Since we don't know her, her tastes or professional expertise its
impossible to second guess which she'd like.

Oh tell me about it :-))))

So this is purely personal.
I wouldn't want any of the above. Technical books for a 3rd party
risk being either too dry or too old hat. I've already got the Jekyll
(it's a classic, but dull)

I would suggest, books about the travels and adventures of famous
Victorian (and earlier) planthunters. They are both horticulturally
and historically interesting and put Victorian gardening into a context
of hard won prizes at terrible human cost, we can barely imagine today.
http://www.summerfieldbooks.com/showdetails.asp?id=1582 (a great
garden writer btw)

or.

http://www.amazon.com/Plant-Hunters-.../dp/1841880019

Janet

Thanks for the suggestions Janet.

The Plant Hunters won the day as I thought it sounded like a pretty good
worldwide overview rather than just one region.
I think she has an interest in plant history and geography so fingers
crossed :-)

Tim