Studies the natural history and lore of the major 82 American wildflowers, covering the origins of their names, place in history, literature and folk medicine, present uses, and where and how to grow and reproduce them. The book is illustrated with pen and ink drawings and watercolours.
A lifelong Connecticut resident, Jack Sanders graduated from Holy Cross College and has been a community newspaper editor for more than 35 years.
His interest in wildflowers began in the 1970s when he undertook a project to catalogue and photograph local wildlife. Over the years he has specialized in the study of the natural history, nomenclature, and uses to which wildflowers have been put, and in the process, has amassed a library of more than 150 books on wildflowers and related subjects.
He was northeastern region editor of Wildflower magazine, for which he wrote many articles. He has also written about wildflowers for The New York Times and other periodicals, and has given many lectures and courses on wildflowers. He is the author of Hedgemaids and Fairy Candles: The Lives and Lore of North American Wildflowers, The Internet Guide to Birds and Birding, and Internet Outdoor Family Fun Yellow Pages, all published by McGraw-Hill, The Secrets of Wildflowers, published in 2003 by Lyons, and three books of local history.
He also writes a weekly column on birds for nine newspapers.
He and his wife, Sally, also a newspaper editor, have two grown sons and live in Ridgefield.
