Gardening Books

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Book SynopsisThis very entertaining volume with its delightfully humorous pictures should be read by all gardeners. — Nature. An internationally renowned Czech author presents a richly comic portrait of a year in the life of an amateur horticulturist. Rather than a how-to book, Karel Čapek''s volume offers a lighthearted mock-treatise on the pains and rewards of tending a small and resistant garden plot that will amuse readers with and without green thumbs.

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Book SynopsisThis “snappy [and] terrific” (The New York Times) guide from the plant influencer behind Apartment Botanist proves that anyone can be a plant parent, no matter where you live, how small your space is, or how busy you are.Plant Parent (n.): Any person who has ever cared for or dreamed about caring for at least one plant.Whether you are an aspiring plant parent or already care for a junglelike brood, plant-stagram influencer Alessia Resta (aka Apartment Botanist) has distilled everything you need to know to start and grow your collection in this plant-care bible. It covers all the basics, like understanding light sources, choosing and buying plants, planning for seasonal care, and watering regimens. Alessia also dives into more sophisticated plant care, such as managing humidity, propagating, and mixing your own soil mediums.Plus:• A quiz to help you figure out your parenting style &bu

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Book SynopsisIn recent years allotments have grown in popularity with demand far outstripping supply. John Harrison shows how to improve your chances of getting an allotment and move up the waiting list. In this all-encompassing guide, he also advises on clearing an allotment, planning what to grow and how, building compost bins, using raised beds - plus detailed instructions on growing the best vegetables and fruit.Praise for John Harrison''s Vegetable Growing Month by Month:...solid words of advice, written in a way that everyone will understand.Medwyn Williams, Chairman of the National Vegetable Society and member of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society.Trade ReviewAn invaluable source of information. * Scotland's Weekly News *Britain's greatest allotment authority. -- Emma Townshend * The Independent *The Essential Allotment Guide is the next best thing to having a weather-beaten old gardener as a next-door neighbour. Calm, practical and endlessly resourceful, this useful manual provides advice on everything from dismantling a second-hand greenhouse...to the mysteries of making organic fertiliser. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisStories told in and about gardens, from the smallest back yard to the largest country estateTrade Review"I loved this book, you soon find you cannot put it down as you travel from month to month.""The stories are short enough to pick up and read one at a time, then put the book back down to return to later. It’s charming in every way, with beautiful illustrations from Annalisa Salis."

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Book SynopsisA concise calendar of practical tasks, covering all aspects of flower, kitchen and greenhouse gardening throughout all four seasons of the year. This handbook takes the guesswork out of knowing what to do when in the garden with advice on preparing the ground, sowing, planting and caring for plants, and harvesting fruit and vegetables.

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Book SynopsisAdored for their charming shapes and colours, respected for their resilience and adaptability, and just plain fun to have around succulents are the hottest home gardening trend today.Trade Review"The title of this book suggests that it is a beginner's guide. However, I feel that it is so much more than that. For instance the greatest attribute of this book is that the author has selected over 20 popular varieties of succulents and explains in detail everything you need to know to successfully grow them. Information on each variety includes buying pointers, soil and fertilizer needs. It also includes how to transplant and how to propagate. Characteristics of each type are given along with information on the best way to grow and maintain them. Moreover the information is presented in an easy to understand format and includes many illustrations and photos." --SensibleGardening.com"Illustrated with full-color photography and simple drawings to clarify its easy-to-follow instructions, [this] is a solid guide to over 100 types of succulent plants, including varieties of flowering cactus. Chapters discuss choosing the right type of succulent for one's purposes, mixing the right soils, watering, fertilizing, providing the correct amount of sunlight, seasonal traits, and much more. Reader-friendly and practical, A Beginner's Guide to Succulent Gardening is highly recommended for anyone interested in cultivating these beautiful and hardy plants." --Midwest Book Review"This is a comprehensive book aimed at beginners that will also prove very helpful to experimental gardeners. Whether you want to grow just a couple inside the house or multiples ones outside in the yard, there are suggestions here for you." --Kevin's Corner blog

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Book SynopsisRosalind Creasy, a guru of edible landscaping, does it again with The Italian Vegetable Gardenan invitation to grow and prepare some of the exceptional varieties of produce for which Italian cooking is so justly famous. This beautifully illustrated guide to growing Italian vegetables gives you tips for planting and preparing fantastic varieties of tomatoes, greens, beans, eggplants, artichokes, peppers, herbs and more! Readers will find suggestions on how to grow Italian vegetables in most North American climates, and how to prepare these fresh veggies with more than 25 recipes for antipasti, soups, sauces and sidesfrom a delicious classic marinara to bread pudding with artichokesand even preserves. Mouthwatering photos throughout evoke the flavors of these delectable vegetables and dishes, and highlights Italian specialties, such as the greens that grow wild on Italy's hillsides. With a new preface by Creasy, as well as updated recommendations, this book continues to be a trusted rTrade Review"Gorgeous full color photos throughout evoke the flavors of these delectable vegetables and dishes, and highlights Italian specialties, such as the greens that grow wild on Italy's hillsides. With a new preface by Creasy, as well as updated recommendations, The Italian Vegetable Garden continues to be a trusted and treasured resource for gardeners and kitchen cooks alike!" -- Midwest Book Review"…a great garden book to get you well on your way to creating a garden filled with vegetables used in Italian cookery." -- SensibleGardening.com

