40 books like The Illustrated Herbiary

By Maia Toll, Kate O’Hara (illustrator),

Here are 40 books that The Illustrated Herbiary fans have personally recommended if you like The Illustrated Herbiary. Shepherd is a community of 9,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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The Lost Words

By Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris (illustrator),

Book cover of The Lost Words

C.C. Harrington Author Of Wildoak

From the list on inspiring young readers to engage with the natural world.

By C.C. Harrington Author

Who am I?

I fell in love with reading as a child and have carried that sense of magic and possibility with me ever since. As an adult and a writer, I believe passionately in the power of story to foster empathy, understanding, and greater human connection – and I still turn to children’s literature whenever I need reminding of all that we are capable of becoming and doing as human beings. This list has a strong environmental bent to it – partly because Wildoak is a book about caring for the natural world, and partly because I believe that stories shape our sense of purpose. 

C.C.'s book list on inspiring young readers to engage with the natural world

Book cover of Be a Tree! Book cover of The Lost Words Book cover of Can You Hear the Trees Talking? Discovering the Hidden Life of the Forest Book cover of The Lost Whale Book cover of Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

Why did C.C. love this book?

This book is by one of my favourite nature writers of all time, Robert Macfarlane. It’s a picture book that is for humans of all ages, truly. His poetry makes for a beautiful read aloud, the illustrations by Jackie Morris are stunning and the size of it makes for an immersive experience. I absolutely loved reading it with my kids when they were a little younger and we all piled into my bed. I also believe that it works… the poems are ‘spells’ designed to bring certain words back into use since they were cut from the Junior Oxford English Dictionary. Words like acorn… kingfisher, and otter…. Please read and share this book!

The Lost Words

By Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Lost Words as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Penguin presents the CD edition of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, read by Edith Bowman, Guy Garvey, Cerys Matthews and Benjamin Zephaniah.

All over the country, there are words disappearing from children's lives. Words like Dandelion, Otter, Bramble, Acorn and Lark represent the natural world of childhood, a rich landscape of discovery and imagination that is fading from children's minds.

The Lost Words stands against the disappearance of wild childhood. It is a joyful celebration of the poetry of nature words and the living glory of our distinctive, British countryside. With acrostic spell-poems by peerless wordsmith Robert Macfarlane this…

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How to Be a Moonflower

By Katie Daisy,

Book cover of How to Be a Moonflower

Jessica Roux Author Of Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers

From the list on illustrated florals.

By Jessica Roux Author

Who am I?

I’ve always been fascinated by nature, even from a young age. My parents would set up easels for my sister and me to paint outdoors, and I haven’t stopped drawing since. I tend to focus on flora and fauna, making illustrations with subdued colors and intricate details. I love to create illustrations for books, and occasionally, I’ll write them, too. Often reflective of history, mythology, and folklore, my work captures an old-world feeling and a love of nature. In my spare time, you can find me in my garden or out walking my dog, Molly.

Jessica's book list on illustrated florals

Book cover of The Illustrated Herbiary: Guidance and Rituals from 36 Bewitching Botanicals Book cover of The Lost Words Book cover of The Language of Flowers Book cover of Botanicum: Welcome to the Museum Book cover of How to Be a Moonflower

Why did Jessica love this book?

It’s always a joy to find a kindred spirit with a love for flora and fauna, and fellow author/illustrator Katie Daisy is just that. Her beautiful, painterly style, combined with quotes, guides, and poems, makes How to Be a Moonflower a truly fantastic collection. One may not associate the nighttime with lush florals, but plenty of flowers (as well as animals!) come alive after the sun sets. This book is a gem, bursting with inspiration and magic. 

How to Be a Moonflower

By Katie Daisy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Be a Moonflower as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How to Be a Moonflower, the new book from bestselling author Katie Daisy, celebrates the magic and mystery of the world at night.

Discover the world that awakens after everyone else has gone to sleep. In this lavishly illustrated book, New York Times-bestselling artist Katie Daisy explores the mystery and magic of the nighttime. Join her on a journey from dusk to dawn, complete with quotes, poems, meditations, field guides to different nocturnal flora and fauna, and charts that map out the cosmos. From night-blooming flowers to cozy campfires, from moon baths to meteor showers, Katie Daisy's lush illustrations capture…

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Botanicum

By Kathy Willis, Katie Scott (illustrator),

Book cover of Botanicum: Welcome to the Museum

Jessica Roux Author Of Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers

From the list on illustrated florals.

