Customer Reviews:
 Most useful, but in need of a good index July 26, 2005
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Of the wild-flower books I own, including "The Encyclopedia of Wild Flowers," and the "Collins Gem Wild Flowers," Neil Fletcher's Pocket Nature Wild Flowers is certainly the simplest and clearest to use. I do have one complaint, however, and it is with the index, which I find inconsistent, incomplete, and in some respects, useless. For example, many flowers, such as "Buttercup" and "Thistle," just to mention a couple, are not even listed as such in the index. To find them there, you would need to know their full names, such as "Creeping Buttercup," "Spear Thistle," "Creeping Thistle," or "Marsh Thistle." For me, as a beginner in learning about wild flowers, a good index would show all varieties under "Thistle." Other flowers, such as the "Daisy," are not listed except under their Latin names. For me a good index is an important aspect of a reference book, and this one certainly leaves much to be desired.
 At last a useable wildflower book! July 6, 2004
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
I have a couple of books on wildflowers and have used them 'in the field'. However, they all assume that you know what family the flowers are from before you begin to identify them - and so I end up spending time flicking through the pages. Not here - I always wondered why they didn't classy flowers by colour - well they do in this book. So come across a flower you don't know, skip to the right colour section in the book and hey presto! Really easy to use, lots of good information. My 4 year old can even use it. Great!
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