Overleaf: An Album of British Trees

by Susan Ogilvy

In Overleaf, the botanical painter Susan Ogilvy and the eminent forester Richard Ogilvy introduce us to each of the native trees of the British Isles - and a number of non-native, but much cherished, naturalized species - via close consideration of their leaves.

From water-loving alder to long-lived yew, Susan paints both the front and back of every tree's leaf or needle in exquisite, jewel-like detail, reproduced on the page at exactly life size. Running parallel to Susan's paintings, Richard provides expert commentary on the natural history of the trees, the ecosystems they inhabit and the traditional uses of their timber, helping us identify each species in the wild while exploring the roles they have played and continue to play in our landscapes and communities.

As vivid and true to life as a book of freshly picked and pressed leaves, Overleaf will delight and inform tree-spotting beginners and seasoned naturalists alike.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

192 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2024

Reviews

[Laurence · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book to hold with fantastic illustrations throughout. Filled with information on their lives, uses, habitat and folklore this book is both a delight and very easy to read.

[Chris Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely delightful account of the characteristics of all the trees we know so well, and many less familiar ones too. Descriptions drew me in; the image of banks of Scots Pine sheltering warlike clans in Scotland, the crack willow providing nooks and crannies for bats, woodpeckers and owls, and the many uses of sweet chestnut, from palings to flour. I read the book avidly from start to finish, and will now dip back in for a second round of enjoyment.

The illustrations are exquisite, and as an echo to the title, we are given beautiful studies of both the front and the back of the leaf. I also have the book 'Nests' featuring Susan Ogilvy's forensic illustrations. Both books, kindly given to me by one of my daughters, are an absolute pleasure to own and read.

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trees are relaxing things and this book is a contemplative and relaxing read. The illustrations are beautiful but too few. I’d like to see more of the tree than just the leaf, as the little diagram to show size at the beginning of each writeup really doesn’t do the tree justice. In fact, the kindle formatting doesn’t convey the book well, as I would expect to see the writeup on one page and the illustration on the opposing page.