DOHA: Gardening in Arabia, the first comprehensive resource on seasonal flowers in the Gulf, is on display at the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage stand at the 25th Doha International Book Fair.
Written by Qatari Shuaa Al Sada, the book is Arabic and English provides a practical guide to designing and planting gardens in the Gulf.
It is available in bookstores, including Jarir Bookstore, WHSmith and www.amazon.com
The book lists over 50 plants with photographs for each, making it a handy reference when purchasing seeds and plants.
Al Sada drew from personal experience in writing the book, planting each flower in her garden before documenting their colour, size, flowering season, and the best ways to care for the plant.
“My goal through this work is to empower every person, every home to create their beautiful gardens, whether small or large, public or private,” says Al Sada.
“By understanding these wonderful creations, their names and characteristics, we can contribute to developing or expanding green spaces.”
The book is also a scientific botanical resource, listing the plants alphabetically by Latin name, their botanical classification, origins and leaf type.
Al Sada, a former assistant professor at Qatar University, stressed the importance of agriculture and gardening in balancing out the rapid urban development witnessed by the region, and ensuring sustainability.
Al Sada said she intends for the book to be the first in a series that raises awareness about simple steps people can take to tackle environmental challenges.
“Researching and writing the book represented a first step towards my goal of educating people on the wide variety of plants that can flourish in the Gulf.
“My dream is to establish an educational farm and garden that can expose children and adults to the flora of the region and promote a lifelong passion for planting beautiful gardens.”
During her 18-year career as a member of the Marine Biology Department, Al Sada collaborated on marine environment research. While travelling, she would often bring back seeds from exotic locations and plant them.
The book was edited by Sabina Knees of Royal Botanical Garden’s Centre for Middle Eastern Plants and published by Akkadia Press.
The Peninsula