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Book SynopsisLive a more sustainable lifestyle Historically referred to as a government program for revitalizing undesirable living areas, homesteading today has come to mean the pursuit of a self-sufficient lifestyle. Homesteading can include everything from keeping bees, growing vegetables, and composting to installing solar panels, creating a rain barrel, and canning your own food,plus much more. Backyard Homesteading All-in-One For Dummies has a little bit of everything for the homesteader in all of us. It walks you through the basics of creating your own sustainable homestead and offers expert tips and tricks for making it as easy and successful as possible. Raise chickens Keep bees Compost Can and preserve This book gives you everything you need to embark on your own homesteading adventure.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 2 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 3 Book 1: Creating a Garden 5 Chapter 1: Planning Your Garden 7 Determining Location and Size 8 Deciding On a Layout 15 Thinking Outside the Garden Bed 19 Keeping Critters Out 26 Assembling Tools 33 Chapter 2: Deciding What to Grow 41 Understanding Veggie Varieties 41 Deciding How Much to Grow 43 Succeeding with Vegetables 45 Planting Other Small-Scale Crops 58 Growing Herbs for and in the Kitchen 62 Chapter 3: Preparing to Plant 65 Razing Your Garden Spot 66 Analyzing and Improving Your Soil 69 Turning Your Soil 77 Looking Ahead at Watering Options 79 Fencing It In 86 Planning for Pathways 94 Chapter 4: Planting 95 Timing Your Planting Wisely 96 Choosing Seeds or Transplants 102 Deciding on Your Seeding Method and Decoding a Seed Packet 103 Starting Seeds Indoors 104 Transplanting Indoor Seedlings and Starter Plants 112 Sowing Seeds Directly in Your Garden 116 Planting Guidelines 120 Chapter 5: Growing Your Garden 125 Introducing Your Inner Gardener to the Watering Basics 126 Digging Into Composting 128 Fertilizing Your Vegetable Garden 135 Keeping Your Plants Cozy and Weed Free with Mulch 140 Surveying Some Cool Farmer Techniques 145 Knowing When to Harvest 151 Chapter 6: Dealing with Weeds and Pests 155 Fighting Weed Wars 156 Keeping Good Bugs Nearby 158 Battling Bad Bugs 159 More Methods of Attack 164 Chapter 7: Extending Your Season 171 Covering Your Rows 172 Using Cold Frames 173 Going with Greenhouses 175 Getting Your Feet Wet with Hydroponics, Aquaponics, and Aeroponics 178 Book 2: Preserving the Harvest 181 Chapter 1: Canning Basics 183 Starting Successful Canning 183 Gathering Your Canning Gear 185 Putting Safety First 191 Chapter 2: Water-Bath Canning 197 Water-Bath Canning in a Nutshell 197 Gearing Up for Water-Bath Canning 198 Water-Bath Canning Step-by-Step 200 Adjusting Your Processing Times at High Altitudes 206 Canning Fresh Fruit (Yes, That Includes Tomatoes) 207 Fresh Fruit Canning Recipes 211 Jam, Chutney, Relish, and Salsa Recipes 223 Chapter 3: Pressure Canning 231 Understanding the Fuss about Low-Acid Foods 232 Choosing a Pressure Canner 232 Pressure Canning Step-by-Step 238 Pressure Canning at Higher Altitudes 242 Canning Vegetables 243 Vegetable Canning Recipes 246 Chapter 4: Pickling 269 Perusing Pickling Ingredients 269 Brining Education 272 Adding Crunch to Your Food 274 Pickling Equipment and Utensils 275 Pickled Vegetable Recipes 275 Chapter 5: Freezing 291 Focusing on Freezing 291 Giving Fruit the Freeze 295 Frozen Fruit Recipes 298 Blanching Perfect Vegetables 303 Frozen Vegetable Recipes 304 Freezing Fresh Herbs 316 Chapter 6: Drying 319 Opening the Door to Successful Food Drying 319 Choosing a Drying Method 320 Protecting the Life of Your Dried Food 324 Snacking on the Run: Drying Fruit 325 Dried Fruit Recipes 328 Drying Vegetables for Snacks and Storage 338 Dried Vegetable Recipes 340 DIYing the Drying of Herbs 350 Chapter 7: Root Cellaring and Storage 357 Finding the Perfect Place for Cold Storage 357 Following Simple Storage Rules 362 Preparing Foods for Cold Storage 364 Book 3: Making Your Own 369 Chapter 1: Brewing Beer 371 Setting Up Shop to Brew 372 Getting to Know Your Ingredients 374 Brewing Your First Batch 377 Taking Hydrometer Readings 380 Bottling Your Brew 383 Chapter 2: Fermenting 389 Getting Familiar with Fermentation 389 Fermenting Essentials 390 Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Sterilizing 392 Fermenting Vegetables (including Sauerkraut and Kimchi) 393 Starting Sourdough 401 Mooving On to Dairy 405 Raising a Glass to Fermented Beverages 416 Chapter 3: Baking Bread 425 Understanding Yeast Breads 425 Mixing and Kneading Breads 428 Encouraging Bread to Rise 430 Shaping and Baking the Loaves 431 Yeast Bread, Quick Bread, Muffin, and Biscuit Recipes 432 Chapter 4: Making Candles and Soap 441 Igniting Your Candlemaking Hobby 442 Rolling Beeswax Candles 444 Making Molded Candles 445 Taking a Dip with Tapers 447 Cleaning Up with Homemade Soap 450 Book 4: Raising Animals 455 Chapter 1: Introducing Beekeeping 457 Breaking into Backyard Beekeeping 458 Choosing the Right Hive 461 Gearing Up for Beekeeping 467 Chapter 2: Caring for Your Bee Colony 473 Busying Yourself with Bee Activity 474 Holding Out for Honey 481 Harvesting Your Honey 485 Swarming and Absconding 496 Playing Doctor: Fighting Disease 498 Battling Varroa Mites 502 Colony Collapse Disorder 506 Chapter 3: Introducing Backyard Chickens 509 Thinking Through Chickenkeeping 510 Chicken Breeds 516 Analyzing the Anatomy of a Coop 525 Chapter 4: Raising Your Chicken Flock 529 Feeding Your Flock 529 Raising Baby Chicks 536 Pests and Predators 544 Expecting Eggs (for Eating) 549 Chapter 5: Opting for Other Animals 553 Raising Rabbits 554 Getting Your Goats 555 Figuring Out Fowl: Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys 556 Goin’ Fishin’ 558 Book 5: Building It Yourself 559 Chapter 1: Starting Small with Garden Projects 561 Making an A-Frame Trellis 562 Crafting the Ultimate Tomato Cage 563 Building Raised Garden Beds 565 Constructing a Cold Frame 567 Elevating Your Rain Barrel on a Stand 568 Organizing Made Easy with a Tool Wall 570 Creating a Compost Bin (or Two) 573 Whipping Up a Walk-In Hoop House 578 Chapter 2: Building a Backyard Beehive 581 Choosing Materials 582 Protecting Your Hive with Paint and More 586 Building the Kenya Top Bar Hive 587 Chapter 3: Building a Chicken Coop 603 Choosing Materials 604 Selecting the Right Coop for Your Flock 611 Constructing the Alpine A-Frame Coop 616 Index 631

