(DK) Flowers

Water babies
Some plants grow and flower
in shallow water, far away from
dry land. In streams, look for
water crowfoot. It has long stems
that trail in the water’s current.
On lakes and ponds, look for the
large flowers of water lilies and
their big floating leaves.



Underwater
Some flowers float, leaves are fine
while others are above and feathery.
the water on a stalk.

Water lilies have
big flowers with
fleshy petals.





























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Mountain flowers Saxifrages can


grow where it is so
rocky that there
Imagine you are on a windswept mountainside, with is almost no soil.

no shelter. You may have to crouch down to keep
warm and stay out of the wind. This is just what many Food for the bees
mountain plants do. Instead of growing tall, they are
Bell heather flowers late in the
often shaped like pillows or mats, with short stems summer, providing food for hungry Mountain phloxes grow
that are tightly tucked together. This protects them bees. Heather’s tiny leaves can in low mounds. Phloxes

from the wind and helps them to keep warm in the stand up to very strong winds. that live on low ground
are taller than those
cold mountain air. that live up high.


Rhododendrons The edelweiss has
Rhododendron (ro-do-den-dron) a woolly flower. The
is a long name that means “red tree.” “wool” helps protect
You’ll find rhododendron bushes the flower from the
growing in mountain valleys. sun and the wind.






Rhododendrons
have spectacular,
trumpet-shaped Rock-rose
flowers that bloom Some rock-roses grow on rocky
in late spring. hillsides, while others live in meadows.
All of them have thin, papery petals.


Thick, shiny You’ll find gentians high
leaves up in the European
Alps, even where there
is snow all year round.


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Saxifrages can
grow where it is so
rocky that there
is almost no soil.




Food for the bees

Bell heather flowers late in the
summer, providing food for hungry Mountain phloxes grow
bees. Heather’s tiny leaves can in low mounds. Phloxes
stand up to very strong winds. that live on low ground
are taller than those
that live up high.


The edelweiss has
a woolly flower. The
“wool” helps protect
the flower from the
sun and the wind.







Rock-rose
Some rock-roses grow on rocky
hillsides, while others live in meadows.
All of them have thin, papery petals.



You’ll find gentians high
up in the European
Alps, even where there
is snow all year round.








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Seashore flowers Saving water

Sea wormwood lives on muddy coasts.
Its leaves are covered in “fur” to help stop
Plants that grow on the seashore have to cope them from drying out. If you see any, pick

with bright sunshine and fierce winds, as a leaf and smell its strong scent. Always ask
permission before picking a flower.
well as salt from the sea. To do this, most
of them have strong stems, tough leaves,
and small flowers. Some seashore plants Rock climber
live only on rocky shores, while others live Glasswort grows on steep

where the shore is made of sand or mud. cliffs. Its fat, bullet-shaped
leaflets store water. Glasswort is
sometimes eaten as a vegetable.

Protected by spines
Sea holly grows on shingle Living on shingle
banks and on the edges of Shingle beaches are
sand dunes. Its blue leaves difficult places for plants,
and flowers are protected because there is no soil
by hard, sharp spines. and very little fresh water.
Rabbits and other animals However, the sea pea
eat plants on the seashore, has very long roots that
but they leave the prickly can reach deep beneath
sea holly alone.
the pebbles.
The tough, leathery leaves
help to protect the sea
Stiff leaves have
pea from seaside gales.
spiny edges.
Mud queen

The place to find sea lavender is in a
salt marsh. It is one of the few plants
that can grow in very salty mud. Sea
lavender blooms in late summer. If
you pick and dry its flowers, they will
keep their color.
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Saving water
Sea wormwood lives on muddy coasts.
Its leaves are covered in “fur” to help stop
them from drying out. If you see any, pick
a leaf and smell its strong scent. Always ask
permission before picking a flower.





Rock climber
Glasswort grows on steep
cliffs. Its fat, bullet-shaped
leaflets store water. Glasswort is
sometimes eaten as a vegetable.



