Gardening Books

Book Synopsis'Infused with wisdom and a deep love of nature... a how-to book for finding peace of mind' SagaThis is a story about the rain, a boy, an angry dog and a gardener, and how some of them find peace and freedom...In Spring Rain, writer and gardener Marc Hamer shares his path from difficult beginnings to contentment, by way of family gardens.As a young boy in a violent home, Marc found refuge in his small back garden. Here he kindled a lifelong love of nature and learning by observing the plants and insects in his private kingdom and reading the old encyclopaedias he found in the shed.Marc has always found the answers to life's questions in the natural world, whether as a child watching ants, as a young man living rough in the countryside, or as a professional gardener creating places of calm and restoration for others. Now in his sixties, he is finally creating a garden for himself, at his home in Cardiff. In this beautiful and moving memoir, he considers what he has learned, from the spring of youth to his autumn years, and reflects on how we reconcile our childhoods with where we end up.With line drawings by the author, Spring Rain encourages us back in tune with the natural world and offers both consolation and a guide to a happier life.PRAISE FOR MARC HAMER:'Wisdom...patterned with Hamer's gifts for observation, compression, and tone' New Yorker'A sublime meditation on life, love, nature and family, woven with the wisdom of age gained through a life well lived' Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell'Wholly original... on how to live, how to be calm and content with only a little, in a quietly humming garden' Daily MailTrade ReviewA memoir infused with wisdom and a deep love of nature, as well as a how-to book for finding peace of mind * Saga *Hamer's prose proceeds by association and by charismatic detail... but it also has a strong sense of arc, of change...He has an inclination to celebrate and express love-an inclination that seems built out of the humus of a difficult childhood...he is not an Adam cast out of the garden but "a boy cast out of hell," and into a series of gardens. * New Yorker *An illuminating, powerful read * Woman's Own *Marc Hamer knows how to live - simply, sparely, reverently, abundantly. Spring Rain is a tonic for the soul. * Sy Montgomery, author of How to Be A Good Creature *Interwoven with the writer's deep-seated love of the natural world... I highlighted many passages while reading this book * Countryman *A breathtaking narrative that transcends genre and geography. * Shelf Awareness * *Hamer explains why a garden is not just a place of work - it's also a place of worship. -- Margaret Roach * New York Times *Mr. Hamer has found his ideal calling in this book stitched together from small essays, a genre in which such capricious mutability of opinion is not only tolerated but encouraged. Through his words, we connect with the ultimate text, the landscape itself. * Wall Street Journal *Hamer's signature prose, rich with precise, detailed observations that evoke the luminous wonder that informs and illuminates all being, is on full display * Vancouver Sun *A book of great but tender power; acute, wise and intimately observed, speaking with the unmistakable voice of the land itself - which is equally unmistakably Hamer's own. And what a voice that is! -- Charles Foster, author of Cry of the Wild

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Book SynopsisShow nature the kindness it deserves Whether you long to see butterflies flit across your flowerbeds or hear birdsong all year round, there’s something endlessly rewarding about playing host to wildlife. With practical projects and helpful tips for gardens big and small, this guide will help boost local biodiversity and benefit countless native species. Learn how to: Choose the best type of bird feeder and seed for your feathered friends Build natural habitats and provide shelter for all manner of insects Make sugaring recipes to attract butterflies and moths Select the right pollinator plants for bees in every season Wherever you do it – on a balcony, in a garden or across acres of land – you too can create the perfect sanctuary for an abundance of creatures.

