Award-winning author and plantsman Allan Armitage tells the stories behind the common names of some of our favorite and lesser-known plants. From Hooker's Lips to Hairy Balls, Voodoo lilies and Gas Plant, this books of laugh-out-loud yarns is required reading for every plant enthusiast.
Kerry Ann Mendez, designer, lecturer, and author of The Right Size Flower Garden, says, about the book, "The minute I read the title of Allan’s new book, I was hooked. What gardener wouldn’t love well-told, fanciful stories that unveil the mystery behind some of the wackiest common names for plants? Allan’s delightful sense of humor, mixed with painstaking historical research and his own brilliant knowledge as a renowned plantsman, provides the foundation for a delightful book that engages readers of all ages and gardening backgrounds. A must-read!"
A warm fire, cozy chair, cup of hot cocoa, and this book; doesn’t get much better than that. Unless it had the original title “Of Naked Ladies and Sleepy Dicks,” which would require a glass of wine, hot toddy, or Moscow Mule. Never knew why these plants had such weird names, and now I can’t wait to tell their stories! Great, easy, fun read— my kind of book. What took you so long? Another winner, Dr. A! (It really wasn’t all about the hat was it?)
~Ron Wilson — host of In the Garden with Ron Wilson
Gardening is nothing if not a communal activity. Stories are told about an uncle's huge tomato or a secret to rooting azalea cuttings, or perhaps about the naked ladies in your backyard! This is why Dr. Armitage's book is so much fun to read! From the flowers of the book's title to the many examples of other plants whose common names have been forgotten, there are numerous nuggets to remember and pass on to a gardening neighbor.
~Walter Reeves — The Georgia Gardener
Allan and I once wandered a perennial garden together. We discussed the plants in Latin and danced the classic garden-lover dance; leaning forward and smelling, then touching the plants, then turning and viewing them in all their glory grouped together for effect. Allan loves gardens for the science of developing and hybridizing a plant as much as he loves a garden for beauty. This book speaks to his understanding of all things garden and can be considered a primer turning your own plot into a lush florific paradise.
~Shawna Lee Coronado — speaker and author of Grow A Living Wall & 101 Organic Garden Hacks
Think plant names UNPLUGGED – Dr. Allan Armitage puts enthusiasm and humor into the deep dive of plant common names! You'll simultaneously chuckle at the vision of Bouncing Bets jiggling glassware full of soapwort suds in long ago taverns, while you pause in reverence for the impact of the historic Buttonwood Agreement. A great resource for horticultural professionals and home gardeners alike, and what better way to inspire than with humor. BRAVO, Dr. A!
~Robert F. Gabella – horticulturist, author, hybridist and consultant
The minute I read the title of Allan’s new book, I was hooked. What gardener wouldn’t love well-told, fanciful stories that unveil the mystery behind some of the wackiest common names for plants? Allan’s delightful sense of humor, mixed with painstaking historical research and his own brilliant knowledge as a renowned plantsman, provides the foundation for a delightful book that engages readers of all ages and gardening backgrounds. A must-read! ~Kerry Ann Mendez — designer, lecturer, and author of The Right Size Flower Garden