By Jessica Roux Author

Who am I?

I’ve always been fascinated by nature, even from a young age. My parents would set up easels for my sister and me to paint outdoors, and I haven’t stopped drawing since. I tend to focus on flora and fauna, making illustrations with subdued colors and intricate details. I love to create illustrations for books, and occasionally, I’ll write them, too. Often reflective of history, mythology, and folklore, my work captures an old-world feeling and a love of nature. In my spare time, you can find me in my garden or out walking my dog, Molly.

Jessica's book list on illustrated florals

Book cover of The Illustrated Herbiary: Guidance and Rituals from 36 Bewitching Botanicals Book cover of The Lost Words Book cover of The Language of Flowers Book cover of Botanicum: Welcome to the Museum Book cover of How to Be a Moonflower

Why did Jessica love this book?

If you want a big book of florals, look no further than Botanicum. Everything from algae to orchids is covered in this illustrated encyclopedia, featuring Katie Scott’s artwork paired with Professor Kathy Willis’ writing. I’m drawn to the fine lines in Scott’s work, with her illustrations of parasitic and carnivorous plants being my absolute favorite pages. Fascinating for both children and adults, I’d highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys getting lost in the details of fantastic florals.

Botanicum

By Kathy Willis, Katie Scott (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Botanicum as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The 2016 offering from Big Picture Press's Welcome to the Museum series, Botanicum is a stunningly curated guide to plant life. With artwork from Katie Scott of Animalium fame, Botanicum gives readers the experience of a fascinating exhibition from the pages of a beautiful book.

From perennials to bulbs to tropical exotica, Botanicum is a wonderful feast of botanical knowledge complete with superb cross sections of how plants work.

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The Language of Flowers

By Dena Seiferling,

Book cover of The Language of Flowers

Jessica Roux Author Of Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers

From the list on illustrated florals.

By Jessica Roux Author

Who am I?

I’ve always been fascinated by nature, even from a young age. My parents would set up easels for my sister and me to paint outdoors, and I haven’t stopped drawing since. I tend to focus on flora and fauna, making illustrations with subdued colors and intricate details. I love to create illustrations for books, and occasionally, I’ll write them, too. Often reflective of history, mythology, and folklore, my work captures an old-world feeling and a love of nature. In my spare time, you can find me in my garden or out walking my dog, Molly.

Jessica's book list on illustrated florals

Book cover of The Illustrated Herbiary: Guidance and Rituals from 36 Bewitching Botanicals Book cover of The Lost Words Book cover of The Language of Flowers Book cover of Botanicum: Welcome to the Museum Book cover of How to Be a Moonflower

Why did Jessica love this book?

Dena Seiferling’s The Language of Flowers tells the story of Beatrice the bumblebee learning the language of flowers through the meadows she roams. As a fan of subdued colors, Seiferling’s illustration style drew me in, with soft lines and hidden faces within all of the featured blooms. The last two pages are an illustrated list of floral meanings, fantastic for children wanting to learn more about floriography, of which I am (very obviously) a fan!

The Language of Flowers

By Dena Seiferling,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Language of Flowers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An adopted bumblebee learns the language of flowers from her floral family in this enchanting picture book, inspired by floriography, that celebrates one of nature's most important relationships.

Deep within a magical meadow, some lonely flowers receive a very special gift: a baby bumblebee in need. The flowers name her Beatrice, they care for her and help her find her wings. And as she grows older, Beatrice learns the language of her floral family — messages of kindness and appreciation that she delivers between them. With each sweet word, the flowers bloom until the meadow becomes so big that Beatrice…

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Hatfield's Herbal

By Gabrielle Hatfield,

Book cover of Hatfield's Herbal: The Curious Stories of Britain's Wild Plants

Jane Struthers Author Of Red Sky at Night: The Book of Lost Countryside Wisdom

From the list on to take you into another world.

By Jane Struthers Author

Who am I?

