Mythic Plants

“This book is very interesting and I recommend it… It is not by any means a complete “Ancient Materia Medica,” but it’s a fun breeze-through. And sometimes a detail slips through into modern gardening: where Cornelian-cherry will root readily, or that quinces, in Greece, have a long enough season to ripen and become soft and edible without cooking, where, here, they don’t. Zachos’ tongue is often firmly in her cheek. Lots of pithy comments, but the one that had me howling was the second complete sentence on page 164. Buy this book and read it for yourself.”–Washington Gardener

“In Mythic Plants, you can mix your love of mythology with your love of all things green. For the gardener who loves to read about ancient Greek history, beliefs, and practices, this book is a delight. It’s full of quick-to-read, browse-able chapters that explain the origins and cultures associated with various plants, and the ways that ancient folks used everyday plants and weeds in their lives. Zachos tells readers how modern science, laws, and knowledge compares to what the Greeks knew and thought, and how it’s relevant to your garden today.”

Ellen Zachos is an expert forager and longtime foraging instructor. She is the author of six books, including The Wildcrafted Cocktail and Backyard Foraging. She is co-host of the Plantrama podcast.