The Devil's Garden

Name: The Devil's Garden
Brand: Bloomsbury Publishing (AUS)
Price: 56.75 AUD
Availability: PreOrder

The World's Most Sinister Plants and Fungi

By: Peter Marren

Write A Review

Hardcover | 7 July 2026

At a Glance

Format
Hardcover

Dimensions(cm)
21.6 x 13.5

Hardcover

$56.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $14.19 with

Available: 7th July 2026

Preorder. Will ship when available.

"Peter Marren is a master storyteller and gifted with an inimitable gallows humour. He was destined to write The Devil's Garden." Richard Mabey

A lively exploration of the poisoners, tricksters, stingers, stinkers and invaders of the plant world and how their lives intertwine with ours.

Some plants and fungi - those we cultivate in farms, gardens and allotments - are pretty, useful or edible. Others are more troublesome: poisonous, or with painful stings, sinister looks or foul smells. In the medieval mind, these would be the flowers of the devil, planted on earth to torment humankind.

The infamous death cap mushroom, innocent-looking but lethal. The monstrous corpse flower, with a stench to match its name. The mandrake, said to scream if uprooted. In this deeply insightful and unflinching read, naturalist and conservationist Peter Marren explores the world's 'worst' plants and fungi and the ways they maim, murder and make mischief to get by.

These species have rich histories, steeped in folklore and superstition, but there are also biological reasons behind why they are the way they are. Step into the devil's garden and discover their stories, amusing as they are unexpected and gripping as they are horrifying.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.