Caroline Ball

Succulents, especially cacti, are the current focus of serious ecological studies but also the darlings of designers and style influencers. Their endearing, characterful looks have given them the status of trendy 'plant pets'. But succulentomania is not new. While these plants have always been part of the landscape in the dry vastnesses of the Americas, Australia and Africa, curiosities such...

Plump apricots, juicy mangoes, crisp lettuce. We're used to seeing close-up photographs of beautiful fruits and vegetables in cookbooks and garden guides. But these detailed illustrations of fruit and vegetables, as viewed through eighteenth-century eyes, are something very different – and more interesting. Thanks to intrepid explorers and plant-hunters, Britain and the rest of Europe have long enjoyed a wide...

From the Blenheim Orange to the Ribston Pippin, this book tells the intriguing stories behind each variety, how they acquired their names, and their merits for eating, cooking or making cider. Beautifully illustrated and including practical advice on how to choose and grow your own trees, this is the perfect book for apple-lovers and growers. What would a greengrocer say...