Who is Francois Couplan?
François Couplan is an ethnobotanist, someone who studies the link between our civilization and plants, all plants. He is also a pioneer of “soft survival”, a way of life in harmony with nature, participates in the development of permaculture by translating the works of Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, two Australian creators of the concept in the 70s.
He traveled the five continents in search of the use of plants by peoples. He has always sought his links with nature.
“For three quarters of a century, I have marveled at plants”
It is the first sentence of the back cover of this book that takes us to discover the universe of plants through our five senses.
For understanding, the plants are cited under their vernacular names with a reference at the bottom of the page to the botanical names, which makes it easy to imagine what the author is talking about.
Each of our five senses senses corresponds to a chapter which ends with a few notions of anatomy.
An instructive and entertaining book at the same time, easy to read, without the fuss to read quietly in a deckchair or a hammock at nap time.
It reminded me of my childhood games with Balfour impatiens whose fruits were popped with a simple touch of the hand or the faded flowers of swollen campion which were made into firecrackers.
Ask all your questions during the gardening program on Sunday morning on France bleu Isère from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. by calling 04 76 46 45 45.