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Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated devotional book that looks at what we can learn about God from tending our gardens. Richard Littledale invites you to push open the garden gate and join him as he discovers the joy of gardening. A reluctant gardener, Richard took up 'project garden' to help combat the loneliness of bereavement, only to find that the physical transformation of his garden mirrored a real change in himself too. Follow Richard's journey through 52 tales and uncover what gardening can teach us about patience, humility, hope, fruitfulness and the abiding goodness of God. Beautifully illustrated throughout, each tale includes a gardening story, a biblical reflection and a prayer. Whether you are an enthusiastic beginner or naturally green-fingered, this gentle and encouraging book reveals inspirational thoughts about life and God from the perspective of the gardener. Content Benefits: This beautifully illustrated gift book, containing 52 devotions, explores truths that we can learn about life, ourselves and God from tending our gardens. Each tale has a gardening story, a Bible verse and reflection and a chance to pause and pray Each gardening tale is written in a conversational and accessible voice Beautiful line drawings appear throughout the book adding visual appeal Encourages even reluctant gardeners to see the joy gardening can bring Helps gardeners see the link between the natural world and God Enables keen gardeners to see God in their work Explores the link between gardens and faith Enables you to spend time listening to God in nature Ideal resource for quiet times or devotional times Encourages those who are bereaved to take up gardening as 'ecotherapy' to help deal with grief Ideal inspirational gift for any green-fingered gardener Suitable for those just starting out or seasoned gardeners Hardback cover and internal illustrations make this a perfect gift for anyone who loves gardening Perfect gift for birthdays, celebrations, and more Binding - Hardback Pages - 368 Publisher - Authentic Media

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Book Synopsis'I thought I knew quite a bit about earthworms – until I picked up this charming little book' Nick Baker 'Many wonderful wormy tales unearthed by Coulthard' BBC Countryfile Magazine 'A gem of a book' Country Smallholding Without these little engineers of the earth, the world's soils would be barren, and our gardens and fields wouldn't be able to grow the food we need to survive. Worms recycle decaying plants, putting nutrients back into the soil; they provide a food source for wildlife; and their constant burrowing helps heavy rain soak away. Sally Coulthard's fascianting guide offers a wealth of information and practical advice about the world's msot industrious but little understood creature.Trade ReviewI thought I knew quite a bit about earthworms – until I picked up this charming little book... This is an easily digestible compendium of everything earthworm' -- Nick BakerSally Coulthard profiles these misunderstood creatures, offering a feast of quirky facts to answer all your curiosities * Grow Your Own *A jaunt through the life of the earthworm... A gem of a book' * Country Smallholding *Many wonderful wormy tales unearthed by Coulthard... [A] smart little book' * BBC Countryfile Magazine *A complete profile of earthworms by answering 50 questions and including practical advice and quirky facts * Garden Answers *A brilliant and detailed book on the vital role earthworms play in our gardens and fields, with a wealth of information on these hard-working and misunderstood creatures * Gardens Illustrated *

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Book SynopsisDeath and Garden Narratives in Literature, Art and Film: Song of Death in Paradise explores the combination of two motifs, death and gardens, to show how the two subjects are intertwined and used in various media and cultural contexts. Using cultural, literary, film, and art history theories, the contributors analyze various death and garden sceneries in literary works by Arthur Machen, Agatha Christie, J.K. Rowling, as well as in superhero comics, films, and cultural and art contexts such as Ian Hamilton Finley's “Little Sparta,” the poetic verses from the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden in South Africa, and the Australian wilderness.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Death in an English Garden: Agential Realism and the Nature of Arthur Machen’s “Panic Terror”Adrian Tait Chapter 2: The Death of the Profound Natural Aesthetics in the Garden in Ernest Hemingway’s “The End of Something”Zennure KösemanChapter 3: The Season before Death: Exile and Memory in The Garden of the Finzi-ContinisPaul VenzoChapter 4: Death and Psychogeography in Agatha Christie’s Detective StoriesFeryal CubukcuChapter 5: My Home is my Castle, my Garden your Grave: The Private Garden as Graveyard in Selected Crime NovelsSabine PlankaChapter 6: Gardens of the Undead: Graveyards and Tombs in the Harry Potter SeriesMiriam StriederChapter 7: Garden or Graveyard? “The Contemplation of Death” in Ian Hamilton Finlay’s Little SpartaEkaterina KochetkovaChapter 8: The Dialectic of Life and Death in the ‘Garden Verses’ of the Karoo Desert National Botanical GardenPhilip van der MerweChapter 9: Nationalized Landscape and the Cult of the Dead at the Bückeberg (1933 – 1937)Frances LivingsChapter 10: Dying and Death in an Octopus’s Garden: On the Visualization of Destructive Moments in Aquatic Film ImagesIsabelle SchwarzChapter 11: Death and Garden Narratives in Superhero Comics – Perspectives on Poison IvyNicolas GaspersChapter 12: Wilderness Garden: Death, Landscape and the Australian Colonial SublimeMarguerite Gibson

