly recommend Where the Wildflowers Grow.
September 16, 2022
Following Leif’s journey botanising over the course of a year gives you insight into 12 stories of different explorations. From limestone flats to bluebell woods, each adventure is as exciting as the next, learning about the habitat’s unique botany. His descriptions are down to earth and personable, and there is also a free weblink to pictures of the plants he describes, chapter by chapter.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes to spend time outdoors- it’s a must read for botanists and nature lovers. I hope this becomes the next bestseller.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes to spend time outdoors- it’s a must read for botanists and nature lovers. I hope this becomes the next bestseller.
November 13, 2022
Really enjoyed this book - the joy and passion Leif has for botany is infectious. He makes you appreciate how much diverse plant life can exist within a small patch of land and encourages you to notice all the plants we may overlook in our day to day lives.
Definitely recommend this book for anyone with an interest in botany, no matter your level of knowledge. It's a very accessible and well written book.
Leif has certainly inspired me to get a hand lens and to go out and make my own observations... Can't wait to see what miniature world opens up for me.
Definitely recommend this book for anyone with an interest in botany, no matter your level of knowledge. It's a very accessible and well written book.
Leif has certainly inspired me to get a hand lens and to go out and make my own observations... Can't wait to see what miniature world opens up for me.
February 28, 2024
A book to really lose yourself in! I absolutely loved every moment and made a long list of places I really have to visit. As a botanist myself, this book was a complete wonder to me - telling of species I know well and others I knew only by name. The time it took to read this is indicative of the times I stopped to note a new species down or research a species I was unfamiliar with. I came to this book precisely because I love wildflowers and I love them even more after reading it. I hope people fall in love with them after reading, it’s the passion of my life.
August 6, 2024
Wildflower Hunting Across the UK
Although the descriptions of the wildflowers and planets were informative, it was a little confusing at times as to what the plants looked like. A plant key for each chapter may have helped amateur botanists imagine the plant in question.
Bersweden's writing style is varied, and the narrative doesn't always flow. This is a shame as the story of the journey across the UK and the botanical discoveries are fascinating.
An interesting, if not always gripping odyssey across the UK in search of rare and wonderful native plants.
Although the descriptions of the wildflowers and planets were informative, it was a little confusing at times as to what the plants looked like. A plant key for each chapter may have helped amateur botanists imagine the plant in question.
Bersweden's writing style is varied, and the narrative doesn't always flow. This is a shame as the story of the journey across the UK and the botanical discoveries are fascinating.
An interesting, if not always gripping odyssey across the UK in search of rare and wonderful native plants.
December 28, 2024
4.5*
I found this in the charity shop and immediately bought it as I recognised Leif from tv and really enjoyed his botanical commentary then.
I felt peaceful reading Leif’s book every night in bed, his book is light and joyful, and his writing is lyrical, as light as his spirit is in the wild. I’m a lepidopterist but Leif has definitely encouraged me to engage more with the rich botanical realm.
It’s only 4.5 as five are reserved for the rare books I read and can’t put down but this was as close as you can get in my subjective opinion.
I found this in the charity shop and immediately bought it as I recognised Leif from tv and really enjoyed his botanical commentary then.
I felt peaceful reading Leif’s book every night in bed, his book is light and joyful, and his writing is lyrical, as light as his spirit is in the wild. I’m a lepidopterist but Leif has definitely encouraged me to engage more with the rich botanical realm.
It’s only 4.5 as five are reserved for the rare books I read and can’t put down but this was as close as you can get in my subjective opinion.
January 8, 2025
This was my summer holiday read for August 2024, and I just finished it... now, in January 2025. That's not a comment on the book, the book is great, I've just really struggled with my focus this last year, and a lot of stuff ended up on my "not quite finished" pile.
Anyway, this book is lovely and gentle in encouraging us to pay more attention to the wildflowers that grow around us, and I'm glad I took my time in reading it because it felt like I was right there on a journey along with the author.
Anyway, this book is lovely and gentle in encouraging us to pay more attention to the wildflowers that grow around us, and I'm glad I took my time in reading it because it felt like I was right there on a journey along with the author.
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