This anthology, Weeding Between the Lines, is a collection of John Dwyer’s articles about weeds and what these tell us about our relationship with nature. Some have appeared in Australian Garden History, others first appeared in academic journals and have been edited to appeal to the general reader.
The 200-page book is fully illustrated with both historical depictions of plants as well as high-quality photographs. It is divided into seven sections. The first deals with what we mean by the word ‘weeds’. The second is a snapshot of how exotic plants came to Australia. John then examines the idea of the romance of nature. In section four, he discusses botanists and natural historians. The bigger picture of where weeds fit in the landscape is presented in part five. The last two parts contain articles about specific plants, their botanical attributes as well as their place in art and literature and cultural morays.