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Book SynopsisGROW CURIOUS is an invitation to reconnect with nature and cultivate joy and wonder in your garden and beyond. For each season, writing prompts, creative crafts, and meditative essays encourage readers to step away from the chaos of daily life and spend time in their chosen green oasis, whether a sprawling garden or a collection of potted plants on an urban balcony. Beautifully illustrated and packaged in a petite and charming trim, this is a lovely journal for new and experienced gardeners alike, Mother's Day gift shoppers, and anyone eager to rediscover the marvels of the natural world.

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Book SynopsisTime to down your trowel and pick up a pencil This bountiful crop of 200 gardening-themed puzzles has something for anyone with green fingers and a love of a good brain-teaser Gardeners are a naturally smart species. But you don't need to be an expert to enjoy this book. When your hands deserve a rest after you've been out toiling in the garden, or when the weather has you cooped up inside, how about a puzzle or two to cultivate the mind? From quick quizzes and riddles to more leisurely crosswords and sudoku, whether you're a gardening obsessive or just enjoy pottering around your plot, there's plenty in these pages to tickle your fancy and keep your brain as sharp as a thorn and as strong as an oak. Inside you will find a rich variety of puzzles, including these:- Find the flowers, fruit and veg hiding within word searches - Spot the differences between various idyllic views of a garden - Shuffle the letters of anagrams to locate your trusty tools - Wind your way through a series of intricate hedge mazes

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Book SynopsisPass on a love of gardening and nature to children with these 35 fun and rewarding outdoor and indoor projects. Gardening for Kids is full of inspirational ideas to get your kids excited about nature. Dawn Isaac shows you how to sow a wheelbarrow vegetable garden, make cress caterpillars, build an insect hotel, or plant a sunflower alley in your own backyard, using everyday objects and recycled junk. There are chapters on creative containers, from teapots to rainboots, windowsill gardening of foods such as cress and beans, and beautiful nature crafts that can be made indoors. Whether your outdoor space is big or small, or just a balcony or even a window ledge, these fun and creative ideas will keep your kids entertained—and learning about gardening—all year round.

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Book SynopsisDiscover how to awaken the magic of the elements in your outdoor space through thoughtful planting, careful planning of features and simple spells and rituals. Modern witchcraft is a nature-based discipline, harnessing the power of plants, the spirit of the land, the benefits of each season and the cycle of nature. Inspired by the Five Elements – Spirit, Air, Fire, Water and Earth – and based on author Clare Gogerty's own experience, Your Magical Garden will encourage you to look at your outdoor space with a witch’s eye. Each chapter is based on one of the Five Elements and offers details about the element and its potency, how to work with it in your garden, what plants are associated with it, and corresponding remedies, rituals and spells. You will learn how to create spiritual features, such as a moon gate, leaf mandala, scrying pool and fire pit, as well as ways to care for nature, such as rewilding to create a haven for plants and wildlife. Discover the wonder of re-enchanting your garden, however small, and creating a place of contemplation, meditation and connection with the earth.

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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 SynopsisThis garden notebook is based on Sue''s practical experience and has been specially designed to be an invaluable aid to gardeners. Alongside space for notes, shopping lists, gardens to visit, the notebook contains concise information for gardening jobs including vegetable planting, plant and soil health, pruning tips and much more.

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Book SynopsisFrom the early misfortunes of Eve, condemning her descendants to a dubious reputation for fruit management, to the acclaimed successes of plant breeders such as the eccentric Ellen Willmott who combined bankruptcy with iris breeding, the fortunes of the female gardener have been as varied as their roles.Telling the tales of the sixteenth-century housewife, who neatly sidestepped accusations of herbal witchcraft while working her plot, and the unconventional Ladies of Llangollen, who eloped together and created their gothic garden and many other women besides, A History of Women in the Garden showcases female horticulturists through the centuries. An enlightening and entertaining read that will allow the reader to gain fresh enthusiasm for even the most menial of garden tasks, and realise that hundreds of women have trod the garden path before.

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Book SynopsisA Waterstones Best Nature Writing Book of 2024 PickA BBC Wildlife Book of the Year 2024 'Delightful ... Mabey is the doyen of UK nature writing' New Statesman'Both instructive and exciting, often ecstatic... Mabey is a great, pioneering nature writer' Irish Times'Our greatest nature writer' New ScientistWe regard gardens as our personal dominions, where we can create whatever worlds we desire. But they are also occupied by myriads of other organisms, all with their own lives to lead. The conflict between these two power bases, Richard Mabey suggests, is a microcosm of what is happening in the larger world. Rooted in the daily dramas of his own Norfolk garden, Mabey offers a different scenario, where nature becomes an equal partner, a 'gardener' itself. Against a background of disordered seasons he watches his 'accidental' garden reorganising itself. Ants sow cowslip seeds in the parched grass. Moorhens take to nesting in trees. A spectacular self-seeded rose springs up in the gravel. T

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Book SynopsisA beautifully designed organiser to keep all your information for contacts, co-workers, family and friends in one place. This stylish and elegantly designed address book has plenty of space to record names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses for everyone you need to stay in touch with. With colour-coded alphabetical sections, a silk ribbon marker and beautiful floral images throughout from the world-famous RHS Lindley Library, this decorative address book makes the perfect gift.

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Book SynopsisA beautifully designed organiser to keep all your information for contacts, co-workers, family and friends in one place.

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Book Synopsis'A warm, knowledgeable guide that will calm even the most frazzled soul' - Poorna Bell, author, In Search of SilenceActively working with rituals and your senses to create daily practices that you can draw on to relieve stress is an easy, everyday way to work with your body. This book will enable you to create simple rituals that will allow you to work with your five main senses to ensure you have a first aid kit of emotional associations that will calm you down when you are beset with a racing mind, insomnia or general worry.Rituals featured include: Vision boards, mindful listening, smudging, self-massage and tea ceremonies. The book also includes daily, weekly and monthly rituals which you can easily integrate into your life.

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Book SynopsisWritten by RHS experts with more than 50 years of combined growing experience, RHS Grow Your Own Veg & Fruit Year Planner provides the life-changing advice that gardeners need to grow a year-round supply of healthy fruit and vegetables for their table. The book starts with planning what to grow and where to grow it, whether that's an allotment, a series of containers, raised bed or veg patch, then how to get the best from your soil, and how to get started. Next, in season-by-season chapters, the book takes the reader from sowing to harvesting with simple, clear instructions that will help them stay on top of the challenges and joys of a productive garden. From apples to asparagus, raspberries to radishes, this book will show how to apply age-old techniques to get the most from your plot.Table of ContentsForeword INTRODUCTION Growing in a small space know your plot prepare the plot All about growing Extending the season Coping with problems Planning what to grow THE GARDENING YEAR Early spring Mid spring Late spring Early summer Mid summer Late summer Early autumn Mid autumn Late autumn Early winter Mid winter Late winter REFERENCE SECTION Sowing/harvesting calender Pest/disease directory Glossary Index Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisClimbing plants are among the most versatile plants in the garden, but they are often overlooked as gardeners are unaware of where they might be used. This book is a practical guide to choosing and using climbers. This book explains what climbers and wall shrubs are and a pictorial A - Z shows a wide range of plants and explains what they are best used for. There is practical information on growing climbers on walls, pergolas, arches, screens etc., and takes a detailed look at climbing and rambling roses. Practical information on how to grow and care for climbers is also included.

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Book SynopsisPrinciples of Tropical Horticulture leads the reader through a background of environmental influences and plant physiology to an understanding of production and post-harvest systems, environmental adaptation techniques and marketing strategies. Focusing on the principles behind production practices and their scientific basis, rather than detailed biological traits of each crop, this text outlines successes and failures in practices to date and sets out how the quantity and quality of horticultural produce can improve in the future. Case studies are frequently used and chapters cover the production of vegetables, fruit and ornamental crops, including temperate zone crops adapted to grow in the tropics.Table of Contents1: Setting the Scene: The Context of Horticulture in the Developing World and the Tropics 2: The Tropical Environment and Physiology of Horticultural Crops 3: Horticultural Production Systems 4: Supply Chain Management: Production of Vegetables 5: Supply Chain Management: Production of Fruits and Flowers 6: Pre- and Postharvest Management and Effects on Product Quality 7: Supply Chain Management: Marketing and Retail 8: The Future for Tropical Horticulture

