Trying to understand the wonders and mysteries of the natural world has been a human preoccupation since the earliest times. It is therefore hardly surprising that from all corners of the globe a wealth of stories, myths and legends about plants has been passed down to us, gathered together in this fascinating volume.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction 8 2 The wonder of flowers 12 3 Modesty and chastity: floral virtues 14 4 Degrees of passion - the language of flowers 15 5 Flowers and their meanings 16 6 Flower 'mania' 18 7 Cherry blossom beauty 19 8 Faces to the sun 20 9 The rose of love 21 10 The pure lily 22 11 Flowers arranged 24 12 Flowers that tell the time 25 13 Petal power 27 14 Liquid roses 28 15 The poppy of oblivion 29 16 Foxglove to strengthen the heart 31 17 Efficacious chamomile 32 18 The May, a flower of mixed fortunes 33 19 Flowers of fate 34 20 Bringing home the May 35 21 Floral pick-me-ups 36 22 Flowers of St John's Eve 37 23 Dreams of flowers 38 24 Fairy flowers 39 25 The lotus: flower of creation 40 26 In floral form 41 27 The lore of trees 42 28 The wild wood 44 29 The apple of immortality 45 30 The powerful divining rod 46 31 The prophetic oak 48 32 The ash: tree of life 49 33 Wand of wood - and magic 50 34 Branches in flight 51 35 Branches of the gallows tree 52 36 Trees of wisdom and curiosity 53 37 The mysterious upside-down tree 54 38 The immortal olive 55 39 Victory bay and palm 56 40 The useful coconut 57 41 The precious vine 58 42 Tree cures 60 43 Healing branches 61 44 Remedies from bark 62 45 Fruits for fertility 64 46 Around the maypole 65 47 O Christmas tree! 67 48 Trees of the graveyard 68 49 Trees of immortality 69 50 In the form of trees 70 51 The power of plants 72 52 The green, green grass 74 53 The wonder of wheat 75 54 Precious rice grains 77 55 Potato lore 78 56 Mystery maize 80 57 Harvest time 81 58 Witches' plants 82 59 Deadly insect-eaters 84 60 Tobacco smoke - wafting up to heaven 86 61 Mind-changing hemp 87 62 Sacred fungi 88 63 Plants of remembrance 89 64 Painting with plants 91 65 Plant music 92 66 The garden of delights 93 67 The story of incense 94 68 What's in a name? 95 69 The living pharmacy 97 70 Soothing seeds 98 71 Root cures: ginger and liquorice 100 72 Herbs for a better night's sleep 101 73 Full of (coffee) beans 102 74 Tea: the cup that heals 104 75 The blessed garlic bulb 105 76 Plant purges - nasty medicine 106 77 Healing essences 108 78 Easing the toothache 110 79 Against the gout 111 80 Hair tomorrow? 112 81 Pain from plants 113 82 Deadly vegetation 114 83 Nature's pick-me-ups 116 84 Passing water 118 85 Against unwelcome warts 120 86 For problem skin 121 87 To cool a burn 122 88 Better memories 123 89 Coping with alcohol 124 90 Safe at home 125 91 Lucky leaves 126 92 Reading the leaves 128 93 Ensuring conception 130 94 Who'll be my love? 131 95 Nature at Halloween 132 96 Christmas evergreens 134 97 New Year, new start 136 98 Index 138