Gardening Books

Book SynopsisQuick and helpful answers to the 1000 most-asked gardening questions from the BBC's gardening expert, Daphne LedwardIn the multifaceted world of gardening, the same questions arise time and time again. Organized season-by-season, this book promises to answer the 1000 most-asked questions that can frustrate all gardeners alike.Drawing on her years of experience in gardening, former panellist and researcher for the BBC's Gardeners Question Time Daphne Ledward has answered them all. From knowing how to identify your soil type, the finer points of pruning and propagation, and seeds versus seedlings; to the thorny problems of dealing with chronic pests and diseases, and finding plants for difficult places, this book is the answer to all of the most frequently asked gardening questions.Get the most out of your garden, big or small, and discover answers to common issues such as:-    what type of soil is best

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Book SynopsisMonograph on Raymond Jungles, a contemporary landscape architect based in Miami known for innovative but timeless design and a commitment to ethical stewardship of the land. For almost 40 years, Raymond Jungles has generated design solutions that respond to surrounding natural systems while restoring nature's balance and harmony on a micro-scale. His completed gardens personify timelessness and beauty, with verdant spaces that entice participation and soothe the psyche. This monograph, the fourth to focus on his work, will present 21 completed projects, along with a section of work in progress featuring sketches, renderings, and site plans of 12 current projects of varying typologies including an 18-acre Phipps Ocean Park in the Town of Palm Beach, Florida. Among the featured works are major landscapes surrounding luxury residential complexes as well as lush private gardens from the mountains in Mexico to volcanic craters in Panama, Caribbean beachfronts, the Florida Keys, and densely populated cities like Manhattan and Miami. Highlights include the restoration of the famed interior garden by the revered landscape architect Dan Kiley at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice in New York; a landscape to evoke the work of legendary Brazilian designer Roberto Burle Marx at the New York Botanical Garden, and two new gardens at the the Naples Botanical Garden. Founded in 1985 by Raymond Jungles, the firm’s design priorities are generated by the scale and functionality of a space. Simple, clean, and well-detailed hardscape elements are the quintessential bones of a garden. Planting volumes vary and bold colors and textures are used with intent. The firm is guided by Raymond’s personal and design principles: integrity, relevance, and nature’s honor. Their informed designs tread lightly on the land, provide habitat, and incorporate elements of surprise.Trade Review"I have loved Raymond Jungles’s landscapes for a very long time. The way he amplifies daring compositions, in large part due to a profound appreciation of plants, has captured my imagination for years. His gardens are undoubtedly striking, but first and foremost they are comforting to visitors—a mirror of Raymond himself, a person who exudes quiet self-confidence and a sense of serenity. The same combination of tranquility and boldness is evident in the landscapes he admires, especially those designed by Roberto Burle Marx, an early and formative influence on his work. While both designers favor vivid colors and textures, it never feels like they are employed in the interest of drawing attention to themselves. On the contrary, judging by the completed gardens, both are interested in creating places for visitors simply to enjoy." - Michael Van Valkenburgh, from the introduction of Beyond Wild: Gardens and Landscapes by Raymond Jungles

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Book SynopsisA unique collaboration from two of America's leading artists that explores the fascinating and hidden history of the plant world.In this witty, deeply original book, the renowned novelist Jamaica Kincaid offers an ABC of the plants that define our world and reveals the often brutal history behind them.Kara Walker, one of America's greatest visual artists, illustrates each entry with provocative, brilliant, enthralling, many-layered watercolors.There has never been a book like An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Childrenso inventive, surprising, and telling about what our gardens reveal.

