num_pages: 369
description: Diana Wells author of 100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names now turns her attention to something biggerour deep-rooted relationship with trees. As she investigates the names and meanings of trees telling their legends and lore she reminds us of just how innately bound we are to these protectors of our planet. Since the human race began we have depended on them for food shade shelter and fuel not to mention furniture musical instruments medicine utensils and more.Wells has a remarkable ability to dig up the curious and the At one time a worm found in a hazelnut prognosticated ill fortune. Rowan trees were planted in churchyards to prevent the dead from rising from their graves. Greek arrows were soaked in deadly yew and Shakespeares witches in Macbeth used Gall of goat and slips of Yew to make their lethal brew. One bristlecone pine at about 4700 years old is thought to be the oldest living plant on earth. All this and more can be found in the beautifully illustrated pages (themselves born of birch bark!) of 100 Trees .
language: English
title: Lives of the Trees: An Uncommon History
publisher: Algonquin Books