I have always tuned into the atmosphere of places. Sometimes this is a joy and sometimes it’s a very different experience, but either way, it’s a fundamental part of me. It spills over into my work, too, because each of the thirty-odd non-fiction books I’ve written has its own strong atmosphere. I was particularly aware of this while writing Red Sky at Night, as I wanted to evoke a sense of the past informing the present, whether that means planting a shrub to keep witches away from your front door or baking what I still think is one of the best fruit cakes ever.

Jane's book list on to take you into another world

Book cover of Rebecca Book cover of The Owl Service Book cover of Hatfield's Herbal: The Curious Stories of Britain's Wild Plants Book cover of The Ivington Diaries Book cover of The Morville Hours

Why did Jane love this book?

Plants are our companions through life. We grow, pick and eat some of them, but how much do we really value them? Our ancestors had an intimate knowledge and understanding of the power of plants and were aware of which were helpful and which caused harm. They wrapped comfrey leaves around the damaged legs of animals, believed that fairies sheltered from the rain beneath ragwort plants, cured childhood hernias with the aid of ash saplings, and recognized the benefits of rosehips long before science could analyse their nutrients.

Hatfield’s Herbal follows the tradition of so many other excellent herbals, weaving botany, plant magic, medicine, and folklore into an engrossing mixture that always keeps me reading long after I found what I was originally looking for. Read a good herbal and you’ll never look at a so-called weed in the same way again.

Hatfield's Herbal

By Gabrielle Hatfield,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hatfield's Herbal as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hatfield's Herbal is the story of how people all over Britain have used its wild plants throughout history, for reasons magical, mystical and medicinal. Gabrielle Hatfield has drawn on a lifetime's knowledge to describe the properties of over 150 native plants, and the customs that surround them: from predicting the weather with seaweed to using deadly nightshade to make ladies' pupils dilate appealingly, and from ensuring a husband's faithfulness with butterbur to warding off witches by planting a rowan tree. Filled with stories, folklore and remedies both strange and practical, this is a memorable and eye-opening guide to the richness…

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Lessons from Plants

By Beronda L. Montgomery,

Book cover of Lessons from Plants

Cathy N. Davidson and Christina Katopodis Author Of The New College Classroom

From the list on inspiring lifelong learning.

By Cathy N. Davidson and Christina Katopodis Author

Who are we?

We are two college-level educators, one has had a long career, one a recent PhD. We share a commitment to lifelong learning, not just in the classroom but beyond. And we love learning from one another. We wrote The New College Classroom together during the pandemic, meeting over Zoom twice a week, discussing books by other educators, writing and revising and rewriting every word together, finding ways to think about improving our students’ lives for a better future even as the world seemed grim. The books we cherish share those values: hope, belief in the next generation, and a deep commitment to learning even in—especially in—the grimmest of times.

Christina's book list on inspiring lifelong learning

Book cover of Community as Rebellion: A Syllabus for Surviving Academia as a Woman of Color Book cover of Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom Book cover of Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature Book cover of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Book cover of Lessons from Plants

Why did Christina love this book?

This gorgeous book by microbiologist Dr. Beronda L. Montgomery is as beautiful to read as it is to hold—in your hands, in your heart. We can’t stop thinking about Montgomery’s key lesson: if you have a plant that is struggling, you figure out what environmental changes it needs to thrive—more or less water or sunlight, better soil. When people fail to flourish, we’re quick to blame the individual. As an African American woman, Montgomery makes us think about society and how we approach problems (do we compete or do we build a collaborative effort for a holistic solution?). Humans have much to discover from our photosynthesizing world: how plants learn—from their own kin, their friends, and their foes—and Montgomery helps us to understand the nature (literally) of teaching and learning.

Lessons from Plants

By Beronda L. Montgomery,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lessons from Plants as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An exploration of how plant behavior and adaptation offer valuable insights for human thriving.

We know that plants are important. They maintain the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. They nourish other living organisms and supply psychological benefits to humans as well, improving our moods and beautifying the landscape around us. But plants don't just passively provide. They also take action.

