Wildflower Wonders of the World The 50 Best Wildflower Sites in the World

About this book

This is a first-time paperback edition of this popular title. From the Mojave Desert in the USA to the Italian Dolomites, and from South Africa's Cape National Park to the Stirling Ranges of Australia, Wildflower: Wonders of the World showcases the most spectacular displays of wild blooms on the planet. Each site account begins with a locator map and info panel detailing timing, key species, etc. This is followed by an informative and readable account by the expert author (who has personally visited nearly all of the sites covered) accompanied by a handful of stunning images of each location showing the displays of flowers. In addition there are chapters on the animal life that can be found at these sites, and on the conservation status of the locations covered in Wildflower: Wonders of the World. Many people travel widely in search of spectacular displays of flowers, but are guided only by word-of-mouth information, or by what organised tours are available. This book sets out to rectify this gap. However, it aims to be much more: the most 'flowery' places in the world are exceptionally spectacular at their best, and Wildflower: Wonders of the World will provide a visual feast for armchair naturalists as well as more active travellers.

Contents

Foreword by Richard Mabey
Introduction
Why are some place so flowery?

THE SITES

EUROPE
Ireland
- The Burren

United Kingdom
- The machair of the Outer Hebrides
- The Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall

Sweden
- Abisko National Park
- Oland

Estonia
- Osmussar southwards to Parmu

France
- The Vercors Mountains
- The Ecrins National Park
- The Cevennes and Causses
- The central French Pyrenees

Spain
- Ordesa and Monte Perdido, Spanish Pyrenees
- The Picos de Europa
- Sierra de Grazamela, Andalucia

Portugal
- Cape St Vincent area

Switzerland
- The Upper Engadin Valley

Italy
- The Dolomites
- The Lake Garda mountains: Monte Baldo and Monte Tombea
- Piano Grande, Monte Sibillini National Park
- The Gargano Peninsula

Slovenia
- The Julian Alps

Romania
- The grasslands of southerns Transylvania

Greece
- Mount Parnassus and Delphi
- The Mani Peninsula
- Lesvos
- The mountains of western Crete

Turkey
- The Pontic Alps
- The high grazing pastures of the Taurus Mountains

Cyprus
- The Republic of Cyprus (South Cyprus)

AFRICA
Tanzania
- Kitulo National Park

South Africa
- The Namaqua Desert: Goegap and the North
- The Namaqua Desert: Namaqua National Park and the south
- Nieuwoudtville and the Bokkerveld
- The Fynbos of the south-western Cape

ASIA
Georgia
- The Great Caucasus

Iran
- The Zagros Mountains

Kazakhstan
- Tien Shan Mountains

China
- The grasslands of the Tibetan marches
- Zhongdian Plateau

AUSTRALASIA
Australia
- The Kwongan heaths, Western Australia
- The Stirling Range, Western Australia

New Zealand
- The mounts of South Island

NORTH AMERICA
Canada
- Waterton Lakes National Park

USA
- Olympic National Park, Washington
- Mount Rainier, Washington
- The Klamath-Siskiyou area, California and Oregon
- The Carrizou Plain National Monument, California
- The Tehatchapi Range and Antelope Valley, California
- Anza-Borrego State Park and Wilderness, California
- Crested Butte area, Colorado Rockies
- San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Other sites
Useful contacts
Tour operators
Selected bibliography
Species list
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Bob Gibbons is a renowned naturalist, tour leader, photographer and author who is an expert in French natural history. His previous titles include Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland, Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers and Wild France for New Holland. He lives in Wimborne, Dorset.