The Old Country: Australian Landscapes, Plants and People

Description

We are a nation of gardeners, and we take pleasure in tending our backyards. But this pleasure sits uneasily with our knowledge that the places where most of us live are running out of water. We suspect that our lawns and many of our plants from the damp climates of northern European gardens are too demanding of scarce supplies, but can't imagine our streets and gardens without them. The Old Country opens our eyes, and minds, to other possibilities. It does so by telling us stories about our natural landscape. George Seddon believes that the better we understand the delicacy and beauty of our natural environment, the more 'at home' we will feel as Australians. This passionate, wise and witty book, enriched with breathtakingly beautiful illustrations, suggests that the answers to our water problems lie here, at home.

George Seddon AM is an Emeritus Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Melbourne and a Senior Research Associate at the University of Western Australia. He has held chairs in four disciplines and taught in universities across Europe and North America. His recent books include Landprints: Reflections on Place and Landscape (Cambridge University Press, 1996).

'George Seddon is Australia's finest placewriter. He combines a light touch with a sureness of foot. The result is a clarity of insight as striking as a Freemantle summer's day. This book offers itself as a companion to the journey that we call Australia. Seddon's achievement is of the finest kind - he connects, but he also speaks with an honesty and precision that is breathtaking.' Peter Beilharz, La Trobe University 'George Seddon has inspired and stimulated many, he has made life better and landscapes more beautiful; he has helped us to see our country from the inside. He is a maverick, an original.' Tom Griffiths, Senior Fellow and Head, History Program, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University 'This is an exquisite work. It is lovely to hold and to look at, to feel as well as the writing itself. There is a tremendous mix of poetry, reflection, personal history. The Old Country is a triumph. It is magnificent.' Robyn Williams, 'The Science Show' ABC Radio