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Of Naked Ladies and Forget-Me-Nots: The stories behind the common names of some of our favorite plants
Award-winning author and plantsman Allan Armitage tells the stories behind the common names of some of our favorite and lesser-known plants. From Hooker's Lips to Hairy Balls, Voodoo lilies and Gas Plant, this books of laugh-out-loud yarns is required reading for every plant enthusiast.
Kerry Ann Mendez, designer, lecturer, and author of The Right Size Flower Garden, says, about the book, "The minute I read the title of Allan's new book, I was hooked. What gardener wouldn't love well-told, fanciful stories that unveil the mystery behind some of the wackiest common names for plants? Allan's delightful sense of humor, mixed with painstaking historical research and his own brilliant knowledge as a renowned plantsman, provides the foundation for a delightful book that engages readers of all ages and gardening backgrounds. A must-read!"
Kerry Ann Mendez, designer, lecturer, and author of The Right Size Flower Garden, says, about the book, "The minute I read the title of Allan's new book, I was hooked. What gardener wouldn't love well-told, fanciful stories that unveil the mystery behind some of the wackiest common names for plants? Allan's delightful sense of humor, mixed with painstaking historical research and his own brilliant knowledge as a renowned plantsman, provides the foundation for a delightful book that engages readers of all ages and gardening backgrounds. A must-read!"
- GenresGardeningNonfiction
244 pages, Paperback
Published March 9, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 6, 2018
Of Naked Ladies and Forget-Me-Nots: The Stories Behind the Names of Some of Our Favorite Plants by Allan M. Armitage (Allan Armitage 2017) (580.14). Allan M. Armitage is a superstar plantsman and a legendary gardener. From his base at the University of Georgia, he is a giant among Southern gardeners. His books have taught a generation how to successfully manage their home grounds, whether a plantation or a tiny plot of soil.
With that said, I'm almost embarrassed to note that Of Naked Ladies and Forget-Me-Nots: The Stories Behind the Names of Some of Our Favorite Plants is by far the least useful volume yet published in Professor Armitage's name. It's sort of a cute approach, but the information presented in this volume has already been shared many times by other authors and is already available in myriad forms.
My guess is that the author owed someone a book, or perhaps he had pressed his agent to make a sale for some purpose.
Leave this book on the shelf and pick up any other Allan M. Armitage title, and the reader will be a happier gardener. My rating: 5/10, finished 11/5/18.
With that said, I'm almost embarrassed to note that Of Naked Ladies and Forget-Me-Nots: The Stories Behind the Names of Some of Our Favorite Plants is by far the least useful volume yet published in Professor Armitage's name. It's sort of a cute approach, but the information presented in this volume has already been shared many times by other authors and is already available in myriad forms.
My guess is that the author owed someone a book, or perhaps he had pressed his agent to make a sale for some purpose.
Leave this book on the shelf and pick up any other Allan M. Armitage title, and the reader will be a happier gardener. My rating: 5/10, finished 11/5/18.
November 20, 2017
Interesting stories of how some plants got their common names. Allan Armitage is known both for his plant knowledge and wit and this book shows off both. Gardeners definitely would find this book a valuable source of information.
December 4, 2017
Mildly entertaining but not that interesting.
February 7, 2021
Absolutely charming little book. I ordered it on Dr. A’s website and he was kind enough to sign my book and write a charming little note.
A must for the gardener in your life.
A must for the gardener in your life.
October 10, 2023
Interesting book, especially for gardeners. Read it in spurts between other books, one story at a time and enjoyed it immensely.
Read
April 6, 20213.5 stars. I picked this book up after hearing the author speak at a local garden society meeting. Self-published, it has a casual, chatty style. Armitage shares brief stories of how various plants got their name, sometimes more folk story than fact. I'll admit, there isn't a great deal of depth here, I'm sure there are more thorough books on the topic, but I still enjoyed Armitage's style. He also includes basic information on the plant such as regions where it grows well, zone, sun exposure and commentary. There are color photos of every plant, and while the book isn’t printed on glossy coated paper, the photos still turned out well.
He seems to emphasize US native plants but also includes plants popular in the US. The style is informal, and it’s clear Armitage enjoys telling stories, which is probably what prompted this book. He also throws in the occasional personal story.
The plants are arranged somewhat alphabetically, sometimes based on the nickname, sometimes by Latin name and sometimes out of order. But there is an index of common names, and an appendix of Latin names and the plant’s common name(s). I read it straight through in bursts, and it’s an easy book to dip into.
I learned of bergenia, known as pigsqueak because if you rub it’s leaves, it sounds like the squeal of a pig. There’s a quick history behind the myth of carrots being good for eyesight that originated during WWII. Eggplants historically were white and round like an egg and the purple cultivar didn’t appear until the early 1900s. And I’m looking forward to when my snapdragons bloom, as I now know how to snap them.
