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Review by Pat Regel
Who would have guessed that the reason Napoleon's lovely wife, Josephine, often held a rose to her mouth when she laughed was because it provided a scented screen behind which she could hide her bad teeth?
Or that, according to Dioscorides, the name "achillea" came from the fact that Achilles used this plant (which is also called "yarrow") to heal his wounded soldiers, and that he had been taught its secrets by Chiron the wise centaur?
Diana Wells' new book, "100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names," is the perfect Valentine's Day gift for readers who prefer their flowers on the bookshelf instead of in the vase. From abelia to zinnia, Wells reports the folklore, fable and real stories of the discovery behind each plant in this readable and absorbing book.
Accompanying each short section are the delicate drawings of award-winning illustrator Ippy Patterson. And, for those who can't get enough of this interesting way to view plants, Wells offers several pages of suggested readings and an extensive index. This book is sure to appeal to gardeners and non-gardeners alike.
©1998, ProMotion, inc.
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