To anyone who loves the wild flowers of Great Britain and Ireland, there are some places that beckon time and again, such as The Lizard in Cornwall, The Burren in Ireland’s County Clare and Ben Lawers in Perthshire, Scotland. Upper Teesdale in England’s County Durham must, however, be included among these jewels of our botanical heritage. This locality, which is within sight of the highest point of the Pennines, has an outstanding and special flora that has been shaped by its altitude, land-use patterns and diverse geology. Many of the plants found here are rare and localized, while others are more common and widespread, but together they form the botanically unique Teesdale Assemblage. For this reason, Upper Teesdale is a hotspot for botanists. It is also a scenically beautiful area, located within easy reach of the industrial heartlands of the north-east, and is much visited by walkers and tourists. This book offers visitors unique insights about this area and its botanical riches.
- Presents the first account to cover together the places, plants and people of this special area
- Features more than 330 stunning photographs
- Includes detailed profiles of 96 plants that make up the Teesdale Assemblage
- Offers a history of Teesdale’s botanical exploration and describes the people who live, work and study plants there today
- Provides an overview of environmental threats and what is required to ensure a sustainable future
Margaret E. Bradshaw says that she is “hefted to the hills and flora of Teesdale.” Over the past seventy years, nobody has played a greater part in the recognition and conservation of Teesdale’s botanical riches. Since the 1950s, she has painstakingly surveyed and monitored its special plants, campaigned for them and inspired a generation of botanists along the way. In 1977, she was awarded an MBE for her services to botany and conservation. Her fount of knowledge and experience—now distilled in this book—is a remarkable gift to those who continue her work.
"[Bradshaw] is inspiring a new generation of botanists."—BBC North East & Cumbria
"[Bradshaw] is a force of nature. . . . She has collected all of her wisdom, learned from botanists across the centuries and gleaned from her own 75 years of walking the fell . . . . The book is quite literally her life’s work."—Chris Lloyd, Northern Echo
"Some of the plants can’t be found anywhere else in the UK and – until Bradshaw arrived on the scene – many were unaccounted for. Bradshaw is the chief caretaker of some of the country’s rarest flowers. She has spent seven decades obsessively studying the unique arctic-alpine flora of Teesdale."—Phoebe Weston, The Guardian
"An ideal book to add value to your visit to [Teesdale]."—John Miles, BirdWatching Magazine
"[Bradshaw’s] vast knowledge of the more than two dozen rare upper dale flora has been captured in her book."—Martin Paul, Teesdale Mercury
"By far the most comprehensive account available."—David J Tennant, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland
"The descriptions of the plants are beautifully written, bringing their story to life and providing the reader with all the essential information. I have no doubt that this will become an essential guide for anyone wishing to visit Teesdale and admire the unique botanical heritage of the area.."—Plantlife
"[Bradshaw is] something of a legend among botanists."—Emily Rickerby, Living North Magazine
"This is a very special book. Not only is it a compendium of the diverse and wondrous flora of Teesdale, its pages are permeated with the deep love, devotion and dedication of one individual to a uniquely beautiful, biologically diverse place."—David M. Gascoigne, Travels with Birds