Beronda L. Montgomery explores the vigorous, creative lives of organisms often treated as static and predictable. In fact, plants are masters of adaptation. They "know" what and who they are, and they use this knowledge to make…

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Singing to the Plants

By Stephan V. Beyer,

Book cover of Singing to the Plants: A Guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Amazon

Andy Letcher Author Of Shroom: A Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom

From the list on the riddle of psychedelics.

By Andy Letcher Author

Who am I?

I've been fascinated by psychedelics since I was a teenager, and along with my book I’ve written a number of academic papers and book chapters on the subject. It intrigues me how subtle changes in the brain’s chemistry leads to such profound changes in perception, cognition, and feeling, including religious feeling. I want to know what those experiences mean, and what they can tell us about the world. For if all they are is some derangement of the senses, why is it that so many writers, thinkers, philosophers and artists return to the experience, again and again? There is a riddle here, a mystery, and I love that I’m able to devote my research time to trying to answer it.

Andy's book list on the riddle of psychedelics

Book cover of Getting Higher: The Manual of Psychedelic Ceremony Book cover of Singing to the Plants: A Guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Amazon Book cover of Psychedelic Mysteries of the Feminine: Creativity, Ecstasy, and Healing Book cover of True Hallucinations: Being an Account of the Author's Extraordinary Adventures in the Devil's Paradise Book cover of The Doors of Perception

Why did Andy love this book?

I suspect that many of us now know someone who’s been to the Amazon to take the psychedelic beverage, ayahuasca, returning with wide eyes and tales of profound healing. Here, anthropologist Stephan Beyer cuts through the romanticisation to present an accurate and engaging picture of ayahuasca shamanism in the Upper Amazon. He asks difficult questions, such as how well shamans actually cure sickness and why so many shamans engage in sorcery, but his inquiry is never less than sympathetic. That he peppers the book with his own psychedelic, ayahuasca visions, makes this one of the most accessible and engaging books on the subject.

Singing to the Plants

By Stephan V. Beyer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Singing to the Plants as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the Upper Amazon, mestizos are the Spanish-speaking descendants of Hispanic colonizers and the indigenous peoples of the jungle. Some mestizos have migrated to Amazon towns and cities, such as Iquitos and Pucallpa; most remain in small villages. They have retained features of a folk Catholicism and traditional Hispanic medicine, and have incorporated much of the religious tradition of the Amazon, especially its healing, sorcery, shamanism, and the use of potent plant hallucinogens, including ayahuasca. The result is a uniquely eclectic shamanist culture that continues to fascinate outsiders with its brilliant visionary art. Ayahuasca shamanism is now part of global…

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In Defense of Plants

By Matt Candeias,

Book cover of In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants

Sue Burke Author Of Semiosis

From the list on making you love plants.

By Sue Burke Author

Who am I?

A house plant in my living room attacked another plant, wrapping itself around it and killing it. Then another plant tried to sink roots into a neighbor. I began to do a little research, then a lot of research, and learned that plants accomplish amazing feats. They can tell by the angle of the sun when spring is coming, and they can call parasitic wasps to rid themselves of caterpillars. Plants vastly outweigh and outnumber animals, so they run this planet. What if, on another planet, they could think like us… and that’s why I wrote a novel.

Sue's book list on making you love plants

Book cover of The Overstory Book cover of The Revolutionary Genius of Plants: A New Understanding of Plant Intelligence and Behavior Book cover of The Hidden Life of Trees Book cover of In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants Book cover of What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses

Why did Sue love this book?

Blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias used to think plants were boring. Then, in college, he got a summer job in habitat restoration at an old quarry, and he fell in love.

He learned about the strange ways plants have sex, how they conquer new territories, and what animals they prefer to eat. Most of all, they fight for survival. It’s not exactly war, but there is never enough water, nutrients, space, and light, and there are always predators. Plants meet their challenges in surprising, wonderful ways.

So go outside, he says, and get to know your local plants like you know your friends.

In Defense of Plants

By Matt Candeias,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked In Defense of Plants as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Study of Plants in a Whole New Light

"Matt Candeias succeeds in evoking the wonder of plants with wit and wisdom." James T. Costa, PhD, executive director, Highlands Biological Station and author of Darwin's Backyard

#1 New Release in Nature & Ecology, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Trees, Biological Sciences, and Nature Writing & Essays

In his debut book, internationally-recognized blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias celebrates the nature of plants and the extraordinary world of plant organisms.