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 2 Where to Go from Here 3 Part 1: Digging Into the Basics of Vegetable Gardening 5 Chapter 1: Vegetable Gardening 101 7 Having a Garden: Yes or No 7 Planning a Veggie Garden 8 Growing a Cornucopia of Vegetables 9 Tomatoes 9 Peppers and eggplants 9 Carrots, onions, and potatoes 10 Peas and beans 10 Cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and squash 11 Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower 11 Lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and specialty greens 12 An array of other great veggies 12 Non-vegetable edibles 12 Getting Down to Growing 13 Choosing between seeds and transplants 13 Working the soil 13 Keeping your garden growing and enjoying the rewards 14 Trying for a bigger bounty 14 Chapter 2: Eyeing the Popularity and Benefits of Vegetable Gardening 15 Food Gardening: It’s Popping Up Everywhere 15 Identifying a Few Good Reasons to Grow Your Own Food 17 Better tasting and higher quality food 17 Improve your health 18 Save some cash 18 Help the environment 20 Increase your quality of life 21 Self-reliance 21 Chapter 3: Planning Your Veggie Garden 23 Deciding Where to Put Your Vegetable Garden 23 Considering different sites 24 Letting the sun shine 26 Checking your soil’s drainage 27 Understanding Veggie Varieties 28 Timing Your Planting Wisely 30 Some like it cool, some like it hot 30 Frost dates and the length of the growing season 31 Your local forecast trumps frost dates 33 Designing Your Garden 33 Deciding on hills, rows, or raised beds 34 Spacing your plantings properly 36 Following the paths 37 Sketching it out 37 Part 2: Focusing on All Things Veggies 43 Chapter 4: Tomatoes: The King of Veggies 45 Checking Out Tomato Varieties 46 Categorizing tomatoes 46 Classifying tomatoes by their appearance 48 Enjoying classic red, round tomatoes 48 Surveying all the other colors of tomatoes 50 Sweetening the pot with cherry, grape, and pear tomatoes 51 Considering some saucy tomatoes 52 Introducing the tomato’s relatives 53 Growing Tomatoes with Ease 54 Jump-starting tomatoes 54 Planting, trellising, and pruning 55 Fertilizing and maintaining your plants 57 Eliminating pests and other problems 59 Harvesting tomatoes 61 Chapter 5: Meeting the Tomato’s Cousins: Peppers and Eggplants 63 Producing Plenty of Peppers 64 Those sweet bells 64 Long and round sweet peppers 66 Peppers that turn on the heat 67 Pretty peppers: The ornamentals 71 Distinguishing Eggplants by Shape 71 Large and oval 72 Cylindrical 72 Small and round 73 Growing Peppers and Eggplants 73 Starting and planting 74 Fertilizing and watering tips 75 Patrolling and controlling pests 76 Harvesting peppers and eggplants 76 Chapter 6: Growing Underground Crops: Carrots, Onions, and Potatoes 79 A Rabbit’s (and Gardener’s) Favorite Root: Carrots 80 Classifying carrots by type 80 Examining some varieties 81 Onions: The Bulbs with Layers of Sweet and Pungent Goodness 82 Choosing your onion varieties 83 Looking at scallions and perennial onions 85 Potatoes: No Longer a Boring Spud 87 Potatoes classified 87 Selecting a few potato varieties 87 Growing and Gathering Root Crops 89 General guidelines for all your root crops 89 Cultivating carrots 90 Growing onions 91 Producing potatoes 92 Keeping Your Root Crops Healthy and Pest Free 95 Chapter 7: Sweet and Simple: Beans and Peas 99 A Bevy of Beans: Filling Your Rows with Bean Family Plants 100 Bushels of bush beans 101 Pole beans: The long and tall crop 102 The versatile shell and dried beans 103 Miscellaneous beans not to be forgotten 104 Growing Peas, Please! 106 English peas: The reliable standby 107 Sweet and tender snap peas 108 An earlier harvest: Snow peas 109 Get ’Em in the Ground: Growing Beans and Peas 109 Planting legumes for an ample harvest 110 Thwarting pests and diseases 113 Keep on pickin’: Harvesting your crop 115 Chapter 8: Vigorous Vines: Cucumbers, Melons, Pumpkins, and Squash 117 Checking Out Cool Cukes 118 Before you choose: Brushing up on some cucumber vocabulary 118 Surveying common cucumber varieties 119 Melons: The Sweet, Juicy Vining Plant 121 Distinguishing different types of melons 121 Perusing popular melon varieties 122 Unearthing the Humble Squash 123 Identifying different squash types 124 Recognizing popular squash varieties 125 Great Pumpkins: Counting the Uses for This Versatile Squash 127 Growing Those Vines 129 Planting and feeding 129 Watering and watering some more 131 Ensuring proper pollination 132 Controlling pests and diseases 133 Harvesting your vining crop 135 Chapter 9: Cool Weather Staples: Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, and Cauliflower 137 Paying Attention to the Often-Overlooked Cole Crops 138 Easing into cole crops with broccoli 138 Brussels sprouts: The little cabbages 140 Choosing cabbage: The age-old and dependable cole crop 141 Considering cauliflower in a rainbow of colors 143 Growing Your Own Cole Crops 145 Giving cole crops what they want 145 Nurturing cole crops 146 Putting a stop to pesky pest problems 148 Harvesting cole crops 149 Chapter 10: A Salad for All Seasons: Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Specialty Greens 151 Lettuce Get Together 152 Crisphead lettuce 153 Romaine lettuce 154 Loose-leaf lettuce 154 Popeye’s Pal: Spinach 155 Savoy spinach 156 Smooth spinach and some spinach-like friends 156 The Attractive and Hardy Swiss Chard 157 Going Wild with Specialty Greens 158 Growing Great Greens 160 Timing is everything: Determining when to plant your greens 160 Putting your greens to bed 162 Adding nitrogen-rich fishy fertilizer 163 Thin and bare it: Thinning your greens 163 Watering to win the war against wilt 163 Working out the bugs (and other common ailments) 163 Your bowl runneth over: Harvesting greens 164 Chapter 11: Sweet Corn and an A to T of Other Worthy Veggies 167 Sweet Corn and Its Relatives 168 Sweet corn 168 Popcorn 170 Considering Other Great Vegetables 171 Arugula 171 Asparagus 172 Beets 174 Bok choi 175 Broccoli raab 176 Celeriac 176 Celery 177 Chinese cabbage 178 Collards 179 Endive 179 Escarole 179 Florence fennel 180 Garlic 180 Globe artichokes 183 Gourds 183 Horseradish 184 Kale 185 Kohlrabi 186 Leeks 186 Mizuna 187 Okra 187 Parsnips 188 Peanuts 189 Radicchio 190 Radishes 191 Rhubarb 192 Rutabagas 193 Shallots 194 Turnips 194 Chapter 12: Edible Landscapes: Fruits, Herbs, and Pretty Things to Eat 197 Sweetening Your Garden: Berries and Trees 198 Strawberries 198 Blueberries 199 Blackberries and raspberries 199 Unusual fruits 200 Focusing on Herbs 201 Basil 203 Chives 204 Cilantro 205 Dill 205 French tarragon 206 Mint 207 Oregano 208 Parsley 209 Rosemary 210 Sage 210 Thyme 211 Blossoming Edible Flowers 212 Part 3: Getting Down and Dirty in Your Vegetable Garden 215 Chapter 13: On Your Mark, Get Set Grow! 217 Choosing Seeds or Transplants 218 Deciding on Your Seeding Method and Decoding a Seed Packet 219 Starting Seeds Indoors 220 Picking a pot to plant in 221 Using a mix that doesn’t include soil 222 Sowing your seeds 222 Providing the right amount of light and heat 225 Watering your seedlings 225 Thinning and transplanting indoors 226 Feeding your seedlings 227 Transplanting Indoor Seedlings and Starter Plants 228 Buying starter plants 228 Toughening up all types of transplants 229 Making the big move to the ground 230 Sowing Seeds Directly in Your Garden 232 Deciding on a seed-planting method 233 Thinning seedlings in your garden 237 Chapter 14: Workin’ the Dirt 239 Razing Your Garden Spot 239 Killing weeds and aggressive grasses 240 Stripping sod 242 Analyzing and Improving Your Soil 243 Distinguishing different types of soil 244 Testing your soil 245 Adjusting soil pH 247 Adding organic matter (aka the dead stuff) 249 Turning Your Soil 251 Making Your Own Compost 252 Building a compost pile 253 Avoiding materials that don’t belong in a compost pile 255 Moistening and turning your compost pile 255 Chapter 15: Maintaining Your Vegetable Garden 257 Addressing the Basics of Watering 258 Knowing when your veggies need a drink 259 Discovering ways to water your vegetable garden 260 Conserving water with a few handy tips 266 Keeping Your Plants Cozy and Weed Free with Mulch 267 Spreading organic mulch 267 Laying inorganic mulch 269 Deciding which mulch to use 271 Determining Important Nutrients Your Soil Needs 272 Macronutrients 273 Secondary nutrients and micronutrients 274 Fertilizing Your Vegetable Garden 275 Examining a fertilizer label 275 Choosing a fertilizer 276 Side-dressing 277 Supporting Your Vegetables 281 Beans and peas 282 Melons and cucumbers 283 Tomatoes 283 Fighting Weed Wars 283 Making a preemptive strike on weeds 284 Battling weeds after planting 285 Chapter 16: Surveying Some Cool Planting Techniques 287 Adding Nutrients and Stability with Cover Crops and Green Manures 288 Eyeing the advantages of cover crops 288 Choosing cover crops 289 Planting cover crops 290 Giving Your Plants Some Friends: Companion Planting 291 Making Your Garden Work Double Time with Intercropping 292 Extending Your Harvest with Succession Planting 293 Rotating Crops to Preserve Soil Nutrients and Maintain a Pest-Free Bed 295 Planting by the Phases of the Moon 296 Building a Hügelkultur-Raised Bed 297 Growing Plants in Strawbales 297 Adding an Herb Spiral to Your Yard 298 Combining Fish with Plants: Aquaponics 299 Chapter 17: Keeping Your Plants Healthy 301 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Controlling Pests 302 Recognizing the good bugs 302 Rounding up the bad bugs 303 Considering the best form of attack 309 Gardening to Eliminate Diseases 312 Avoiding diseases with good habits 312 Watching out for common diseases 313 Keeping the Animal Kingdom at Bay 315 Chapter 18: Containing Your Veggies 319 Considering a Few Container Characteristics 320 Filling Up Your Container: Potting Soil Made Simple 322 Knowing Which Vegetables Grow Well in Pots 323 Identifying some common container veggies 323 Some bee-u-tee-ful vegetable combos 325 Planting Your Veggies in Pots 326 Caring for Container Veggies 327 Chapter 19: Harvesting, Storing, and Preserving Vegetables 329 Knowing When to Harvest 329 Putting Away Your Vegetables 332 Freezing, Drying, and Canning Veggies 335 Saving Vegetable Seeds 336 Part 4: The Part of Tens 339 Chapter 20: Ten Tools of the Trade 341 Watering Hoses and Cans 342 Hand Trowels 343 Hand Cultivators 343 Garden Hoes 343 Spades and Shovels 345 Garden Forks 345 Garden Rakes 345 Buckets, Wagons, and Baskets 346 Wheelbarrows and Garden Carts 347 Power Tillers 348 Chapter 21: Ten (or So) Ways to Extend Your Growing Season 351 Plant in Clever Locations 352 Time Your Planting Wisely 352 Protect Plants with Hot Caps 353 Add Elegance to Your Garden with Glass Cloches 353 Buy or Build Cold Frames 354 Drape Row Covers over Veggies 355 Place Wall O’ Waters around Plants 356 Try Portable Greenhouses and Hoop Houses 357 Appendix: Planning Guidelines and Other Resources 359 Index 383

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Book SynopsisExplore this lavishly illustrated celebration of the beautiful and fascinating world of rock gardens.

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Book SynopsisIn The Curious Gardener, Anna Pavord brings together in 12 chapters - one from each month of the year - 72 pieces on all aspects of gardening. From what to do in each month and how to get the best from flowers, plants, herbs, fruit and vegetables, through reflections on the weather, soil, the English landscape and favourite old gardening clothes, to office greenery, spring in New York, waterfalls, Derek Jarman and garden design, Anna Pavord always has something interesting to say and says it with great style and candour.The perfect book to guide you through the gardening year and, on days when the weather keeps the most courageous gardener indoors, the perfect book to curl up with beside the fire.Trade Review‘This collection of Pavord's writings, arranged month by month, manages to be both eloquent and amusing ... As ever, Pavord doesn't take herself too seriously and has a wonderfully light touch' * Sunday Times ‘Gardening Book of the Year’ *‘Lively, conversational and personal, it's a charming bedside read' * Country Life *‘Splendid ... an intimate portrait of a passionate gardener' * Sunday Herald *‘A most inviting volume ... Her vivid, conversational style, and wonderful range of knowledge on all sorts of subjects other than gardening, makes this a garden book that you could read straight through, like a novel' * Daily Mail *

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Book Synopsis''I like that you call brussel sprouts w*nkers'' - DIANE MORGAN/PHILOMENA CUNK''Your book was our bible all summer'' - PEARL LOWE''As a gardening beginner/twit I''m a huge fan'' - KEELEY HAWESThis is the gardening book reimagined for a new generation. A book for people who want to learn how to grow things, but haven''t got a clue where to start.With the average person now spending an enormous 8 hours and 41 minutes in front of a screen every day, gardening is an easy way to escape for half an hour. Whether on a rented balcony or a sunny kitchen windowsill, it turns out growing something with your own two hands can make you feel better. Which is where HOW TO GROW comes in. Irreverent and inspiring, this book will equip you with all the know-how and confidence you need to take your first steps into a lifelong gardening love affair - trowel in one hand, drink in the other.From growing yTrade ReviewPractical advice and problem-solving all round, with recipes to boot. For city-dwellers in need of greenery. * GUARDIAN COOK *Gardening? It's not just for OAPs, you know! Glossy and gorgeous. * GLAMOUR MAGAZINE *Beautiful * GARDENS ILLUSTRATED *Filled with beautiful photography and easy steps for every type of task... it's a coffee table book that will actually get some use. * IMAGE MAGAZINE *Hollie Newton's inspiring writing and accessible instructions are an illuminating entry point for those with the barest of gardening knowledge. * ENGLISH HOME *The ideal one-stop book for people with lots of enthusiasm for gardening but without the knowhow yet... There is stacks of valuable content but the book is bursting with personality too. -- Nic Bottomley * BATH LIFE *It's not quite spring, but gardening books - a genre that has lain somewhat dormant in recent years - are set to bust out all over in the coming months thanks to a hygge-like new trend for getting cosy with your trowel. Hollie Newton's How To Grow: A Guide For Gardeners Who Can't Garden Yet paves the way this month. Seed trays are the new baking trays, it seems. -- Caroline Sanderson * THE BOOKSELLER *Direct, fun, infectious, utterly practical and best of all - it's for a beginner. * IRISH EXAMINER *

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Book SynopsisThe top 50 indoor houseplants for brightening your interiors - what's best and how to keep them alive. Bring the outdoors in and breathe new life to your home with plants! House plants are well and truly back on trend - they instantly lift an area, make a room feel fresh and welcoming, and brighten your mood.On top of this, indoor plants are great for purifying the air and creating a healthier home.Together with microbes in the soil, plants work wonders to reduce harmful pollutants released from indoor furniture. (It's true: look at the study conducted by the University of Technology, Sydney.)If you feel like your rooms need a splash of colour and a breath of life, there's no better starting point than this book. Whether your style is dramatic jungle plants or to sweetly shaped succulents, you'll find something to suit. With loads of glorious illustrations for inspiration, data on which plants are suitable where, and clear advice on how to pot, prune and pet your plants, this is the

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Book SynopsisDesperate to use this time to get out into your garden but don''t know where to start? This is the book you need!''An easy read with no gardening know-how required . . . Hart''s enthusiasm flows from the page . . . Up-to-date thinking on wildlife, wellbeing and no-dig cultivation pop up too, which are applicable to gardens big and small, making this a perfect introduction to gardening without the fear of doing something wrong'' Gardens IllustratedAre you frightened of your garden? Terrified of accidentally bringing death to a sap-filled friend? Put off by the overwhelming number of species of plants and their baffling Latin names? Whether your garden is a sprawling country plot or a kitchen windowsill, gardening is good for the mind, body and soul. Yet just the thought of picking up a pair of secateurs can strike fear into even the bravest of hearts, meaning we often don''t make the most of our personal Edens.Charlie''s ''no fear''Trade ReviewAn enjoyable read . . . Well written in a carefree tone, it's an easy read with no gardening know-how required . . . Reading like a novel with plenty of personal anecdotes, I found it fun to read cover to cover . . . Hart's enthusiasm flows fromthe page . . . Up-to-date thinking on wildlife, wellbeing and no-dig cultivation pop up too, which are applicable to gardens big and small, making this a perfect introduction to gardening without the fear of doing something wrong * Gardens Illustrated *Light-hearted, simple-to-use handbook -- Charlotte Reather * Countryside *

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Book SynopsisA gardener’s pandemic journal that combines memoir with an exploration of the natural world both inside and outside the garden. In March 2020, Margot Anne Kelley was watching seeds germinate in her greenhouse. At high risk from illness, the planning, planting, and tending to seedlings took on extra significance. She set out to make her pandemic garden thrive but also to better understand the very nature of seeds and viruses. As seeds became seedlings, became plants, became food, Kelley looks back over the last few millennia as successions of pandemics altered human beings and global culture. Seeds and viruses serve as springboards for wide-ranging reflections, such as their shared need for someone to transport them, the centrality of movement to being alive, and the domestication of plants as an act of becoming co-dependent. Pandemic viruses only occurred through humankind’s settling down, taking up agriculture, and givin

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Book SynopsisGardening with children is hands-on outdoor education at its finest. With abundant opportunities for experiential learning, the garden is, in many ways, an ideal classroom, and an increasing number of educational initiatives are recognising the many long- and short-term benefits that come with a gardening program for children. Growing Sustainable Children is an indispensable resource for anyone already teaching in a gardening programme, for those starting a programme, or for anyone working with children in a garden or other outdoor setting as a homeschooler, community organiser, or friend of the earth.The book includes a detailed age-appropriate curriculum and activity listings from nursery and kindergarten through high school, as well as a useful overview of the history of gardening education and the evolving consciousness of children.

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Book Synopsis“Makes the science of plant processes accessible to home gardeners.” —The American Gardener Why do container plants wilt even when they’ve been regularly watered? Why did the hydrangea that thrived last year never bloom this year? Plant physiology—the study of how living things function—can solve these and most other problems gardeners regularly encounter. In How Plants Work, horticulture expert Linda Chalker-Scott brings the stranger-than-fiction science of the plant world to vivid life. She uncovers the mysteries of how and why plants do the things they do, and arms you with fascinating knowledge that will change the way you garden.

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Book Synopsis“Demystifies these popular low-water beauties.” —Country Gardens Magazine Whether you’re a novice or veteran, have an acre to fill or a just few pots, or live in Calexico or Canada, Succulents Simplified is a dazzling primer for success with succulents! Debra Lee Baldwin, the Queen of Succulents, profiles the 100 top plant picks and includes basic information on how to grow and care for succulents no matter where you live. Step-by-step projects, including a cake-stand centerpiece, special-occasion bouquets, a vertical garden, and a succulent topiary sphere, will inspire you to express your individual style.

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Book SynopsisFor anyone looking for a deeper appreciation of the wonderful world of plants! Gardeners are inherently curious. They make note of a plant label in a botanical garden and then go home to learn more. They pick up fallen blossoms to examine them closer. They spend hours reading plant catalogs. But they are often unable to accurately name or describe their discoveries. A Botanist’s Vocabulary gives gardeners and naturalists a better understanding of what they see and a way to categorize and organize the natural world in which they are so intimately involved. Through concise definitions and detailed black and white illustrations, it defines 1300 words commonly used by botanists, naturalists, and gardeners to describe plants.

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Book Synopsis"A practical and inspirational guide to a new style of planting." -Country Homes & Interiors In this practical and inspirational guide, Greg Loades presents a new style of planting: a fusion between classic cottage style and the new perennial movement. Using real gardens as examples, The Modern Cottage Garden teaches gardeners how to combine the best of both styles-big, colourful blooms and striking grasses and native plants-into one beautiful space that requires little maintenance and has a long season of interest. Fresh planting ideas for containers, small gardens, and diverse climates present an exciting style that can shine anywhere.Trade Review"Greg's enthusiasm for plants and for this unbridled gardening approach is clear. The result is encouragement for those new to the style and reassurance to embolden the spirit of those already convinced of its merits." --Chris Beardshaw, garden designer and broadcaster "An inspirational book, with encouraging words and down-to earth advice for achieving a year-round beautiful garden." --Michael Marriott, chief rosarian at David Austin Roses

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Book SynopsisBy re-imagining how we plan and use our gardens, we can all do our bit to support local wildlife, improve our health and help tackle the climate crisis. Positive steps, no matter how small, can really make a difference. This is a practical, easy-to-use guide for anyone who wants to boost nature in their patch and make the world a little greener. Illustrated with specially commissioned drawings, it contains essential information on many topics, from planting nectar-rich borders, native hedgerows, trees and wildflower meadows to creating rain gardens, green roofs and ponds. These activities, together with providing homes and feeders for birds, mammals, amphibians, bees and other insects, will encourage many kinds of native wildlife to thrive in your garden, whatever its size. Expert advice is also provided on sustainable gardening approaches to fruit and vegetable production, making compost and the propagation of new plants.Trade Review'Full of wisdom, Kirsty Wilson shows us how taking positive steps in our own garden can support wildlife, improve our health and help tackle the climate crisis' * Scots Magazine *'A welcome book, as a garden and its plants are always enriched by the wildlife they attract' -- Roy Lancaster CBE, plantsman and plant explorer'Full of sound advice and excellent ideas' -- Jim McColl MBE, former presenter, BBC TV’s Beechgrove'it's blooming marvellous' * Sunday Post *'of practical value to any gardener who has wondered how to do their bit to support local wildlife, improve their health or make a contribution to tackling the climate crisis' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'A real gem... will help you convert your garden into an amazing mixed habitat for wildlife, including birds' * Birdwatching Magazine *'Kirsty is a star of the gardening world for our times... Planting with Nature is a brilliant read - I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get some hints and tips to make their own garden buzzing with life' -- Scott Smith * Press and Journal *

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Book Synopsis'A little gem with tons of tips from the witty and knowledgeable Fiann Ó Nualláin.' - Darina Allen A handy guide to quick and effective first-aid treatments for commonly occurring accidents and complaints, derived from garden, pantry and under-sink sources. From a thorn prick to heatstroke, from chapped hands to heart attack, from pesticide poisoning to wasp stings: all of these can be treated on-site with what you grow. The resource is on your doorstep: the plant beside you as you work or relax in the garden can answer the hive, ache or watery eye. It is written by a professional gardener with a lifetime of experience in accidents that can happen in the garden and how to cure/respond within the garden context using plants and items at hand in the garden. All the dots are joined; you won’t need a book on herbs, a book on homemade remedy preparation and a garden plant reference – they are all combined in the first aid advice in this book.Trade Reviewa fascinating and practical guide to first aid from the garden * Irish Times Magazine *

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Book Synopsis***'With an approachable layout and excellent illustrations, including both photographs and line drawings, this book is just the thing for someone discovering the pastime and would be ideal for those who have just acquired a garden of some size. Topics covered range from plant biology and propagation, to everyday garden care, fruit and vegetables and growing under cover.' The English GardenKeen amateur gardeners and aspiring professionals can learn from the expertise of the RHS with this handy guide.It doesn't matter if you're an old hand at gardening or just starting out, there are always things to discover and opportunities to improve, whether it's mastering a new technique or brushing up on your botany.RHS Gardening School is the perfect guide for gardeners who want to learn. Inside you'll find chapters on: Understanding plants Everyday garden care Problem solving Planting design Gardening through the year and much more. Hands-on guidance and step-by-step instructions explain topics such as pruning, pests and diseases, weed removal and caring for lawns. Expert gardeners explain the underlying principles in plain English, while clear diagrams and beautiful photographs inspire and inform.This revised edition will have a fresh new look with new illustrations and photographs and an easy-to-navigate layout making it an ideal handbook for the new gardener.Become a better, smarter, more productive gardener with this complete guide to horticulture in one handy book.

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Book Synopsis'An experienced horticulturist's monthly guide to gardening, with wise, clear and helpful advice on tackling the essential tasks and dealing with problems.' Gardens IllustratedOne of the keys to happy gardening is knowing what to do and when for the best results. In this handy guide, experienced horticulturist Martyn Cox takes you through the gardening year, month by month, offering wise, clear and helpful advice on the essential tasks and how to avoid problems along the way.No matter the size of the plot, nor the expertise of the gardener, The Gardener's Yearbook is the perfect handbook to return to throughout the seasons, with tips including:- How to get your lawn into shape for the summer- When you should plant lilies, roses and sweet peas- How and when to harvest and store your fruit and vegetables- When to prepare containers for winter- How to fit a water butt and start a compost bin- An easy-to-follow crop plannerFeaturing specially commissioned linocuts by artist Heather Tempest-Elliott.

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Book SynopsisWith fans far and wide, cacti and succulents come in myriad shapes and sizes too. These firm favourites of Instagram influencers are perfect for adding greenery indoors, and can add structure and detail to outdoor spaces as well. Smaller plants are companions for 'generation rent', since they are easily moved from place to place. Generally low-maintenance, being 'plant mum' to one or two of these tiny plants often starts a life-long fascination, and an ever growing horde.The Little Book of Cacti and Succulents is an inspiring and indispensable guide to growing these fascinating plants. Detailed Plant Profiles are divided into sections according to style and shape, from beautiful trailing plants to intricately formed rosettes. At the beginning of the book, you'll find practical advice on getting started, caring for the plants through the year and how best to show your plants off. You can also discover how to grow your collection using various propagation techniques with step-by-step guidance.Cacti and succulents provide year-round interest for very little input, and caring for their fascinating forms is an enchanting hobby. Full of beautiful photography and sweet illustrations, The Little Book of Cacti and Succulents is an encouraging and down-to-earth guide to these weird and wonderful plants.

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Book SynopsisBe inspired by this collection of beautiful words and images about the magic of tending an outdoor space. When you devote time and energy to growing plants and flowers, it is richly rewarding; in doing so, you care for nature and the planet, as well as create a beautiful space. This book celebrates the joy of doing just that, with a carefully curated selection of quotes and inspirational photography, as well as advice and simple suggestions on nurturing your own outdoor space, no matter how big or small. Quotes include: ‘To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.’ – Alfred Austin ‘When I go into the garden with a spade and dig a bed, I feel such an exhilaration and health that I discover that I have been defrauding myself all this time in letting others do for me what I should have done with my own hands.’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson ‘Life begins the day you start a garden.’ – Chinese proverb

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Book SynopsisSince 1997 Luciano Giubbilei has been creating serenely beautiful gardens in locations on three continents. Giubbilei is known for the understated elegance of his designs, but is constantly evolving his style and approach, both in response to individual clients and as his ideas develop. His work draws on his Italian heritage, especially the Renaissance gardens of the Villa Gamberaia in Tuscany, and a distinctively classical combination of restraint and opulent materials. This book – now published in paperback for the first time – explores 12 significant gardens from Giubbilei's portfolio, including the garden that won him a gold medal at the world-famous Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show in 2009. The locations vary from private residences in London and Barcelona to corporate headquarters in Geneva and a holiday home in Morocco. Each project is fully documented, from the preparation of mood boards and initial sketches to final planting and finishing. As Tom Stuart-Smith notes in his foreword, Giubbilei's gardens are characterised by their 'quiet aura of calm and poise' and their 'restful confidence': 'The gardens are like the man, impeccably turned out, suave and urbane in a gentle way, quietly assertive but never bossy. Sophisticated and thoroughly Italian. His style provides a form of instant theatre, where the designer forges places, conjures atmosphere and creates spaces out of nothing. This is great art.' Separate sections on the design process, site development, nursery production and the sourcing of plants, as well as on the artists and craftsmen with whom Giubbilei collaborates, offer a fascinating insight into his working methods and sources of inspiration. Accessibly written by a leading garden professional and fully illustrated with planting plans, behind-the-scenes images and atmospheric photographs by Steven Wooster, this beautiful book is the definitive work on the gardens of an acclaimed designer. AUTHOR: Andrew Wilson is a garden designer, lecturer and writer. He is a founding director of the London College of Garden Design, a director of the McWilliam Studio, a former show gardens judge for the Royal Horticultural Society, and a Fellow and past chairman of the Society of Garden Designers. His previous publications include The Book of Garden Plans (2004), Contemporary Colour in the Garden (2011) and RHS Small Garden Handbook (2013). SELLING POINTS: . A new paperback edition of this essential survey of the work of the award-winning garden designer Luciano Giubbilei . Features in-depth explorations of 12 projects in locations as diverse as London, Geneva and Morocco . With specially commissioned images by the well-known gardens photographer Steven Wooster 326 illustrations, 12 plans

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Book SynopsisThis story has its roots in the life of George Owen Millum, who at the turn of the 19th century was the head gardener at Maytham Hall in Kent, the home of Frances Hodgson Burnett, long celebrated for her timeless classic The Secret Garden. The garden in the story was based upon that at Maytham Hall, and George Millum was the model for Ben Weatherstaff, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s fictional gardener. George’s son, George Charles Millum, who like his father was born in the gardener’s cottage at Maytham, also grew up to be a country house gardener – hence the title of this book, written and compiled by his own son with detailed extracts from his diaries.Table of ContentsIntroduction: a life in gardening 1 The American writer and the English garden 3 George Charles Millum, Son of The Secret Gardener 15 Promotion and marriage 27 The diary for 1935 30 The war years and beyond 70 A new position 76 The diary for 1949 80 Epilogue 117 About the Author 118 Acknowledgement 119

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Inspirational Book of the Year, Garden Media Guild Awards Ambra Edwards and Charlie Hopkinson explore, in words and pictures, the lives, visions and achievements of fourteen very different head gardeners. "Ambra Edwards's fascinating interviews show what diversity there is in British gardens. It's a book about people and how they tick - people who happen to be gardeners." - The Times "An informative and eye-opening delight." - Philippa Stockley, Country Life “The author, well-known for her sparky writing style and broad hinterland of interests, has interviewed 14 head gardeners in search of some answers, teaming up with the highly empathetic and skilled photographer Charlie Hopkinson to produce this visually appealing and revealing book about some remarkable people in horticulture… Nor is it hard to argue with her view that gardeners are undervalued by society, in status and reward. Let’s hope this brilliant book goes some way to redressing that.” - Ursula Buchan, The Garden Trade Review"This is a marvellous book. The photos and the text together make for a very successful piece of publishing." * Kent Gardeners Trust *"An informative and eye-opening delight." -- Philippa Stockley * Country Life *"Ambra Edwards's fascinating interviews show what diversity there is in British gardens. It's a book about people and how they tick - people who happen to be gardeners." -- The Times"Edwards is so skilled at unearthing the often conflicting passions of her subjects you feel as though you are eavesdropping on an intimate conversation, illuminating person and place. Charlie Hopkinson's eloquent photographs capture the essence of their subjects. The book is also a covert plea for investment in gardeners at all levels." * Gardens Illustrated *"Rarely do garden books move me to tears, but certain pages in Head Gardeners were so moving that I found myself welling up. This is a book which celebrates a gardener's resilience and imagination as well as the traditional gardening virtues." -- Gillian Mawrey * Historic Gardens Review *"From Cumbria to Cornwall Ambra Edwards has talked most enjoyably to working gardeners in charge of very varied gardens." -- Robin Lane-Fox * Financial Times *"Thoughtful, sympathetic essay-interviews. Charlie Hopkinson's photographs illustrate this compact volume well - and it's a new insight into the dedication of those who do the hard work of keeping great gardens alive." -- David Sexton * Evening Standard *"Includes interviews with 14 of Britain's most exciting gardeners. It allows head gardeners to tell their story, and gives us an insight into how their eyes and brains work." * Image magazine *"The writing is luminous and the stories are fascinating. It is a book that is achingly poignant and entirely inspiring." * Berkshire Life *"An engaging book … the skill set required is boggling: from arboriculture to folly maintenance, budgets to blogging, Charlie Hopkinson’s brilliant portraits capture their doughtiness.” * World of Interiors *“The author, well-known for her sparky writing style and broad hinterland of interests, has interviewed 14 head gardeners in search of some answers, teaming up with the highly empathetic and skilled photographer Charlie Hopkinson to produce this visually appealing and revealing book about some remarkable people in horticulture… Nor is it hard to argue with her view that gardeners are undervalued by society, in status and reward. Let’s hope this brilliant book goes some way to redressing that.” -- Ursula Buchan * The Garden *"How wonderful to see the passion and craftsmanship of 14 head gardeners celebrated in this new book." * Waitrose Weekend *"Lowther Castle's Martin Ogle features on the book's cover as Charlie's fantastic photographs provide real glimpses into each gardener's working life. Martin's own words on managing volunteers and the evolving life of Lowther's gardens are fascinating." * Cumbria Life *"Ambra Edwards shines a bright light on the challenges of a profession that’s too often underrated and misunderstood." -- Fionnuala Fallon * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisIn this new book, Johanna Geyer-Kordesch brings together a lifetime of study and personal experience to show the many ways in which gardens matter to our modern society. Reaching back through the centuries, she explores how richly layered our contemporary response to both making and enjoying gardens has become. With an extract from renowned author Donald Smith, Why Gardens Matter provides a unique insight into how the outdoors can help us to find some calm in this increasingly busy world.

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Book SynopsisThe Times Best Gardening Books of 2022 Ornamental plants are the cornerstone of our gardens and we are spoiled for choice with literally tens of thousands of hardy beauties from which to select. But we take them absolutely for granted, not for a moment realising that every plant has a fascinating tale to tell. Wild Edens sets the record straight. With global coverage, each of the nine richly illustrated chapters explores a plant biodiversity hotspot. The reader is transported on a visually stunning and fascinating voyage of discovery which reveals our garden favourites - as well as some species that should be more widely cultivated - in their natural habitats, from daffodils from Andalusia and tulips from the Tien Shan, to monkey puzzles from Chile and rhododendrons from the Himalayas, lilies from Japan and proteas from South Africa.Because the authors have been to the hotspots, each chapter opens with their personal reflections on the landscape and spirit of place, and closes with their selection of prime locations. In between, the informative yet approachable text tells of the plants' 'forgotten stories'. Of the landscapes which are their home, the adventures of how and when they were discovered and by whom, the reasons why they were collected, their impact on garden fashions and trends, etc. Wild Edens brings another dimension of interest and understanding to plants and gardens, as well as being a premium armchair traveller's guide to the natural world of garden plants.

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Book Synopsis'A beautifully photographed guide for gardeners' - Daily Telegraph'Nick offers solutions for every season' - Country Living'A thought-provoking and beautifully written book' - Fergus Garrett, Head Gardener, Great DixterIn 365 Days of Colour in Your Garden BBC Gardeners' World presenter Nick Bailey shows you how to plant and manage your garden, whatever its size, to ensure year-round colour and interest. Initially explaining simple colour theory principles and how to apply them to your garden, the book goes on to highlight beautiful plants and planting combinations for every season no matter what type of garden you have. With chapters covering the longest flowering plants, pot recipes and gorgeous plants for difficult sites, along with a comprehensive seasonal directory, this book will inspire and delight both experienced gardeners and beginners alike.

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Book Synopsis‘In this wide ranging and comprehensive survey of the designed landscapes of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, James Bartos argues convincingly that ornamental wildernesses should be viewed as distinctive design features which, when linked across an extensive terrain, took on the character of the whole landscape. As a result of this striking analysis, our understanding of the celebrated layouts at Wrest Park, Chiswick and Stowe, and many more besides, must be revised. Contrary to the received wisdom that wildernesses led inexorably to the more informal parkscapes associated with William Kent and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, it was only when they were dismantled in the mid-eighteenth century to provide more loosely controlled, open glades and greensward that the English Landscape Style emerged. This ground-breaking study ranges in its literary compass from classical authors through contemporary writers on gardens and gardening to modern critical authorities, while its visual focus on design manuals and individual gardens and landscapes is presented through a wealth of engraved prints, maps and present day photographs. Bartos considers the making, planting and maintenance of wildernesses, their continental precedents, thematic resonances – Classical, Biblical, Druidic, Patriotic – and the eventual development of these often numinous spaces into mature gardens followed by their inevitable demise. The book has all the attributes of a true wilderness – surprise, variety and, above all, delight – is engagingly written and a tour de force of meticulous scholarship.’ Professor Timothy Mowl FSA The Ornamental Wilderness in the English Garden reinterprets the English formal garden of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries through the perspective of a typical feature of those gardens, the ornamental grove, called a wilderness. In its mature form, the wilderness constituted most of the garden, shady and private, a place for retreat as well as social activity, with a seeming naturalness achieved through artifice, where cultural incident and nature were equally appreciated.Trade Review‘James Bartos, a proper garden historian, leads us along these sanded [wilderness] paths. He has done his homework and discusses various types of wilderness, accompanied by the plans and bird’s eye views that make the study of past gardens such a pleasure … there remain places where we can still experience them, now armed with fresh understanding thanks to this excellent book.’ Steven Desmond, Country Life “A poignant read that details how the concept of wilderness helped shape the formal English garden during the 17th and 18th centuries." Gardens Illustrated ‘For inspiration on wilderness layout, read The Ornamental Wilderness in the English Garden by James Bartos, a scholarly work crammed with maps, plans and bird’s-eye views of historical wildernesses.’ Tilly Ware, Country Life “This handsome and well-illustrated volume offers a detailed appraisal of the ornamental wilderness in England, principally from c.1680 to 1750. This is the first book-length treatment of the wilderness as an important garden feature and presents a highly readable and detailed account of their evolution and eventual decline. … This is a rich and engaging study, which has much to offer garden, landscape and environmental historians as well as the general reader.” Sarah Spooner, Garden History

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Book SynopsisMost gardens do not have smooth, flat lawns and borders of rich, easily dug soil. We have to put up with damp, sunless corridors between houses, awkward slopes or plots shaded by trees or neighbouring buildings. Equally difficult to plant are seaside gardens exposed to gale-force winds and salt spray; waterlogged plots, where the drainage is poor; and dry ground exposed to the glare of the sun day after day, without the slightest shade. In short, few gardens benefit from perfect conditions. What you need for these sites are tough plants that will not only shrug off all the worst conditions in your garden but will actually thrive in them. Tough Plants for Tough Places includes a directory of nearly 100 plants that are practically invincible in the specific hostile conditions they have evolved to cope with. Trade Review"It seems there are plants that laugh in the face of shade, and really like the damp, while sea breezes stiffen their sinews. It's simply a matter of picking the right ones, and in this optimistic book, Amos recommends more than 100 that thrive in hostile conditions." * Saga magazine *"Although aimed at beginners, it contains advice that all gardeners would benefit from a recap of...all well explained in an easy-to-read writing style." -- Rosy Hardy * Gardens Illustrated *"If you are struggling with growing conditions in your garden you will find plenty of solutions in Tough Plants for Tough Places...clearly laid out with excellent illustrations and includes a comprehensive plant directory covering sun, shade, dry, damp, exposed and seaside conditions." * Reckless Gardener *"Whatever problem you have, this book can help, from assessing your garden and its microclimate, to advising on the best plants for 'difficult' conditions. This is a valuable reference manual that I, for one, will turn to time and again." * The Countryman *"Amos has produced a shrewd, indispensable and beautifully photographed reference for gardeners the UK over." * The Bay (Swansea) *"A brilliant book and a great addition to any gardener's bookshelf whether they be a beginner or experienced." * The Blackberry Garden *

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Book SynopsisThe classic biography of influential garden designer Gertrude Jekyll through the study of her greatest inspiration, her home and gardens at Munstead Wood, now owned by The National Trust.

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Book SynopsisEdible Forest Gardens is a groundbreaking two-volume work that spells out and explores the key concepts of forest ecology and applies them to the needs of natural gardeners in temperate climates. Volume I lays out the vision of the forest garden and explains the basic ecological principles that make it work. In Volume II, Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier move on to practical considerations: concrete ways to design, establish, and maintain your own forest garden. Along the way they present case studies and examples, as well as tables, illustrations, and a uniquely valuable "plant matrix" that lists hundreds of the best edible and useful species. Taken together, the two volumes of Edible Forest Gardens offer an advanced course in ecological gardening--one that will forever change the way you look at plants and your environment.Trade ReviewHortIdeas- We reviewed the first volume of this two-volume set in September 2005 HortIdeas--in fact, we were so impressed by it that we devoted that month's Book Reviews section entirely to it. Until Mycelium Running--another amazingly important and well-done book--appeared, we were considering doing the same this month for the second volume of Edible Forest Gardens, which is much thicker (by more than 270 pages!) than the first volume. The shorter length of this review certainly does not reflect the relative importance of the volumes--we recommend that anyone interested in experimenting with temperate-zone "gardening in the image of the forest" should study both. Although Volume 2 ostensibly emphasizes "practical" information building on the "theoretical" ideas in Volume 1, it is clear that both volumes are essentially theoretical. That's because (as we discussed in our review of Volume 1) nobody has yet convincingly shown the viability of forest gardening (relying heavily on perennial crops) in temperate areas as a sustainable alternative to conventional gardening (based mainly on annual crops). Jacke and Toensmeier are, admirably, attempting to disseminate ideas gathered from a variety of source that might enable such viability. Ultimately, at this stage development of temperate-zone forest gardening techniques, virtually all approaches are experimental and in need of validation. We simply do not currently know their limitations. Understanding that knowledge on "nest practices" for temperate-zone forest gardening needs to be established experimentally can be exciting for those willing and able to adopt the scientific attitude: no matter how they turn out, the results of an experiment, performed appropriately (meaning especially that adequate control treatments are provided), are never "bad." In other words, we think that would-be temperate-zone forest gardeners who are sincerely interested in helping to establish this novel form of agriculture should proceed by trying to test some of Jacke and Toensmeier's numerous design, site preparation, species choice and establishment, and management guidelines. We view Volume 2 of Edible Forest Gardens not as a recipe book for what works but rather as a compendium of possibilities for what could work--an invitation par excellence to experimentation instead of complacency. Right on! -- Greg WilliamsPlants and Gardens News--Patricia Jonas, Brooklyn Botanic Garden- But even if you grow enough organic food to feed yourself, are you doing what's best for the ecosystem? "Many drawbacks of modern agriculture persist in organic farming and gardening," Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier write in Edible Forest Gardens, because they do not "mimic the structure of natural systems, only selected functions." Even Quail Hill Farm members are still harvesting mostly annual crops grown in plowed fields. Jacke and Toensmeier offer a radical vision for stepping out of the conceptual continuum of conventional agriculture and organic farming. They point to the productivity of temperate forests--which is twice that of agricultural land in terms of net calories--and take that as their design model. Building on Robert Hart's classic book, Forest Gardening, and incorporating permaculture practice, Jacke and Toensmeier propose a garden where many species of edible perennial plants are grown together in a design that mimics forest structure and function. Edible Forest Gardens is an ambitious two-volume work whose influence should extend well beyond ecologists and permaculturists and, in the best of all outcomes, reach into the mainstream. Volume one lays out the "Ecological Vision and Theory for Temperate Climate Permaculture," and it also includes a very useful analysis of existing forest gardens (one only 50 by 90 feet) and a tantalizing 30-page appendix of "top 100" species. As of this writing, volume two, which focuses on practical design and maintenance considerations, is just being released, but on the evidence of volume one, I have no doubt the set will be an indispensable reference for gardeners and farmers for decades. "When people have food gardens," the authors write, "they usually are tucked out of sight and out of view of the neighbors. They rely on external inputs of energy, nutrients, insect and disease controls, and water and are based primarily on annual plants. For some reason, growing food is considered unsightly, unseemly, possibly antisocial, and in some towns and cities, illegal! The tremendous infrastructure we have built in our cities and towns reflects a culture and horticulture of separation and isolation." The consequences of such attitudes about growing food have been disastrous, and each of us can contribute to the repair effort. Jacke and Toensmeier say that the principles of forest gardening can be applied even in a tiny urban yard or on a rooftop. Containers of edible perennials and annuals on a rooftop are not most farmers' idea of agriculture, but I grow nearly 20 percent of the authors' top 100 species and intend to look for ways to take this small start much further. And what about chocolate and oranges? Clearly there are foods that cannot be grown in a temperate forest. "We do not expect forest gardening to replace regular gardening or the foods we know and love," the authors admit. "Just how far we can take forest gardening in supplying food for ourselves is not yet determined." Finding the answer may be the most optimistic work gardeners and farmers can do."A tree de force! A must-have set of books for anyone serious about polyculture, integrated organic garden and landscape design, permaculture in the temperate zones and, of course, food forests. The charts of condensed information alone are worth the price of admission. The best book on these topics in years Keep these books within arm's reach at all times!"--Robert Kourick, author of Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally

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Book SynopsisDiscover why Roman gladiators were massaged with onion juice before battle, how celery contributed to Casanova’s conquests, how peas almost poisoned General Washington, and why some seventeenth-century turnips were considered degenerate. Rebecca Rupp tells the strange and fascinating history of 23 of the world’s most popular vegetables. Gardeners, foodies, history buffs, and anyone who wants to know the secret stories concealed in a salad are sure to enjoy this delightful and informative collection.

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Book SynopsisAchieve greater control of your produce and flowers, higher yields, and the greatest satisfaction from your garden each season as you shape your crops with Starting & Saving Seeds.Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I HOW TO START, GROW, AND SAVE SEEDS CHAPTER 1 Getting Started CHAPTER 2 Starting Seeds CHAPTER 3 From Seedlings to Plants to Saving Seeds PART II MEET THE PLANTS CHAPTER 4 Fruits and Vegetables CHAPTER 5 Herbs and Flowers Acknowledgments Photo Credits Resources Index About the Author

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