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Book SynopsisChristopher Lloyd (Christo) was one of the greatest English gardeners of the twentieth century, perhaps the finest plantsman of them all. His creation is the garden at Great Dixter in East Sussex, and it is a tribute to his vision and achievement that, after his death in 2006, the Heritage Lottery Fund made a grant of £4 million to help preserve it for the nation. This enjoyable and revealing book - the first biography of Christo - is also the story of Dixter from 1910 to 2006, a unique unbroken history of one English house and one English garden spanning a century. It was Christo's father, Nathaniel, who bought the medieval manor at Dixter and called in the fashionable Edwardian architect, Lutyens, to rebuild the house and lay out the garden. And it was his mother, Daisy, who made the first wild garden in the meadows there. Christo was born at Dixter in 1921. Apart from boarding school, war service and a period at horticultural college, he spent his whole life there, constantly re-planting and enriching the garden, while turning out landmark books and exhaustive journalism. Opinionated, argumentative and gloriously eccentric, he changed the face of English gardening through his passions for meadow gardening, dazzling colours and thorough husbandry. As the baby of a family of six - five boys and a girl - Christo was stifled by his adoring mother. Music-loving and sports-hating, he knew the Latin names of plants before he was eight. This fascinating book reveals what made Christo tick by examining his relationships with his generous but scheming mother, his like-minded friends (such as gardeners Anna Pavord and Beth Chatto) and his colleagues (including his head gardener, Fergus Garrett, a plantsman in Christo's own mould).Trade ReviewChristopher Lloyd was already a legend in his lifetime, and this intimate biography adds vivid colour as provocative and challenging as the eye-widening combinations in Christopher's borders. This portrait is so alive, so evocative of his vitality, 'naughtiness' and untold generosity, that it hurts to be reminded of what we have lost. -- Beth Chatto[Christopher Lloyd's] reputation as the finest plantsman of the 20th century is underscored in Anderton's affectionate biography of a shy, irascible man who applied a modern sensibility and a personal genius to gardening -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *An unputdownable autobiography -- Victoria Summerley * Independent *A rollicking and compulsive read. Anderton's writing is lithe and perky, especially when it comes to the Lloyd family foibles and dysfunctions. His words dance around these with feline agility. * thinkinggardens.co.uk *Stephen Anderton is a clever and witty writer and well known for his lively take on gardening -- Mary Keen * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisCovers everything from the initial planning of your garden on paper to how to make your design a reality with planting, laying and construction guides. This single book will tell you everything you could need to know to achieve your ideal garden.Includes:* how to assess your site, create a style and source materials* advice on planting schemes and achieving year-round interest* tips on working with design principles such as scale, proportion and balance* simple instructions for hard landscapingAlan Titchmarsh imparts a lifetime of expertise in these definitive guides for beginners and experienced gardeners. Step-by-step illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions guide you through the basic gardening skills and on to the advanced techniques, providing everything you need to create and maintain your dream garden.

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Book SynopsisGardening on Clay provides valuable information and support for anyone struggling to create a garden from this challenging soil, which can so easily become waterlogged in winter and baked dry in summer. The author guides the reader through the basics of cultivation before going on to look at more detail at the plants that will flourish on clay soil.

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Book SynopsisFor too many of us the weekend has become just another overcrowded couple of days dominated by duties, traffic jams, hassle and expense as we dash from supermarket to superstore catching up with the week's chores. But it doesn't have to be this way. Elspeth Thompson's original and inspiring book shows us how we can reclaim the weekend by re-charging our batteries and relationships through enjoying the simple pleasures in life. From watching the sunset and the stars, making marmalade and writing proper letters to borrowing a dog, going to dance classes and using the internet creatively, she reminds us of the fun and satisfaction to be had from creative, social and relaxing pursuits. The Wonderful Weekend Book is packed with ideas that will help restore the balance in our lives, reconnect us to the seasons, and - quite literally - not cost the earth.Trade Review'Filled with practical advice ... the pleasure is in the reading and dreaming. A wonderful way to fill your precious 48 hours' * Good Housekeeping *'Help is at hand with this guide which is crammed full of ideas to make weekends special' * This England *'Glorious ideas for slowing down and reviving your weekends' * Easy Living *'A charming look at how our weekends can be spent doing the things we really enjoy' * House and Home *'Aptly named, this book offers enough inspiration to transform any weekend . . . Thompson's guide is sublime, a rich, diverse collection of ideas to reclaim the weekend' * Good Book Guide *Elspeth Thompson is a fine writer . . . and her perky call to enjoy homemade pleasures is a timely encouragement . . . it is endearingly and enviably optimistic * BBC Country File Magazine *'It's a hugely enjoyable read that should definitely get you doing more - and activities that don't centre around the TV, mobile, laptop....' * Birmingham Mail *

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Book SynopsisSeasoned gardeners, urbanites with window boxes and those who simply potter when the sun is shining will savour this miscellany of quotations and prose celebrating the great outdoors, interspersed with practical advice on everything from keeping your shed in order to bird spotting.

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Book SynopsisThis pocket-sized miscellany, packed with quirky facts, quotes, handy hints and surprising stories is the perfect pick-me-up for anyone who knows the incomparable joy of gardening.

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Book SynopsisMonty Don made a triumphant return to our screens as presenter of Gardeners' World. A firm favourite with viewers, Monty's infectious enthusiasm for plants, attention to the finer details of gardening technique and easy charm have seen the ratings soar. Here Monty invites us into the garden at Longmeadow, to show us how he created this beautiful garden, and how we can do the same in our own.Following the cycle of the seasons, Gardening at Longmeadow will introduce readers to the garden from the earliest snowdrops of January through the first splashes of colour in the Spring Garden, the electric summer displays of the Jewel Garden, the autumn harvest in the orchard, and on to a Christmas feast sourced from the vegetable gardens. Describing the magic of each area at different times of the year, Monty will explain the basics of what to do when and how to get the most from each plant. He'll talk through the essential techniques and more complex processes, accompanied by easy-to-follow, step-by-step photography.Longmeadow is a gardeners' garden, but this will be a book for gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels who have been inspired by what they've seen, and who would like to achieve something similar for themselves.

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Book SynopsisIn 1940 Doreen Wallace, prolific novelist, academic, social campaigner and farmer, wrote a book for Batsford on vegetable growing, as part of the publisher's iconic Home Front Handbook series. With its chatty, readable writing style and its beautiful Brian Cook cover, the book became a wartime classic, invaluable for everyone growing fruit and vegetables at home to help the war effort. This reissue of that important book retains all the appeal of the original. As well as being a great read, it contains a wealth of information that is still useful for vegetable gardeners today. It tells you what fruit and vegetables to grow and when, how and why, how to keep down weeds and pests, explores 'The Vexed Question of Small Fruit', gives tips on arrangement and rotation of crops, and even touches on the subject of keeping hens and pigs in your garden. Full of sensible practical advice mixed with whimsical musings and a great deal of charm, this book would make a perfect gift for any gardener.

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Book SynopsisExplore the mystery of what makes us love gardening, via history, science, art and philosophy. Whether you seek sanctuary in your potting shed, find paradise amongst your patio plants or enjoy the simple solace of your hands in the soil, there is beauty, peace and happiness to be found for every gardener in this thoughtful and entertaining collection. Both a hymn to gardening and a call to action, this down-to-earth guide is worth a hundred 'how-tos'. Wander the gardens of Giverny with Monet to create your own 'beautiful masterpiece' or, like George Orwell, reap the joy to be found in the work of a vegetable plot. Discover the soothing symmetry in the spiral of sunflower seeds, or, like William Morris, provide a wild abundance for the natural visitors to your garden. Drawing inspiration from gardening greats – from the ancient Greek and French philosophers Epicurus and Voltaire, via the wisdom of Margery Fish and Gertrude Jekyll, to Monty Don and modern-day guerrilla gardeners – this beautifully illustrated compilation is a thoughtful gift for any gardener.Trade Review‘Unusual and compelling … Highly recommended’ The Field ‘[Claire] deftly unpicks complex concepts that will leave you thinking long after the book is closed; the mark of a consummate writer. This is a book for every bedside table’ The English Garden 'A lovely read to enjoy whilst sitting on your patio this spring’ Wildflower ‘This is a lovely little book’ Blackberry Garden Blog ‘Soothing and eloquent … a labour of love, as alluring to look at, with colourful illustrations packing the pages, as it is to read.’ Barney Bardsley, Yorkshire Magazine ‘Thoughtful’ Gardens Illustrated

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Book SynopsisOxford Botanic Garden is the oldest surviving botanic garden in Britain and has occupied its site in central Oxford since 1621. Conceived as a place to grow medicinal plants, born in the turmoil of civil war and nurtured during the restoration of the monarchy, the garden has, unsurprisingly, a curious past. By tracing the work and priorities of each of the garden’s keepers, this book explores its importance as one of the world's oldest scientific plant collections. It tells the story of the planting of the garden by its first keeper, Jacob Bobart, and his son, together with how they changed the garden to suit their own needs. The story develops during the eighteenth century as the garden grew exotic plants under glass and acquired a fine succulent collection but then experienced a downturn under the stewardship of the eccentric Professor Humphrey Sibthorp (famous for giving just one lecture in thirty-seven years). Finally, the narrative throws light on the partnership of gardener William Baxter and academic Charles Daubeny in the early nineteenth century, which gave the garden its glasshouses and ponds and contributed to its survival to the present day. This generously illustrated book is the first history of the garden and arboretum for more than a century and provides an essential introduction to one of Oxford’s much-loved haunts.Table of ContentsContents Preface Author’s Note 1 Founding the Garden 2 Constructing the Garden 3 Planting the Garden 4 Evolution 5 Revitalisation 6 Expansion 7 Growing Trees 8 Engaging People 9 Pursuing Science 10 Splitting apart Appendix A Plant names Appendix B Senior positions in the Garden, Plant Sciences and Herbaria Notes Bibliography Picture Credits

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Book SynopsisSucculents, especially cacti, are the current focus of serious ecological studies but also the darlings of designers and style influencers. Their endearing, characterful looks have given them the status of trendy ‘plant pets’. But succulentomania is not new. While these plants have always been part of the landscape in the dry vastnesses of the Americas, Australia and Africa, curiosities such as furry-flowered stapeliads and euphorbias like snakes were a source of fascination for early European plant collectors – and in eighteenth-century Bavaria a prosperous apothecary grew an ‘American aloe’ that astounded all who saw it. This apothecary, Johann Wilhelm Weinmann, was the mastermind behind a groundbreaking book in which he aimed to include thousands of plants from all over the world, describing their individual characteristics and commissioning magnificent colour illustrations of each specimen. The succulents he featured are reproduced here in all their splendour. We may no longer look to them to treat gangrene, manufacture glass or disperse kidney stones, but succulents are proving of great interest to modern medicine and agriculture, and we can marvel at them afresh not only as wonders of nature but also as works of art.Trade ReviewThere are many interesting facts relating to the plants in the illustrations and the book is an easy and entertaining read.Table of ContentsThe dry life 1 Succulents & cacti 41 About the illustrations 110 Where to see succulents & cacti 125 Further reading 130 Picture credits 133

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Book SynopsisThe permaculture classic that launched a new movement in edible, wildlife-friendly gardening! The Permaculture Garden shows you how to transform a yard or even the smallest space into a highly productive garden that works in harmony with nature. Learn how to: * Plan your garden layout for easy access and minimum labour * Save energy on unnecessary chores like digging and weeding with techniques like mulching and growing ground covers * Save money by using upcycled containers to create a beautiful space * Use successional cropping to produce year-round harvests and build healthy soil * Choose the best plants for different sites and enjoy the benefits of plant communities * Reduce your impact by saving energy and harvesting water * Discourage pests and diseases without using chemicals. Gardening expert and world-class permaculture teacher, Graham Bell, offers a wealth of practical advice including planning a garden from a bare plot, designing raised beds, creating ponds and streams, building terraces on slopes, constructing greenhouses and providing special areas for children or animals. Whether you are looking for just a few improvements or the beginnings of self-sufficiency, you can become a positive changemaker in your own back yard with this lively, practical guide.Trade ReviewThe Permaculture Garden is an excellent book about actually putting it all into practice in your back garden. It contains excellent species lists for useful plants for a wide range of situations. The first chapter is a kind of philosophical treatise on why to garden, and is littered with beautiful quotes from literature about the joy of gardening. This book is crammed with useful ideas. Rob Hopkins, Co-founder of the Transition Movement

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Book SynopsisFrom the best-selling, award winning author of No Dig Organic Home and Garden, Stephanie Hafferty offers a pathway to low cost, zero waste and as plastic free living as possible. She shows you the advantages and pleasures of cooking seasonally and making organic products for you and your family's health and happiness. Learn how to be resourceful, creative and inspired by what is seasonal and close to hand for a 100% organic home. Make your own: *Main meals, sides, soups and salads *Store cupboard ingredients like flavoured salts, vinegars, herb mixes, essences *Drinks (including cordials, teas and liqueurs) *Soaps, balms, cleansers, toothpaste and much more!

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Book Synopsis* In size, price, and elegant packaging, these books will ideal gifts * Beautiful 3-colour jacket designed to give a uniform look * Unique and highly distinctive black and white pattern on each spine * Full cloth, flexible covers * Sewn Binders * Silk Ribbon Markers and Headbands * Gold Stamping on front and spine * Decorative patterned endpapers * Newly designed typographic settings in classic typefaces * Portable format-size 61/4 x 4 ins (15. 75 x 10. 25 cm) * Cream-wove acid-free paper * 256pp each volume

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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 SynopsisThe new compact hardback edition of the first book devoted to the work of one of today's most celebrated garden designers. Arne Maynard is known for his award-winning gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show and his elegant and sympathetic gardens for private houses worldwide. Central to his work is his ability to draw out the essence of a place - a talent that lends his gardens a particular sense of harmony and belonging. A passionate gardener himself, Maynard has transformed the garden around his house, Allt-y-bela, in rural Wales. This garden is featured in the book, offering insights into the work in progress and Maynard's design methods. Also included is Maynard's very first garden of his own, at Guanock House in Lincolnshire, where he spent 10 years creating from a flat field a formal layout, with a kitchen garden, knot garden and herbaceous border. A total of 12 gardens have been specially photographed, and each is described through the seasons in a personal text by Maynard, includin

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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 SynopsisConsiders the way that gardens are experienced. This title includes many illustrations of gardens from England, Europe, North America and the Far East, including Versailles, Stowe, Moulin-Joli and Yuan Ming Yuan.

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Book SynopsisA brilliant new book especially for the gardeners of the North West! Full of Grow Your Own (GYO) information and tips for growers across the old county of Lancashire, covering everything, including ...soil & sun plants & pests tubs & trenches fertilisers & failures weeds & watering seasons & sogginess equipment & ecology triumphs & tastiness ...and much more! The first Grow Your Own book to help North West gardeners grow successfully in the specific soils & climate What grows well in the gardens of the south and middle of England will not necessarily grow well up here Aimed at all ages and abilities Suggests ways of growing organically, & how to include children & grandchildren For growing spaces of all shapes & sizes, including, yards, pots and window sills. Includes some newly rediscovered old Lancashire varieties of fruits & veg Also includes recipes & ideas to maximise usefulness & enjoyment

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Book SynopsisThe worldwide trend towards smaller houses and spaces and apartment type homes has inspired and demanded a new approach in gardening. This is due predominantly to the freedom of expression in the styling and use of outdoor spaces, the approach to hard landscaping and the use of plant material most suited to the environment, house or garden design and style. The trend is to introduce hard landscaping and plant material natural to the local area, gravel as a substitute for lawn in small spaces, a sense of fun and the unexpected in the use of plants or accessories. This is what makes gardening a pleasure and one of the finest creative arts there is. The author horticulturist, shares his vast local and international experience and knowledge with his readers in this title on small gardens - from the initial design, the preparation, the hard landscaping elements, container gardening, water, maintenance, garden chores for every month of the year, food and herb gardening, to lists of plants suitable for smaller spaces. Breathtakingly beautiful photos not only illustrate the information, but are artworks in their own right providing a pool of inspirational ideas.

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