Chemistry in the Garden

”““An impressive feature of this book is its coverage of bread and butter substances, such as the properties that make cellulose such an important structural material.”“”“The book includes a through index and has a good bibliography.”“”“Priced at ú14.95, this is expecially good value for a hardback. I recommend this book to A-Level teachers not just for themselves, but also to give to students who want to discover organic chemistry beyond that in the A-Level chemistry specifications.”“”

“The amount of information that is squeezed into this short book (just 146 pages) is remarkable…..full of interesting facts and figures, relating to plants commonly grown in gardens: did you know that over 800 compounds have been isolated from wine matured in oak barrels?This book is easier to read than most scientific literature, and provides a concise introduction for anyone wishing to study any aspect of plant chemistry……It is an enjoyable read and it succeeds in its aim: ‘to show that there is chemistry in every part of the garden.”

“James Hanson a recognized authority on natural products chemistry seeks to pass on not just his knowledge of the subject but also the excitement of seeing chemistry in action…..he illustrates the intricate chemical balances in the biosphere.If you have ever wondered why strawberries are red or why it is difficult to make jam from them, then this book will enlighten you. Anyone suffering from the delusion that ““natural”” equates with ““safe”” should read Chapter 6 on bioactive materials from ornamental plants.There is a very good general introduction to the subject of biosynthesis for those unfamiliar with it, and some more detail on selected aspects, which will interest the natural products chemist. There is a glossary of botanical terms…..a good list of suggested further reading and, very importantly, a comprehensive index.”

Professor J R Hanson FRSC is Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of Sussex. Early work on gibberellic acid at ICI has lead to a long and successful career in natural product and organic chemistry, documented by numerous research papers and books. In 2008 Professor Hanson received a Service Award from the RSC journal Natural Product Reports for his dedicated contribution to the journal, as author and editorial board member. Professor Hanson continues to teach chemistry and biochemistry and is a keen gardener.