United States
£ GBP
The traditional hay meadows of Britain abound with visual delights. Hundreds of plant species, mesmeric mixtures of colour, are interspersed with tumbling butterflies, stooping dragonflies and the flight of birds. In Clattinger Farm, probably the finest remaining example in Britain, orchids create vast carpets whilst nightingales sing night time melodies from heavy blackthorn hedgerows.
The Meadow: An English Meadow Through the Seasons takes you on a journey through the forms, colours and patterns of this precious place. The result of recording the changing seasons for over three years, it reveals an astonishing diversity of species. With an emphasis on Barney Wilczak's outstanding photographs, The Meadow: An English Meadow Through the Seasons includes short and informative texts on orchids, fritillaries, birds, insects, seeds and maintenance, and a foreword by chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts Stephanie Hilborne.
The grasslands of the world rank as one of our most important habitats, yet are surprisingly uncelebrated. This is especially true in Europe, despite the long role they have played in our history and image of rural life. These habitats have endured severe losses in recent years, largely a result of changing farming practices; this splendid book champions the importance of saving whole habitats and rethinking our relationship to biodiversity.
Barney Wilczak is a nature photographer based in the Cotswolds. A passion for natural history and a concern for how we can address our relationship with it drive his work. His photographs and stories are widely published and his work has been recognised in competition, including 3rd place in the prestigious European Nature Photographer of the Year Fritz Polking Junior award.
Customer Reviews:
Gorgeous Meadows !!
by StephenB in the United Kingdom (23-06-2013)
I believe this is the first book by upcoming photographer Barney Wilczak. The Photographs within are wonderful and totally encapsulate the subject matter. Many of our meadows have disappeared.
This is about one specific meadow Clattinger Farm (one of the best to be found in England) but the book will strongly appeal to those interested in flowers, meadows, landscape photography, landscape history and natural history. Photographing grassland is never easy and to achieve a `strong' picture very difficult but Barney has achieved this here. The Images of common plants eg cowslip in frost are amazing.
This book took me back to my childhood – I have fond memories of playing outdoors in long grass – many of the pictures are taken low down in the vegetation reminding me of the sights I'd forgotten about (eg seeing insects on stalks) and looking up into the flowers - the only thing missing is the smell of a meadow .
We've lost too many meadows already and this book illustrates why retaining those we have and restoring other grassland is so crucial.
A wonderful book – it can be dipped into just to admire the photographs or one may just be tempted to return again & again to look at the exquisite pictures
