Book Review: Garden Natural History by Stefan Buczacki

I've been aware of The New Naturalist series for quite a few years now, but have always found them a bit daunting. It's a very popular series with titles ranging from Bumblebees to Caves & Cave Life. I don't know whether it was because each title was so specific that I thought I'd lose my way within those 300 or so pages of small font or if I thought the author would delve so deeply into the subject at hand that I'd reach a point I could no longer understand or enjoy the topic. However, I needn't have worried!
Stefan Buczacki deftly weaves his way from the origins of plant cultivation on Skara Brae, all the way to what the future of the garden might be. All the time writing in a most accessible way as he explores ever deeper into the natural history of our garden spaces.

We find that not a whole lot of research has been done about the garden or the wildlife that inhabits it. But we do find that regardless of this, the natural history of the garden is fascinating and worthy of further investigation. This holds true even if it's just the investigation that we partake in during the routine management of our gardens. Stefan writes about native plants and how they have adapted to the garden, mostly what we might consider 'weeds' and their mass production of seeds managing to populate our gardens! I came across a saying that I'd never heard before, but found it in this volume and RHS Botany for Gardeners. The saying is without doubt true in my garden:

"One years seeds. Seven years weeds."

There are many stats about how many garden there are in the UK and how many hectares of space they take. An interesting estimate being that gardens take up 4000 square kilometres, roughly an area the size of Somerset - a figure apparently used by those needing to point out the importance of gardens as habitats. One thing they are a good habitat for is species that don't originate on our isles and that soon end up naturalising the ground outside of our gardens. We do find out though, that us home gardeners are not always at fault for all 'garden escapes'. The Oxford ragwort (Senecio squalidus) escaped from the Oxford Botanic Garden and the Kew weed (Galinsoga parviflora) from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew being to important examples.

The book closes with a look at climate change and suggests that in the near future there is unlikely to be any major changes. I'm inclined to agree, but then look at my front garden, through the wind and rain battered windows, water streaming over the path and into the road drainage from the saturated soil! But of course, these fluctuations have always been present on these islands we call home - and many of our garden inhabitants have adapted to them.

This is a wonderful book. It covers a broad spectrum of topics within the garden, but still provides depth. It was first published in 2007 and it would be interesting to see what changes will have occurred in our gardens and within the realms of garden research a couple of decades after the publication of this book. It's definitely a book I would like to own, but like all New Naturalist books, they are firmly beyond my financial grasp! Thankfully our library has a few of these books available and because of Stefan Buczacki I'll be looking out for them - and for more from him.