You can’t beat a grown up book with pictures, and the covers are ace too. The New Naturalist series published by Collins is:

“the longest-running and arguably the most influential natural history series in the world with over 100 volumes published in over 60 years”

On my wish list – London’s Natural History, Britain’s Structure & Scenery, Climate and the British Scene (the effect of fog on Sherlock! etc), The Sea Coast, The Open Sea, The Common Lands of England & Wales and Trees, Woods & Man.

There is also a book about the series featuring the editors, authors and also illustrators of the series – initially Clifford and Rosemary Ellis; the latest ones are by Robert Gillmor – showing roughs and sketches of  the beautiful jackets and plates.

For now I’ll content myself with reading the passionate and immersive writing of Roger Deakin on wood, woodlands and all things concerning the ‘fifth element’ in Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees. So far he has mostly been describing his various bosky dens, sheds, bothies and finally the house that he restored, reclaiming it – just –  from the encroaching undergrowth in 70′s Suffolk, and it is all making me want to go and  live in a treehouse!

I’ve recently been making a start on an allotment-ette in a local Nature Garden, and looking for useful tips I came across a book in the successfully redesigned Shire series. The author’s name – Twigs Way –  suits the somewhat eccentric collection of books published by Shire, but can it be real?

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