The Fair Botanists: Could one rare plant hold the key to a thousand riches?

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It was also lovely to explore the connections in my home town – so much of the built environment in Edinburgh is still there, though the city boundary used to be at the Water of Leith. I was also surprised at the level of industry along the water– one of Scotland’s biggest distilleries was at Canonmills and I have one character in the book who works there… READ MORE: Sara Sheridan on battling deafness, reclaiming Scottish cultural identity and perfecting cosy crime noir I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Run and buy it, and treat yourself to some excellent writing, learn something about botanic gardens and scent-making, and just live for a while in Sara Sheridan’s perfectly created world. I have been giving talks across the country to tell people how our goods are ethically and environmentally sourced. We are selling through a British company, Zaytoun, which is Arabic for olive. The story centres around a young newly widowed, Elizabeth Rocheid, and Isobel "Belle" Brodie, the half-sister of Joseph Brodie, a gentlemen of reasonable wealth and stature. These two women have interest in botany and it is this that brings them together. What develops from here is a tale of identity (plants and people), status, money, plans and love, death, theft and passions, alongside a visit to Edinburgh from the king, George IV.

The Guardian ‘They ransack our village for sport’: one - The Guardian

We were so pleased to see you add in your passion for perfume in The Fair Botanists. Can you tell us more about what you love about perfume creation? As the story progressed I found myself being drawn more and more into the story of the characters, they are, as I mentioned a wonderful. Just the right amount and they were easy to remember. Mentions of various historical figures were great and it helped keep me well and truly in the time and setting of the story. Both are fascinated by the imminent blooming of the century plant; the Agave Americana, which blooms only once before it dies. The women become instant friends, but Belle’s secretive habits and real identity and Elizabeth’s longing to know more set them on a collision course. Will their friendship survive?This is based on a real-life event, which took place between 1820 and 1823, when the garden's many plants, bushes, flowering shrubs, aloes and cacti were transported to its current location. For me the fascination is always in asking the question: where do we come from?’ It’s the summer of 1822 and Edinburgh is abuzz with rumour of King George IV’s impending visit. In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower – an event that only occurs once every few decades. So begins the tale, and – no spoilers – fantastic read awaits. Author Sara Sheridan tells us more. Elizabeth is my favourite character, we watch her slowly grow into her own newfound independence across the novel, no longer kept in the shadows by her husband. She attracts the attention of the king’s advisor and is soon able to imagine a world tinted by the soft glow of romance. My second favourite character is Mhairi MacDonald who works at the whiskey distillery and has increased its profits tenfold with her heightened sense of smell – to compensate for her blindness. Miss Brodie wonders if this special girl might be able to help her concoct her love potion and increase its potency. The Fair Botanists transports the reader to 19th century Edinburgh, a city divided into rich and poor areas, and undergoing rapid development with new housing springing up on land formerly given over to farming. Doha Asous is an olive farmer from a village near Nablus in the occupied West Bank. She is in Britain for Fairtrade Fortnight to talk about agriculture in Palestine and to promote local produce – olives and their oil, as well as other typical foods, such as dates. Here she describes life in her village during the recent violence between Palestinian locals and Jewish settlers.

The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan – review – From First The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan – review – From First

Meanwhile Belle Brodie, a young woman who has a passion for both men and the dark arts of perfume is determined to take advantage of this rare bloom to create something she plans to sell for perhaps too high a price but only if she can secure something that is truly forbidden as she is learning that being a Courtesan cannot help her become elevated due to other people’s opinions of her...Unfortunately it doesn't produce many seeds, yet everyone seems to want a piece of the plant for their own. Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, this pacey historical fiction brings together a number of characters all with one thing in common – their love of, or interest in, botany. And yet I feel encouraged being in Britain to tell people about our produce, and give them some insight into our way of farming. Putting aside the fact that we didn’t need to know what Mhairi had for breakfast (or the manner in which her breakfast is served – this description goes on for a while), she is also currently not breaking her fast. That happened in the past, and thus should be past tense – a simple change from ‘has’ to ‘had’ would go a long way in making this passage feel less awkward to read. Maybe this is just my own preference, or maybe it’s an editing error, but this and other tense-awkward passages happen multiple times throughout the story. Sheridan has penned more than 20 books including cosy crime noir set in 1950s Britain (her popular Mirabelle Bevan Mystery series) and historical novels based on the real-life stories of late Georgian and early Victorian explorers.