One Thousand Shades of Green: A Year in Search of Britain's Wild Plants

Description

For most of 2020, Mikes Dilger's day-job of travelling to the four corners of the British Isles all but disappeared. Having been confined to one place by the Covid pandemic, and with daily dog walks his sole permitted outdoor pursuit, the simple pleasure of getting to know the flowers at his feet reignited a long-buried botanical passion. Now Mike is on a mission: to see a thousand different wild plants in one calendar year, and assess how our fascinating flora is faring in modern Britain. From Cornwall to Kent and Breckland to the Scottish Highlands, Mike meets the resilient reserve wardens and courageous conservationists tasked with protecting some of the nation's richest botanical sites, and experiences first-hand the many difficulties associated with saving our rarest and most charismatic plants. Taking in city centres, mountain tops and every conceivable habitat in between, One Thousand Shades of Green is a manifesto on how to love and conserve our green and pleasant land, and celebrates the beauty and diversity of the nation's plants.

MIKE DILGER is one of wildlife TV's best-known presenters in his role as resident wildlife reporter on The One Show. With degrees in Botany and Ecology, Mike spent many years in the rainforests of Ecuador, Vietnam and Tanzania, before returning home to reacquaint himself with his first love - British wildlife. Mike is also a columnist for BBC Wildlife magazine and a reporter on BBC Radio 4's Costing the Earth; his expertise and infectious enthusiasm see him pontificating on everything from bumblebees to basking sharks.

Following Mike on his quest to unearth green gems across the length and breadth of Britain is an absolute joy. The elation, the despair, the dangers, the accomplishments are all laid bare for everyone to enjoy. A cracking read. * Iolo Williams, Naturalist and Wildlife TV Presenter * What an incredible achievement! I'll never go out for a walk again without looking and searching for wild plants. * Alison Steadman, Actor * An inspirational odyssey. Personal, inspiring and suffused in Green. * Nick Baker, Naturalist and Wildlife TV Presenter * Mike's knowledge, enthusiasm and love of the natural world drive this compelling race against time, to see a thousand different plants in a single year. * Stephen Moss, Naturalist and Author *