Living on shingle
Shingle beaches are
difficult places for plants,
because there is no soil
and very little fresh water.
However, the sea pea
has very long roots that
can reach deep beneath
the pebbles.
The tough, leathery leaves
help to protect the sea
pea from seaside gales.

Mud queen

The place to find sea lavender is in a
salt marsh. It is one of the few plants
that can grow in very salty mud. Sea
lavender blooms in late summer. If
you pick and dry its flowers, they will
keep their color.





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Desert flowers Flowers of the outback

The Sturt’s desert pea is named after one
of the first European explorers of the Australian
A houseplant that has not been watered is a sad sight. Outback. It spreads over the sandy ground

Its leaves wilt, and eventually it will dry out and die. to form a low bush. Each flower has petals
shaped like claws. Its leaves have a leathery
But some plants can survive for months without a “skin” that stops them from drying out.
drink. These plants come from deserts—the world’s
driest places. Many of them have amazing flowers,
and they all have special ways of coping with drought. MAKE A MINI DESERT



Create a mini desert in an old aquarium. Y ou will need:
Rotten aroma sand, soil, stones, deadwood, and thick gloves.
The carrion flower lives in dry places
in Africa. It has tough, water-storing
stems, and an unusual “perfume”—it
smells just like rotting meat, which
attracts meat-eating flies to pollinate it.



Cacti have star­
shaped flowers in
spring and summer. 1. Add sand mixed with soil
2. Wearing thick gloves,
and decorate the surface with
plant some cacti in the soil.
stones and deadwood.

Danger: Do not touch! 3. Keep the desert in a
You’ll find wild prickly cacti sunny spot. In the summer,
in the North and South only water it when it dries
American deserts. Most of out. In the winter and
them have swollen stems, but spring, water it less often.
no real leaves. Cacti have a
store of water that helps them
to survive long droughts.
Be careful when
handling cacti.
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Flowers of the outback
The Sturt’s desert pea is named after one
of the first European explorers of the Australian
Outback. It spreads over the sandy ground
to form a low bush. Each flower has petals
shaped like claws. Its leaves have a leathery
“skin” that stops them from drying out.





MAKE A MINI DESERT


Create a mini desert in an old aquarium. Y ou will need:
sand, soil, stones, deadwood, and thick gloves.















1. Add sand mixed with soil
2. Wearing thick gloves,
and decorate the surface with
plant some cacti in the soil.
stones and deadwood.
3. Keep the desert in a
sunny spot. In the summer,
only water it when it dries
out. In the winter and
spring, water it less often.





Be careful when
handling cacti.





