The Hedgerow Handbook
If there's one distinctive feature of the British countryside, it has to be the hedgerow. In fact, hedgerows are such an established part of our landscape that sometimes we take them for granted. But take a closer look, and the diversity and variety of plant species that form them is little short of wondrous. And it is not only plant life that thrives in abundance in the hedgerow - native wild animals, birds and insects are protected and nourished by them. We know that at least 65 species of birds live in our hedgerows and that they are crucial to the survival of moths, bats and dormice. Hedgerows can provide a great fund of fresh, wild food for us, too, and this is partly what this book is about.In "The Hedgerow Handbook" Adele Nozedar reintroduces the wild and natural hedgerow ingredients that our grandmothers used on a regular basis - but gives them a fresh and contemporary twist. From angelica to ash and bird cherry to borage, from pineapple weed to plantain and wild garlic to wimberries, each entry is accompanied by an exquisite full colour illustration to help you identify each plant or flower, along with its history and folklore, and culinary and medicinal uses. You won't find yet another recipe for blackberry pie nor nettle soup here however - this is not your run-of-the mill hedgerow book. Instead, why not try Adele's Spicy Ash Key Pickle, her Beechnut Turron, Red Clover Lemonade or Wild Raspberry Vodka?The "Hedgerow Handbook" is much more than a foraging book - it is an inspiration and a trigger for a new experience of our countryside and for memories: of a summer filled with hot sunny days; or of the time you got drenched in a sudden rain shower miles away from the warmth and dryness of your car or home, which made those blackberry muffins even more enjoyable. Author Biography: Adele Nozedar has enjoyed a varied career, spanning TV presentation, being in a cult indie band, running highly-successful record labels (both independent and major) and a PR company, exhibiting her photography and writing soundtracks. She is trained in massage and colour therapy and is now the owner of a remote residential recording studio in Wales, and two shops in Hay on Wye. She is also a photographer and the author of several books including: The Element Encyclopaedia of Secret Signs And Symbols, 2006; The Secret Language of Birds, HarperCollins 2006 and Freaky Dreams HarperCollins 2011. Promotional Information: Beautifully illustrated in full-colour throughout, this is the perfect guide to British hedgerows and their plants - and what to do with them.Date Published:1st March 2012