If you are interested in wildflowers and want to identify them, then a good field guide is essential and there are many out there. My first was the excellent Collins field guide "The Wildflowers of Britain and Northern Europe." by Fitter, Fitter and Blamey and it is still an excellent field guide The Wildflower Key is as good, or even better, as in addition to illustrations and descriptions, it has a series of keys to the various plant families; so if you have, for instance, a plant that has daisy-like flowers, you should be able to key it out to species, using the key to the daisy family. Keys can be daunting for real beginners, but are worth persevering with, as they usually lead to less misidentifications; which is always a risk, when identifying a plant from an illustration alone. Probably the easiest way to use it, is to refer to the illustrations to fine which family a plant is in, then use the relevant key to find the species. Be aware that the keys use all parts of the plant, not just the flowers, so if collecting a specimen to identify at home, or taking photos to do the same, remember to include the whole plant and details such as arrangement of leaves on the stem. I would recommend this book, as although not the simplest field guide out there, it is the one that will probably give the best results. Pros: Accurate descriptions and good illustrations. Keys easy to use. Cons: Can be a little daunting for beginners, at first. Some of the 'Latin' names have changed since the book was last revised, but this isn't too much of a problem and is one that affects all field guides.Read full review
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On the plus side the illustrations and accompanying diagrams are very good in this book. On the minus side I found the key difficult to use. The text says "Keying out is fun (like solving a puzzle!)". Hmmm.
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This book is not for the faint-hearted beginner nor for those with some knowledge but not botanically trained UNLESS you are prepared to learn and understand the abbreviated terminology. If you do, this is a great book with excellent detailed colour drawings that you can take with you on walks, and you can cheat using the index to a certain extent. NB a jewellers lens or magnifying glass is ESSENTIAL to be able to identify most plants using this book. Order when you order the book.
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Probably the only book with a great key to identifying any wild plants you find. Obviously written by an expert in their field.
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It clearly identifies wild flowers, and separates different species clearly. The key itself is very difficult to follow, unless you have good botanical knowledge.
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I recently went on a conservation walk and I became very interested in wild flowers again…This was something I was very interested in as a boy living in the countryside…The book was recommended to be by the walk guide…Beautiful illustrations and clear understanding of all listed covered species…A must for anyone wanting a comprehensive guide to the subject…
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Arrived when expected. Good quality packaging.
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Fabulous little reference book
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Co pleated a week long plant ID course and don’t think I would have done so well without it. Excellent detail and breakdown of most species of flora.
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Love it thanks
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