Alys Fowler

A beautiful, urgent and personal exploration of bogs and the role they must play in saving our planet - for fans of Otherlands and The Last Rainforests of Britain ''A fascinating, impassioned invitation into the hidden mystery of bogs'' - OLIVIA LAING, author of The Garden Against Time''Enchanting . . . If you''ve ever looked at a wetland and wanted to know it better, Fowler is an ideal guide: knowledgeable, passionate, and above all, joyous and personable in her prose.'' - JESSICA J. LEE, author of Two Trees Make a Forest''The book throws a sharp light on the plight of bogs - places that come spectacularly to life under Fowler''s analytic and passionate gaze. A delight to read but also a sobering education.'' - TOM STUART-SMITH''The curious, still silence of peat bogs is so much at odds with their deep and ancient complexities. This book, so immersive, thoughtfully penned and well-observed makes an intimate connection to these often overlooked and enormously precious places. It makes you want to tread lightly and to look deeper.'' - DAN PEARSON -------''Why do I like bogs so much? I think it is because I feel very at home with them, I think this has something to do with my queerness and their queer nature as a space.'' The value of peat bogs as a natural resource and haven of biodiversity is undisputed, yet few of us have been lucky enough to experience their beauty and richness. In Peatlands, Wainwright Prize-shortlisted author Alys Fowler calls for us to sink deep into the dark, black earths of these rugged places and take a close look at the birds, animals, plants and insects that live within them.Living in Wales nestled between bogs makes Alys Fowler''s Peatlands both personal and illuminating. Her odyssey takes her deep into the Flow Country, to the remote Border Mires, through Bannau Bracheinoig, the Peak District and Ireland, creating an intimate picture of these magical places and the people who care for them.

'Informative and enthusiastic' i Paper Plant-based medicine for a calmer, healthier life It's easy to turn to the pharmacy when we're stressed, sick or feeling under the weather, but what if you turned to your garden instead? In this accessible and easy to use manual, horticultural expert, former Gardener's World presenter and Guardian columnist, Alys Fowler, shows how to take control of your health by adopting a more natural lifestyle. For thousands of years, people who had no access to clinical medicine knew how to boost their well-being by using the ingredients they found in plants. Herbs are the people's medicine; often freely available and abundant, they are ready and waiting to be plucked from around you to soothe and heal your body and mind. With guides for how to use and grow over 100 herbs - for example how to use fennel for indigestion, camomile for anxiety and nettle for hayfever - you'll soon be heading into the garden, rather than opening the medicine cabinet. Offering a fusion of botanical, practical, cultural and historical information, A Modern Herbal reveals how common herbs are the simple, cleansing way to better health and happiness. 'An important and accessible herbal for the 21st century . . . For anyone delving into herbs for the first time or those who want to broaden their herbal repertoire in the garden and home, this book is much needed' Gardens Illustrated AS SEEN IN THE GUARDIAN