This is a celebration of an exceptionally rich, yet threatened flora. The largest island in the Greek archipelago, Crete's enchanting landscapes range from rugged mountains to desert-like areas, coastal plains and ancient olive groves. Its extraordinary geological and climatic history has resulted in great plant diversity, with prehistoric links to Europe, Asia and North Africa. United by their love for the island's plants, the authors and editor have produced a sumptuous and authoritative book, covering over 800 species, lavishly illustrated in colour.
Reprinted with corrections August 2008.
John Fielding - Kew trained professional horticulturalist and specialist plant photographer. John has designed, planted and maintained gardens in Britain, most notably that of Sir Robert and Lady Sainsbury. He also cultivates a large range of plants in his private collection, especially Cretan Species. Member of the Royal Horticultural Society Picture Committee.
Nicholas Turland - botanist at the Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis USA, and leading authority on the flora of Crete. Co-author of Flora of Cretan area; annotated checklist and atlas, published by the Natural History Museum, London.
Brian Mathew VMH - trained and worked as a horticulturalist at the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden at Wisley before joining the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 1967. Specialist on bulbous Plants and author of 17 monographs and botanical-horticultural books. He was editor of Curtis's Botanical Magazine from 1993 to 2002. In 2004 he was awarded an MBE for services to horticulture and botanical science.