A partial listing of books relating to the plants mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

Compiled by Marlene P. Cowdery
Founder, Colorado Shakespeare Gardens
March, 2000

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The Plant-Lore and Garden-Craft of Shakespeare
by Rev. Henry N. Ellacombe, M.A. of Oriel College, Oxford,
Vicar of Bitton, Gloucestershire, and Hon. Canon of Bristol
Second Edition 1884
W. Satchell and Co.
Out of Print
A scholarly approach. Plants listed alphabetically with quotations from plays. The Index of Plays is most valuable for research of plants mentioned in specific plays.
Visit your local library in search of this and other books mentioned in this listing.

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Shakespeare's Wild Flowers
Fairy Lore, Gardens, Herbs, Gatherers of Simples and Bee Lore
by Eleanour Sinclair Rohde
London; The Medici Society, LTD. Great Britain MCMXXXV
Many quotations, plant list with country and botanical names.

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Shakespeare's Flowers
by Jessica Kerr
Illustrated by Anne Ophelia Dowden
Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, 1969
A Lovely book for all ages! The artist, Anne Ophelia Dowden, is an Honorary Member of Colorado Shakespeare Gardens.
The illustrations are BEAUTIFUL! The daffodil on page 73 should represent the Pheasant Eye (Narcissus poeticus recurvus)
Republished by Johnson Press, Boulder, Colorado 1997.

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Fantastic Garlands
An Anthology of Flowers and Plants from Shakespeare
Lys de Bray (Author and Illustrator)
Blandford Press: Poole, Dorset 1982
Plant information on page with quotes opposite beautiful illustrations.

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SHAKESPEARE'S IMAGERY And What It Tells Us
by Caroline F. E. Spurgeon
With Charts and Illustrations
New York: The Macmillan Company
Cambridge, England; At the University Press 1936
Excellent book; insightful thoughts of Shakespeare as a gardener!

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The Shakespeare Garden
Esther Singleton
Illustrated from Photographs and Old Wood Cuts
William Farquhar Payson, New York, 1922 (new edition 1931)
Chapters on "Thy Curious Knotted Garden" and "The Sweet o' the Year" Lovely!

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The Flowers of Shakespeare
Compiled by Doris Hunt
Foreword by Flora Robson
Illustrator: Unknown
Webb & Bower Exeter, England, 1980
Concise information with beautiful illustrations and quotations in calligraphy. The book includes the Index of Plays from the Rev. Henry Ellacombe's book.

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The Landscape of William Shakespeare
Michael Justin Davis
Photographs by Simon McBride
Webb & Bower, England 1987
Not specifically a book on Shakespeare's plants, but informative in relating to the places associated with Shakespeare. Beautiful photography and choice prints.

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The Renaissance Garden In England
Sir Roy Strong
Thames and Hudson Ltd, London 1979.
Republished in paperback 1998
A Scholarly approach providing details regarding Tudor and Stuart gardens and the politics, art, architecture and literature of these times. Excellent illustrations.

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Plants of Shakespeare
Adelma Grenier Simmons
Caprilands, Coventry Connecticut
Plans for a Shakespeare Garden; Herbal Plant Quotations from Shakespeare; Herbs of Shakespeare; Botanists of Shakespeare's Day
Small paperback available from Caprilands Herb Farm Coventry, Conn.

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A Modern Herbal (Two Volumes)
Mrs. M. Grieve
Dover Publications, Inc. New York 1971
(Work originally published 1931)
These two volumes are in constant use. History, cultivation, medicinal uses of herb plants. Excellent reference. Dover editions are reasonably priced.

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The Herbal
or General History of Plants
John Gerard
Dover Edition, 1975
The Complete 1633 Edition as Revised and Enlarged by Thomas Johnson An exercise in reading language of the Tudor Period. Woodcut herbarium picturing of the plants.

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