Manic Botanic

In 1837, while charting the Amazonian country of Guiana for Great Britain, German naturalist Robert Schomburgk discovered an astounding "vegetable wonder"--a huge water lily whose leaves were five or six feet across and whose flowers were dazzlingly white. In England, a horticultural nation with a mania for gardens and flowers, news of the discovery sparked a race to bring a live specimen back, and to bring it to bloom. In this extraordinary plant, named Victoria regia for the newly crowned queen, the flower-obsessed British had found their beau ideal. In The Flower of Empire, Tatiana Holway tells the story of this magnificent lily, revealing how it touched nearly every aspect of Victorian life, art, and culture. Holway's colorful narrative captures the sensation stirred by Victoria regia in England, particularly the intense race among prominent Britons to be the first to coax the flower to bloom. We meet the great botanists of the age, from the legendary Sir Joseph Banks, to Sir William Jackson Hooker, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, to the extravagant flower collector the Duke of Devonshire. Perhaps most important was the Duke's remarkable gardener, Joseph Paxton, who rose from garden boy to knight, and whose design of a series of ever-more astonishing glass-houses--one, the Big Stove, had a footprint the size of Grand Central Station--culminated in his design of the architectural wonder of the age, the Crystal Palace. Fittingly, Paxton based his design on a glass-house he had recently built to house Victoria regia. Indeed, the natural ribbing of the lily's leaf inspired the pattern of girders supporting the massive iron-and-glass building. From alligator-laden jungle ponds to the heights of Victorian society, The Flower of Empire unfolds the marvelous odyssey of this wonder of nature in a revealing work of cultural history.

An inviting collection of lush botanical drawings to color, created in mixed-media artist Rachel Reinert's lovely and distinctive style. Reinert's fresh take on modern florals has earned her a following among private collectors and interior decorators, and Botanical Wonderland makes her aesthetic accessible to everyone. Plus, the book includes some finished, fully colored botanical paintings to inspire would-be artists to draw their own beautiful works.

Manic Botanic, Zifflin's Tension Taming Coloring book, invites you to get in touch with nature in all of its glory. In incredible detail, Vinnik has captured some of nature's most dynamic duos. Time slows down so you can explore the undergrowth, and allow yourself to be whisked into a whimsical botanical world. Combining intricate detail with humour and admiration for the creatures it depicts, coloring Manic Botanic is an exercise in mindfulness, and appreciation for the little things.

Part of the "Coloring Books for the Soul" series, an exquisitely beautiful adult coloring book showcasing original art and evocative wisdom words, featuring mystical, magical imagery from the perennial popular realm of astrology—a creative and inspiring invitation to nourish our souls and reconnect with our spirit. Celebrate the mystery and allure of the night sky, with Sacred Heavens. Filled with dazzling drawings sure to inspire the imagination, readers can color away their stress and anxiety while nourishing their souls. Lydia Hess's illustrations are accompanied by beautifully lettered wisdom words that can be colored and embellished as well—adding a further level of engagement and magic for readers. Gorgeously packaged with a vibrant four-color cover by the artist and filled with fresh, modern illustrations suitable for framing, Sacred Heavens is an ideal way to unwind and create beauty in our lives.

One man's quest to realise a boyhood dream and break a national record. Sean Dooley seems like a well adjusted, functioning member of society but beneath the respectable veneer he harbours a dark secret. He is a hard-core birdwatcher (aka twitcher'). Sean takes a year off to try to break the Australian twitching record - he has to see more than 700 birds in twelve months. Travelling the length and breadth of Australia, he stops at nothing in search of this birdwatching Holy Grail, blowing his inheritance, his career prospects and any chance he has of finding a girlfriend. Part confessional, part travelogue, this is a true story about obsession. It's about seeking the meaning of life, trying to work out what normal' is, and searching for the elusive Grey Falcon (the bird, not the car). Sean's story of how he followed his childhood dream of becoming a national champion is both inspiring and ridiculous. Could this be the most pathetic great achievement in Australian history?

"Magic Scope: Coloring book" invites you in the Looking-Glass world where refractions will change your impressions. Perhaps some of the images will look like animal or insect but nothing concrete. Just a little bit of magic and fantasy in everyday life . The book includes 56 large illustrations and another 56 individual motifs.

This is an visually sumptuous book due to its extensive and beautiful images from collections in the State Library of Victoria. Aitken has traced the history and art of botany from the ancient civilisations up to the present day. He considers the discoveries of the potential of the plant to provide food, medicine, flavouring and decoration. Societies evolved around their possession of natural resources which they marketed throughout the world. Mercantile communities became extremely wealthy. In addition to the detailed and stunning illustrations the author has produced a lively and thorough book of history, nature, culture and art.

Grayscale Colouring Book