"Flowers: A Pictorial History" is a book written by British author Brent Elliot about the history of flowers introduced to Britain from around the world. The book presents the introduction of horticultural flowers to Britain from Europe, the Ottoman Empire, Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, accompanied by corresponding hand-drawn illustrations. Although the hand-drawn images of flowers may not be as realistic as photographs, they are more aesthetically pleasing and highlight the characteristics of various flowers, making it suitable for everyone to learn to identify different types of flowers.
Compared to the previous book on birds, I recognize quite a few flowers in this one. The peony, rose, rhododendron, and chrysanthemum introduced from China are clearly seen often. The hydrangea and iris introduced from Japan are also everywhere in China. During weekends at the park, I see many flowerbeds with flowers like sage and begonias. Due to the ability of plants to undergo artificial hybridization, it is quite challenging to completely distinguish different species, and being able to recognize different genera is already quite good. For example, tulips were brought to Europe by Austrians from Turkey and began to be widely cultivated in the Netherlands, resulting in thousands of varieties and even leading to a tulip mania that caused an economic crisis.
In addition to their ornamental value, flowering plants also have medicinal or edible value, bringing significant economic benefits. In many countries, flower cultivation has become an important industry, adding various colors to life and creating a pleasing environment for everyone. The mutual introduction and hybridization of flowers from different regions have indeed played an important role in the prosperity of flowers worldwide.
This book has over 300 pages, most of which are illustrations, and the text mainly consists of descriptions next to the images, with much better layout than the previous book on birds. I estimate that I recognize less than half of the hundreds of flowers, and I can learn about more flowers through this book in the future.