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Herbalist to King Charles I, John Parkinson (1567–1650) was a master apothecary, herbalist, and gardener. Famous in his own lifetime for his influential books, his magnum opus, the Theatrum Botanicum, was published in 1640 and ran to 1,766 large pages. The sheer scope and size was perhaps to prove the book’s downfall, because while it was much revered—and plagiarized—it was never reprinted and, centuries later, has attained the status of an extremely rare and valuable book.
Parkinson was writing at a time when Western herbalism was at its zenith, and his skills as a gardener (from his grounds in Covent Garden) combined perfectly with his passion for science, observation, and historical scholarship. This modern edition features:
- Agrimony & Hemp Agrimony
- Blackthorn, Bugle, and Burnet
- Daisies and Dandelion
- Goldenrod, Round Ivy, and Groundsel
- Liquourice and Lovage
- Marjoram, Milk Thistle, and Mint
- Pimpernel and Poppies
- Seaweed and Sorrel
- St. John’s Wort and Strawberry
- Tomato and Tribulus
- Woodruff and Yarrow
- And much more!
Parkinson's clear and lively description of a chosen plant's virtues or healing properties side-by-side with the editor's notes—including copious herbal recipes—make this the perfect book for students and practitioners of herbalism, historians, and gardeners, all of whom will welcome this restoration of Parkinson's lost classic.
