Description

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"Clever, pretty, fun and informative—what more can a reader ask for?" —Sara Maitland, author, Gossip From the Forest

We're surrounded in cities by trees, quiet colossuses that most of us don't know by name. Does that matter? It's certainly possible to appreciate a tree for its beauty, its shade, and its shelter without knowing whether it's an alder, an elder, a lime, or a beech. But look harder, and we begin to see the beauty beneath the bark—the tales of how trees are integral to medicine and art as they are furniture and firewood; the stories of why wild figs grow on the banks of Sheffield's rivers and why the ash tree is touched with magic and mischief. As well as being an illustrated guide that will help you identify some of the species you see around town every day, Sylvan City is also a potted-journey through our cities' woody places and a literary hunt for where their wild things are. Inviting readers on an intricately illustrated journey into the urban forest, Sylvan City is both a practical guide to identifying 20 of the most common trees standing sentry on our street corners, and a lyrical, anecdotal treasure trove of facts and history, culture, and leafy lore.

About the Author

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Helen Babbs is a writer, editor, and journalist, with a particular interest in urban wildlife. She is the author of My Garden, the City and Me, which was nominated for two garden writing awards, and Adrift. Helen's articles have been published by the Guardian, Telegraph, Sunday Times, and New Statesman, among others.

Praise For…

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"Charming . . . lovely . . . well-written . . . beautifully illustrated." —Gardens Illustrated

"Dulce et utile. (I'm allowed the Latin for "both sweet and useful" here because the botanical science is as sound as the cultural, historical and poetic aspects.) This is a delightful book: clever, pretty, fun and informative—what more can a reader ask for? Even a committed rural dweller like me is impressed. Big thanks to Helen Babbs, who has solved a fair number of my 2019 Christmas present problems already." —Sara Maitland, author, Gossip From the Forest

"Full of gems; a manifesto for green cities. Babbs will turn us all into urban rangers, an unquiet army of neighbourhood watchers." —Max Adams, author, Wisdom of Trees

"Her read-aloud pen portraits on common varieties are a joy." —FT