There is a proverb that says “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now”. This quotation doesn’t come from Australia's Remarkable Trees, but it is very apt as it demonstrates the link between Australia’s history and its trees.

The Roots of Civilisation

This is a ripper of a book!

Written by John Newton, a Sydney-based journalist and author, this is a pot-pourri of (as the subtitle of the book suggests) plants that changed the world.

The Roots of Civilisation runs the gamut of food plants, fibres, plants used in dyes, medicinal, poisonous, ‘psychoactive’ plants and even aphrodisiacs. It provides a deliciously entertaining guide of how these plants, along with the influence of mankind, have changed the world forever. It is a story of discovery, ingenuity, survival and greed.