As well as offering wood and charcoal fuels, timber for buildings and ships, latex rubber, dyes, shade, shelter from the weather, fruits and nuts to enjoy and poisons to avoid, trees provide the world with oxygen while their roots stabilize soil to prevent flooding and erosion. Moreover, bark, roots, leaves, flowers, fruits or seeds also offer medicinal products. Meanwhile, the forest has ever been a magical place inspiring writers and poets such as C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien, Shakespeare, Wordsworth and Coleridge.
The Secret Language of Trees explores fifty different species of tree. It looks at the history of the tree, its medicinal and other uses, as well as its language meaning and symbolism. Each entry is supported by a beautiful watercolour of the tree itself as well as its leaves or fruit.