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Index cherries 9 G monkey flower 52 R WY
mosses 16, 17
chlorophyll 23
rafflesia, giant 29
wasps 35
gentian 55
clematis 15
climbing plants 15, 49 germination 19, moths 29 reed mace (cattail) 52 water crowfoot 53
mushrooms 17
water lily 53
rhododendron 54
A color 8, 22–23, 26 38–39, 40–41
agrimony 51 coneflower 51 gills 17 rock rose 55 wheat, bearded 31
roots 19, 37, 38, 40
wild flowers 42, 51
algae 17 cranesbill 19 glasswort 57 NO rose 8, 43 wild garlic 46
annual plants 18–19, 39 crocus 22 grape hyacinth 28 nectar 21, 22, 26, 27 woad plant 22
anthers 24, 25, 31 cucumbers 35 grasses 31 nettle 30 S
apples 35 night-scented flowers saffron 22 wood sorrel 47
yarrow 50, 51
28, 29
D H oats, wild 31 saxifrage 55
B daffodil 36 harebell 50 oil 33, 38 sea holly 56
heather 55
banksia 33 daisy 11 hemp agrimony 52 onions 36 sea lavender 57
barley 31 dandelion 32 hippeastrum 37 orchids 48, 49 sea pea 57
bats 26 drawing flowers 9 hollyhock 25 seaweed 17
beak petals 12 Dutchman’s-pipe 12 honeysuckle 29 sea wormwood 57 Acknowledgments
bees 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, dyes 22 hyacinth 37 P seeds 9, 10, 11, 18, 19,
28, 47, 49, 55 hydrangea 14 pansy 8, 43, 44 24, 25, 32–35, 38, 39, 40 Dorling Kindersley
bird-of-paradise flower 26 E paphiopedilum orchid 48 seed cases 38 would like to thank:
birds 26–27, 34, 39, 49 edelweiss 55 passionflower 49 sepals 14, 15, 20 Helen Peters for the index.
blooming 20–21 evening primrose 29 IKL peas 35 shoots 40 Polly Goodman for
blossom 35 everlasting pea 12 insects 14, 22, 26–27, perennials 18, 19 spadix 13 checking the text.
bluebell 47 28, 48 petals 8, 10, 12, 19, spores 16 Anne Damerell for legal advice.
bougainvillea 15 F iris, German or bearded 20, 21 stamens 24, 25, 27
bracts 14, 15 ferns 16 20–21 phlox 55 stems 23, 37, 38, 40
buds 18, 20–21 kingcup 10 pick-a-back plant 32 stigma 24, 25
bulbs 21, 36–37 figs 35 lacecap hydrangea 14 pigments 22 strawberries 34
flies 12, 13, 58
bulrush (reedmace) 52 leaflets 47 plantain 31 Sturt’s desert pea 59
burdock 33 florets 11 leaves, colored 14, 15, 23 pods 33 sunflower 38–39, 40
flower heads 13
butterflies 22, 27 lei 44 poinsettia 15
food supplies 23, 36, lichens 16, 17 pole beans 40–41
C 37, 40 lily 21, 24–25 pollen 12, 13, 21, 24–25, T
cacti 58, 59 foxglove 47 lily of the valley 46 26–27, 30–31 tail flower 48
Canadian pondweed 30 freesia 28 lords-and-ladies plant 13 pollination 24–25, 26–27, teasel 27
carnation 23 fronds 16 29, 30–31, 35, 58 thistle 11
carrion flower 58 fruits 9, 34–35 M polyanthus 42 toadstools 17
castor oil seeds 33 fuchsia 27 madder 22 poppy 10, 18–19, 43, 44 tomatoes 35
cat’s tail grass 31 fungi 17 meadowsweet 52 primrose, wild 42 tulip 36
Thistle

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monkey flower 52 R WY
mosses 16, 17 rafflesia, giant 29 wasps 35
moths 29 reed mace (cattail) 52 water crowfoot 53
mushrooms 17 rhododendron 54 water lily 53
rock rose 55 wheat, bearded 31
NO roots 19, 37, 38, 40 wild flowers 42, 51
nectar 21, 22, 26, 27 rose 8, 43 wild garlic 46
nettle 30 woad plant 22
night-scented flowers S wood sorrel 47
28, 29 saffron 22 yarrow 50, 51
oats, wild 31 saxifrage 55
oil 33, 38 sea holly 56
onions 36 sea lavender 57
orchids 48, 49 sea pea 57
seaweed 17
P sea wormwood 57 Acknowledgments
pansy 8, 43, 44 seeds 9, 10, 11, 18, 19, Dorling Kindersley
paphiopedilum orchid 48 24, 25, 32–35, 38, 39, 40 would like to thank:
passionflower 49 seed cases 38 Helen Peters for the index.
peas 35 sepals 14, 15, 20 Polly Goodman for
perennials 18, 19 shoots 40 checking the text.
petals 8, 10, 12, 19, spadix 13 Anne Damerell for legal advice.
20, 21 spores 16
phlox 55 stamens 24, 25, 27
pick-a-back plant 32 stems 23, 37, 38, 40
pigments 22 stigma 24, 25
plantain 31 strawberries 34
pods 33 Sturt’s desert pea 59
poinsettia 15 sunflower 38–39, 40
pole beans 40–41
pollen 12, 13, 21, 24–25, T
26–27, 30–31 tail flower 48
pollination 24–25, 26–27, teasel 27
29, 30–31, 35, 58 thistle 11
polyanthus 42 toadstools 17
poppy 10, 18–19, 43, 44 tomatoes 35
primrose, wild 42 tulip 36
Thistle







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