One of the more interesting things I learned is the suffix -wort means “useful for” or “aids in.” This connects to a theory first presented by Greek botanist Pedanius Dioscorides (40-90 AD) who served as a medic in the Roman army that herbs that resemble a body part might treat that body part. This theory was popularized by physician and founder of toxicology Paracelsus (1493-1541) in The Doctrine of Signatures, and reinforced by theologian William Coles (1626-1662) who said God wanted to show man what plants were useful for healing (walnuts were thought to help aches of the brain). So because the spots on the leaves of pulmonaria resemble the alveoli of the lungs, it’s called lungwort. (I have this in my garden, it does well in shade, has pretty flowers in spring, and the leaves add visual interest when it’s not in bloom.) There’s also liverwort, spleenwort and toothwort. And there are non-body part sorts like soapwort which was one of the first plants to be used as soap because it contains a lot of saponin which produces froth when rubbed in water. St. John’s Wort was named by early Christians because there it flowers around John the Baptist’s birthday.
Many of the stories are hard to corroborate or prove definitively, often seeming to have originated from tales passed by word of mouth. Armitage lived in Canada and now lives in Atlanta, GA, and I appreciated that he often notes specifically if a plant does or does not grow well in the South. It also contributes to his breadth of knowledge to have hardened in two different zones. I also appreciated that, like me, he grows some plants just because they’re interesting. I imagine it would be a real treat to tour his garden and hear his stories first hand.
****earlier review****
Weeding my gardening books, this is 4th of 4 books I have on the origin of flower names. I heard Mr. Armitage speak, and found him to be a gifted storyteller, an ability that seems to be reflected in this book. It’s self published, so the quality of the paper and interior design are not strong, but there are color photos throughout. I only skimmed this as I’m trying to decide which gardening books in my library are worth keeping.
Verdict: Keep, I think this will be an enjoyable read with better narrative flow than the other books.
He seems to emphasize US native plants but also includes plants popular in the US. The style is informal, and it’s clear Armitage enjoys telling stories, which is probably what prompted this book. He also throws in the occasional personal story.
The plants are arranged somewhat alphabetically, sometimes based on the nickname, sometimes by Latin name and sometimes out of order. But there is an index of common names, and an appendix of Latin names and the plant’s common name(s). I read it straight through in bursts, and it’s an easy book to dip into.
I learned of bergenia, known as pigsqueak because if you rub it’s leaves, it sounds like the squeal of a pig. There’s a quick history behind the myth of carrots being good for eyesight that originated during WWII. Eggplants historically were white and round like an egg and the purple cultivar didn’t appear until the early 1900s. And I’m looking forward to when my snapdragons bloom, as I now know how to snap them.
One of the more interesting things I learned is the suffix -wort means “useful for” or “aids in.” This connects to a theory first presented by Greek botanist Pedanius Dioscorides (40-90 AD) who served as a medic in the Roman army that herbs that resemble a body part might treat that body part. This theory was popularized by physician and founder of toxicology Paracelsus (1493-1541) in The Doctrine of Signatures, and reinforced by theologian William Coles (1626-1662) who said God wanted to show man what plants were useful for healing (walnuts were thought to help aches of the brain). So because the spots on the leaves of pulmonaria resemble the alveoli of the lungs, it’s called lungwort. (I have this in my garden, it does well in shade, has pretty flowers in spring, and the leaves add visual interest when it’s not in bloom.) There’s also liverwort, spleenwort and toothwort. And there are non-body part sorts like soapwort which was one of the first plants to be used as soap because it contains a lot of saponin which produces froth when rubbed in water. St. John’s Wort was named by early Christians because there it flowers around John the Baptist’s birthday.
Many of the stories are hard to corroborate or prove definitively, often seeming to have originated from tales passed by word of mouth. Armitage lived in Canada and now lives in Atlanta, GA, and I appreciated that he often notes specifically if a plant does or does not grow well in the South. It also contributes to his breadth of knowledge to have hardened in two different zones. I also appreciated that, like me, he grows some plants just because they’re interesting. I imagine it would be a real treat to tour his garden and hear his stories first hand.
****earlier review****
Weeding my gardening books, this is 4th of 4 books I have on the origin of flower names. I heard Mr. Armitage speak, and found him to be a gifted storyteller, an ability that seems to be reflected in this book. It’s self published, so the quality of the paper and interior design are not strong, but there are color photos throughout. I only skimmed this as I’m trying to decide which gardening books in my library are worth keeping.
Verdict: Keep, I think this will be an enjoyable read with better narrative flow than the other books.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews