A New Field Guide
I was out and about running errands when I spotted a Barnes & Noble. I don't know if it's the teacher in me, the learner, or if it's the smell of the paper, ink and binding but I simply LOVE books. I could spend all my money on books if I didn't need other things to live. Anyway, I found a gift for my aunt, whose birthday we're celebrating this weekend and a Frommer's guide to Rocky Mountain National Park, which will be useful when Patrick and I are there at the tail end of our Colorado vacation. Then I hit the jackpot. I was browsing the nature section when something caught my eye way down on the bottom shelf.
Wildflowers in the Field and Forest by Steven Clemants and Carol Gracie is an amazing new field guide, by the editor of the "Through Binoculars" series of books, with color photographs of all the flowers (not just some like Peterson's and Newcomb's). While I LOVE my Peterson's and Newcomb's guides, and am not ready to give them up, this is going to be my numero uno field guide for flowers. The key is very similar to the other guides with the main difference that you look the flower up by color first, then the leaves. You actually could skip the key altogether if you're more of a visual person. Just simply flip to the color section you need and sift through the photos. I can't wait to use my new guide. If I didn't have to go grocery shopping and cook all day for various events this weekend, I might have considered going out and putting it to use. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow morning.
Wildflowers in the Field and Forest by Steven Clemants and Carol Gracie is an amazing new field guide, by the editor of the "Through Binoculars" series of books, with color photographs of all the flowers (not just some like Peterson's and Newcomb's). While I LOVE my Peterson's and Newcomb's guides, and am not ready to give them up, this is going to be my numero uno field guide for flowers. The key is very similar to the other guides with the main difference that you look the flower up by color first, then the leaves. You actually could skip the key altogether if you're more of a visual person. Just simply flip to the color section you need and sift through the photos. I can't wait to use my new guide. If I didn't have to go grocery shopping and cook all day for various events this weekend, I might have considered going out and putting it to use. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow morning.
posted by Beth @ 4:15 PM
3 Comments:
At 1:11 PM,
Anonymous said…
From one Wildflower Hunter to another if you live in the Northeast like I do, you have to get the latest copy of "Newcomb's Wildflower Guide" published by Little, Brown and Company. The copyright on mine is 1977 but it still works fine.
It allows you to systematically identify wildflowers without having to flip through page after page. And it fits in your backpack or large coat pocket.
The older but wiser Wildflower Hunter.
P.S. I've been to Hawk Mountain it's great but if you really want to see wildflowers, try Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA next spring.
At 1:16 PM,
Anonymous said…
Sorry about the previous comment. I had not gone back far enough to see your list of Guides.
The not so wise Wildflower Hunter
At 3:14 PM,
Beth said…
w.e. - Not a problem. Thanks for the tip. I actually went to Hawk Mountain as a place to take Patrick, who is a birder, for his birthday. He intruduced me to wildflowers (and his Newcomb's guide) while we were there and the rest is history.
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