'A cracking read.' IOLO WILLIAMS 'What an incredible achievement!' ALISON STEADMAN 'An inspirational odyssey.' NICK BAKER 'Immediately accessible.' BBC COUNTRYFILE - Mike Dilger's nationwide quest to find 1,000 wild plant species in a single year. For most of 2020, Mike Dilger's day-job of travelling to the four corners of the British Isles all but disappeared. Having been confined to one place by the Covid pandemic, and with daily dog walks his sole permitted outdoor pursuit, the simple pleasure of getting to know the flowers at his feet reignited a long-buried botanical passion. Now Mike is on a mission: to see a thousand different wild plants in one calendar year, and assess how our fascinating flora is faring in modern Britain. From Cornwall to Kent and Breckland to the Scottish Highlands, Mike meets the resilient reserve wardens and courageous conservationists tasked with protecting some of the nation's richest botanical sites, and experiences first-hand the many difficulties associated with saving our rarest and most charismatic plants. Taking in city centres, mountain tops and every conceivable habitat in between, One Thousand Shades of Green is a manifesto on how to love and conserve our green and pleasant land, and celebrates the beauty and diversity of the nation's plants.

An insightful assessment of the nation's flora, following Mike Dilger's quest to find 1,000 plant species over the course of a year.

About the Author
MIKE DILGER is one of wildlife TV's best-known presenters in his role as resident wildlife reporter on The One Show. With degrees in Botany and Ecology, Mike spent many years in the rainforests of Ecuador, Vietnam and Tanzania, before returning home to reacquaint himself with his first love - British wildlife. Mike is also a columnist for BBC Wildlife magazine and a reporter on BBC Radio 4's Costing the Earth; his expertise and infectious enthusiasm see him pontificating on everything from bumblebees to basking sharks.

Reviews
Following Mike on his quest to unearth green gems across the length and breadth of Britain is an absolute joy. The elation, the despair, the dangers, the accomplishments are all laid bare for everyone to enjoy. A cracking read. * Iolo Williams, Naturalist and Wildlife TV Presenter *
What an incredible achievement! I'll never go out for a walk again without looking and searching for wild plants. * Alison Steadman, Actor *
An inspirational odyssey. Personal, inspiring and suffused in Green. * Nick Baker, Naturalist and Wildlife TV Presenter *
Mike's knowledge, enthusiasm and love of the natural world drive this compelling race against time, to see a thousand different plants in a single year. * Stephen Moss, Naturalist and Author *
An insightful delve into the nation's flora. * Britain Magazine *
With a down-to-earth style, Dilger's self-deprecating sense of humour and more than a healthy dose of enthusiasm, [One Thousand Shades of Green is] an immediately accessible book, one I can see being enjoyed by a wide range of people from botanists and plant enthusiasts to armchair explorers. * Dave Hamilton, BBC Countryfile *
Mike Dilger is an amiable and enthusiastic companion, describing the pleasures and pitfalls of flower-finding with a smile, a presenter who loves his subject and longs to tell you all about it. * Peter Marren, British Wildlife *
A lovely book. -- Andrea Cowan * Somerset Life *



Book Information
ISBN 9781472993625
Author Mike Dilger
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Bloomsbury Wildlife
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC