How to be a Bad Botanist

Nobody needs Latin binomials or a hand lens to start noticing plants, and Simon Barnes makes the case that ignorance is a perfectly good place to begin. The book argues for paying attention rather than passing a test. Barnes writes about hedgerows, weeds, houseplants and woodland with the same curiosity he has brought to his nature writing on birds and wildlife, mixing observation, humour and just enough botany to be useful. The aim is to get readers looking closely at whatever grows nearby, and the tone stays welcoming to anyone who has killed more plants than they have identified. Where it lands: • Nature writing that invites amateurs rather than testing them • Covers everyday plants, gardens and wild green spaces • Humour and observation in place of technical classification • A Simon & Schuster edition from an established nature writer Suited to gardeners, walkers and curious readers new to botany, offered through Boipoka.