A botanist's defense. Since his early days of plant restoration, this amateur plant scientist has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology…

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What a Plant Knows

By Daniel Chamovitz,

Book cover of What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses

Sue Burke Author Of Semiosis

From the list on making you love plants.

By Sue Burke Author

Who am I?

A house plant in my living room attacked another plant, wrapping itself around it and killing it. Then another plant tried to sink roots into a neighbor. I began to do a little research, then a lot of research, and learned that plants accomplish amazing feats. They can tell by the angle of the sun when spring is coming, and they can call parasitic wasps to rid themselves of caterpillars. Plants vastly outweigh and outnumber animals, so they run this planet. What if, on another planet, they could think like us… and that’s why I wrote a novel.

Sue's book list on making you love plants

Book cover of The Overstory Book cover of The Revolutionary Genius of Plants: A New Understanding of Plant Intelligence and Behavior Book cover of The Hidden Life of Trees Book cover of In Defense of Plants: An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants Book cover of What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses

Why did Sue love this book?

If you don’t know much about what plants can do, this is a great place to start.

Learn what a plant sees, smells, and feels. Yes, they can do all that. They know what color shirt you’re wearing. They can smell the warning from a neighbor plant being eaten by a bug. They know when you touch them. They know where they are, and they remember things. Plants are not passive, and they are acutely aware of the world around them.

What a Plant Knows

By Daniel Chamovitz,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked What a Plant Knows as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How does a Venus flytrap know when to snap shut? Can it feel an insect's spindly legs? How do flowers know when it's spring? Can they actually remember the weather? And do they care if you play them Led Zeppelin or Bach? From Darwin's early fascination with stems and vines to "Little Shop of Horrors", we have always marvelled at plant diversity and form. Now, in "What a Plant Knows", the renowned biologist Daniel Chamovitz presents an intriguing and refreshing look at how plants experience the world. Highlighting the latest research in plant science, he takes us into the lives…

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The Winter Harvest Handbook

By Eliot Coleman, Barbara Damrosch (photographer),

Book cover of The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep-Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses

Anna Hess Author Of The Ultimate Guide to Soil

From the list on for beyond-organic gardeners.

By Anna Hess Author

Who am I?

If I'm honest, I became a gardener because I like getting dirty. Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Tom Kitten is the story of my childhood (and my adulthood too, only now I don't have to pretend I'm going to stay clean). Of course, high-quality soil leads to high-quality produce, and I deeply adore the flavors of strawberries growing in deep, dark soil. Biting into a juicy, homegrown tomato still warm from the summer sun is bliss.

Anna's book list on for beyond-organic gardeners

Book cover of Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web Book cover of The Resilient Farm and Homestead: An Innovative Permaculture and Whole Systems Design Approach Book cover of The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times Book cover of The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep-Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses Book cover of Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times

Why did Anna love this book?

If you only grow from the last frost to the first frost, your gardening season is extremely short. But a few simple season-extension techniques can mean you harvest fresh food nearly every day of the year. I've used Eliot Coleman's crop suggestions and his quick hoops and can say from experience that they make all the difference during the cold season.

The Winter Harvest Handbook

By Eliot Coleman, Barbara Damrosch (photographer),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Winter Harvest Handbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Brimming with ingenuity, hope, and eminently practical advice, The Winter Harvest Handbook is an indispensable contribution."-Michael Pollan

"Useful, practical, sensible, and enlightening information for the home gardener."-Martha Stewart

With The Winter Harvest Handbook, everyone can have access to organic farming pioneer Elliot Coleman's hard-won experience. Gardeners and farmers can use the innovative, highly successful methods Coleman describes in this comprehensive handbook to raise crops throughout the coldest of winters.

Building on the techniques that hundreds of thousands of farmers and gardeners adopted from Coleman's The New Organic Grower and Four-Season Harvest, this book focuses on growing produce of unparalleled freshness…

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5 book lists we think you will like!

The best books of illustrated florals
The best books to help you heal with herbs
The best books to make you love plants
The best books to take you into another world
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