How to be a Bad Botanist

By: Simon Barnes

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Paperback | 2 July 2025

At a Glance

Paperback
288 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
19.8 x 13.0 x 1.75

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Can you tell a tomato from a grape? A patch of grass from a Christmas tree? Then congratulations – you’re a botanist.

Self-confessed bad birdwatcher Simon Barnes thought he knew nothing about plants. He didn't have anything against them: trees are interesting because birds perch in them; plants are useful because they create habitats, and all birds live in habitats. But while admiring the tenacity of some yellow horned poppies thriving on a shingle beach – a place where it seemed no plant had a hope of surviving – he was struck by a simple yet profound truth. It all begins with plants.

In this charming and inspiring book, Barnes takes us on a fascinating journey, from the simple genius of photosynthesis to the complex and bizarre ways that plants reproduce. We consider plants as varied as cabbages and conifers, familiar wildflowers and enigmatic orchids, nefarious parasites and plants that carry deadly poisons – helping us better appreciate the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

Both a primer on botany and an exploration of how plants make our external and interior worlds, How to Be a Bad Botanist opens our eyes to the wonders around us. Plants are everywhere, in every part of your life, and you know more than you think.

Industry Reviews

‘I’d give Simon Barnes’s How to Be a Bad Botanist to anyone interested in what we take for granted, the plants around us. He writes as an everyman, not an expert, which makes the book accessible and appealing.'

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