Olejar Books

The objective of this book is to describe the chemical diversity of common plants that are grown in the garden and the chemical factors that can contribute to their growth. The book is written for chemists with an interest in gardening and who may wish to know what natural products are involved in the colour and scent of flowers, in the toxicity of some seeds or contribute to the beneficial properties of home grown fruit and vegetables. Chemistry determines many of the relationships between the soil, the plants and predatory insects and fungi. The peace and tranquility of the garden hides a battle-ground dominated by chemical warfare. The book discusses the role of natural products in the ecological chemistry of the garden with the aim of stimulating interest in this area of bio-organic chemistry.