Darwin’s Most Wonderful Plants Darwin’s Botany Today

Most of us think of Darwin at work on The Beagle, taking inspiration for his theory of evolution from his travels in the Galapagos. But Darwin published his Origin of Species nearly thirty years after his voyages and most of his labours in that time were focused on experimenting with and observing plants at his house in Kent. He was particularly interested in carnivorous and climbing plants, and in pollination and the evolution of flowers. Ken Thompson sees Darwin as a brilliant and revolutionary botanist, whose observations and theories were far ahead of his time – and are often only now being confirmed and extended by high-tech modern research. Like Darwin, he is fascinated and amazed by the powers of plants – particularly their Triffid-like aspects of movement, hunting and ‘plant intelligence’. This is a much-needed book that re-establishes Darwin as a pioneering botanist, whose close observations of plants were crucial to his theories of evolution.

Review: Ken Thompson brings Darwin’s garden and its underlying botany into a delightfully accessible, well-reasoned book. In five pithy and relaxed chapters, he explores why and how garden plants and their wild relatives work. He explains in simple terms how observations of plant growth and reproduction provided Darwin with crucial insights of natural selection in action … This thought-provoking, clearly presented book deserves the widest possible readership. — Professor Geoff Dixon * The Plantsman * In this quietly riveting study, plant biologist Ken Thompson reveals Charles Darwin as a botanical revolutionary … Interweaving current research with Darwin’s insights, Thompson probes marvels such as “ivy glue”, a nanocomposite that functions not unlike a gecko’s bristles in sticking stems to surfaces; the astonishing mimicry of the chameleon vine Boquila trifoliolata; and the Cook pine Araucaria columnarius, which always leans towards the equator. — Barbara Kiser * Nature * Thompson illuminates how the Victorian scientist’s groundbreaking studies on climbing and carnivorous forms of vegetation, including grape vines and the Venus flytrap, revolutionalised several branches of botany. This short book is a delightful introduction to these extraordinary plants and brings the natural science right up to date, while also offering insight into Darwin’s pioneering work. — Mark Cocker * New Statesman * The thesis of Ken Thompson’s engaging new book is that Darwin’s reputation as a botanist has long lacked the recognition it deserves … His account highlights the creativity of Darwin’s mind and his uncanny knack for asking the right questions. * Gardens Illustrated * Dr Thompson both demystifies Darwin’s botanical research and describes modern scientific discoveries that expand or confirm his conclusions … for anyone with a sense of humour and an enquiring mind. — Ursula Buchan * Spectator *

Author Biography: Ken Thompson is a plant biologist with a keen interest in the science of gardening. He writes and lectures extensively and has written five gardening books, including Compost and No Nettles Required, as well as books on biodiversity (Do We Need Pandas?) and invasive species (Where Do Camels Belong?).