We call ourselves a nation of gardeners but few of us have any idea, and still less understanding, of the science that is happening before our very eyes. How did plants get to be the way they are? Why do they have pretty flowers? And why is a weed-free lawn an ecological impossibility?
Expanded for this new edition, An Ear to the Ground gives the answers to these questions and many more, with eye-opening revelations about companion planting and the truth about planting by the moon. As entertaining as ever, Ken Thompson shows how a little botanical knowledge can bring not just better results, but peace of mind…
This is your weapon against weeds. With his blend of witty, down-to-earth advice and solid scientific practice, Ken Thompson explains how weeds populate your pots, paving, beds, and borders, and shows how to prevent them taking over – or opt for complete eradication. A “rogue’s gallery” helps you separate the true thugs from the more benign pests, and reveals how to integrate some weeds into a garden ecosystem.
With eco-friendly solutions for environmentally responsible gardeners, this is the practical and achievable guide to winning the war against weeds.
Dr Ken Thompson looks at the origins of the Earth’s biodiversity, and some of the threats currently facing it. He considers what we should be doing to secure the survival of the wide variety of species on the planet as well as ourselves.
In this collection of articles from The Telegraph, biologist and gardening columnist Ken Thompson takes a scientific look at some of the greater – and lesser – questions faced by gardeners everywhere in a bid to sort the genuine wisdom from thee hokum.
What is the ideal temperature for a compost heap? What do bees do that improves strawberries? Why are gardeners in literature always such dummies? This is an expert’s gardening miscellany, aimed at making you not necessarily a better gardener, but probably a far more thoughtful one.
This is a classic example of the contradictions of ‘native’ and ‘invasive’ species, a hot issue right now, as the flip-side of biodiversity. We have all heard the horror stories of invasives, from Japanese knotweed that puts fear into the heart of gardeners to brown tree snakes that have taken over the island of Guam. But do we need to fear invaders? And indeed, can we control them, and do we choose the right targets?
In this controversial but entirely rational book, Ken Thompson puts forward a fascinating array of narratives to explore why only a minority of introduced species succeed, why so few of them go on to cause trouble, and what the real cost of invasions is. He discusses, too, whether our fears could be getting in the way of conserving biodiversity and responding to climate change.
Darwin was a brilliant and revolutionary botanist whose observations and theories were far ahead of his time. With Darwin’s Most Wonderful Plants, biologist and gardening expert Ken Thompson restores this important aspect of Darwin’s biography while also delighting in the botanical world that captivated the famous scientist. Thompson traces how well Darwin’s discoveries have held up, revealing that many are remarkably long-lasting. Some findings are only now being confirmed and extended by high-tech modern research, while some have been corrected through recent analysis.
We learn from Thompson how Darwin used plants to shape his most famous theory and then later how he used that theory to further push the boundaries of botanical knowledge. We also get to look over Darwin’s shoulder as he labors, learning more about his approach to research and his astonishing capacity for hard work. Darwin’s genius was to see the wonder and the significance in the ordinary and mundane, in the things that most people wouldn’t look at twice.
Both Thompson and Darwin share a love for our most wonderful plants and the remarkable secrets they can unlock. This book will instill that same joy in casual gardeners and botany aficionados alike.
Ten years ago, biologist and horticultural expert Ken Thompson set out to write a different kind of gardening column, something thought-provoking that would tackle what he calls ‘the grit in the gardening oyster’. The Daily Telegraph has been publishing them ever since.
Ken wanted to ask gardening questions that have no obvious answer – or answers that are all too obvious, but still turn out to be wrong. In the spirit of ‘good gardening for the thinking person’, he also focused on questions that no one had bothered to ask before, such as whether birds understand speed limits, whether urban foxes really are getting bigger, and if climbing plants are right- or left-handed.
This expert’s miscellany of (mostly) scientifically tested garden lore will make you look at your garden through fresh eyes.