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Book SynopsisThere is a fantastic array of vegetables you can grow in your garden, and not all of them are annuals. In Perennial Vegetables the adventurous gardener will find information, tips, and sound advice on less common edibles that will make any garden a perpetual, low-maintenance source of food. Imagine growing vegetables that require just about the same amount of care as the flowers in your perennial beds and borders—no annual tilling and potting and planting. They thrive and produce abundant and nutritious crops throughout the season. It sounds too good to be true, but in Perennial Vegetables author and plant specialist Eric Toensmeier (Edible Forest Gardens) introduces gardeners to a world of little-known and wholly underappreciated plants. Ranging beyond the usual suspects (asparagus, rhubarb, and artichoke) to include such "minor" crops as ground cherry and ramps (both of which have found their way onto exclusive restaurant menus) and the much sought after, anti-oxidant-rich wolfberry (also known as goji berries), Toensmeier explains how to raise, tend, harvest, and cook with plants that yield great crops and satisfaction. Perennial vegetables are perfect as part of an edible landscape plan or permaculture garden. Profiling more than 100 species, illustrated with dozens of color photographs and illustrations, and filled with valuable growing tips, recipes, and resources, Perennial Vegetables is a groundbreaking and ground-healing book that will open the eyes of gardeners everywhere to the exciting world of edible perennials.Trade ReviewBooklist- Part of the allure of perennial gardening is the fact that a gardener can plant something once and enjoy it for several years, a benefit that has rarely been extended to vegetable gardeners. Save for such stalwarts as asparagus and rhubarb, most edible crops can be used only annually. Thanks to Toensmeier, gardeners need no longer be frustrated by such limitations. From air potatoes to water celery, Turkish rocket to Malabar gourd, there are more than 100 new species of edible plants. After addressing such cultural basics as site selection and preparation, Toensmeier explains why each plant is an excellent perennial vegetable crop. Now that such items are making their way onto trendy restaurant menus and health-store shelves, Toensmeier's groundbreaking guide is destined to become the bible for this new class of edible gardening. -- Carol Haggas"This book is itself a perennial polyculture of multipurpose plants. Toensmeier's adventurous yet sober palate blends with his observant eye and plant-geek mind to yield a varied harvest that should produce for years to come. He is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide for explorations of this largely unmapped territory. Let's hope gardeners everywhere follow his lead and join the fun!"--Dave Jacke, coauthor Edible Forest Gardens"That there are more perennial vegetables than asparagus is no surprise, but that there are more than 100 species we North American gardeners can choose from is news. Toensmeier's Perennial Vegetables, the first comprehensive guide to growing them, will have all of us reexamining our plans for next year's vegetable plot." --Karan Davis Cutler, author of Burpee—The Complete Flower Garden"Eric Toensmeier has comprehensively filled a huge gap in the sustainable landscape. Perennial Vegetables lets you put away your tiller, and covers everything you need to grow, harvest, and eat vegetables and greens that will keep coming back year after year."--Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden"Toensmeier's knowledge of edible plants is impressive and inspiring. His excitement for a sustainable landscape helps us focus away from buying food to harvesting it naturally. Perennial Vegetables offers an excellent range of edible plants for long-term cultivation and enjoyment."--Ellen Ecker Ogden,co-founder of The Cook's Garden seed catalog, author of From the Cook's Garden"Growing perennial vegetables is a true pleasure. This fine book gives the knowledge to successfully add variety to both the garden and the table while also enhancing the home environment."--Miranda Smith, author of The Plant Propagator's Bible and Complete Home GardeningTable of ContentsPreface Part 1: Gardening With Perennial Vegetables 1. New class of food plants 2. Design ideas 3. Selecting species 4. Techniques Part 2: Species Profiles Using this book -- Alismataceae: the water-plantain family -- Arrowhead -- Alliaceae: the onion family -- Multiplier onions -- Ramps -- Other perennial alliums -- Amaranthaceae: the amaranth family -- Sissoo spinach -- Apiaceae: the celery family -- Arracacha -- Article: Lost crops of the Incas -- Lovage -- Water celery -- Skirret -- Araceae: the aroid family -- Edible aroids (taro, belembe, tannier) -- Article: Calcium oxalate -- Araliaceae: the spikenard family -- Udo -- Asteraceae: the aster family -- Chicory and dandelion -- Globe artichoke -- Okinawa spinach -- Sunchoke -- Article: Inulin -- Fuki -- Scorzonera -- Yacon -- Basellaceae: the malabar spinach family -- Malabar spinach -- Ulluco -- Brassicaceae: the cabbage family -- Perennial brassicas (cabbage, kale, and broccoli) -- Article: Pests and diseases of the brassica family -- Turkish rocket -- Sea kale -- Sylvetta arugula -- Watercress -- Cactaceae: the cactus family -- Nopale cactus -- Cannaceae: the canna family -- Achira -- Caricaceae: the papaya family -- Papaya -- Chenopodiaceae: the goosefoot family -- Saltbush -- Article: Oxalic acid -- Sea beet -- Good King Henry -- Convolvulaceae: the morning glory family -- Water spinach -- Sweet potato -- Cucurbitaceae: the squash family -- Perennial cucumber -- Malabar gourd -- Bitter melon -- Chayote -- Article: Extending the range of chayote and other day-length-sensitive plants -- Cyperaceae: the sedge family -- Chufa -- Water chestnut -- Dioscoreaceae: the yam family -- Air potato -- Article: Air potato: an ecological conundrum? -- Yams -- Dryopteridiaceae: the wood-fern family -- Ostrich fern -- Euphorbiaceae: the spurge family -- Chaya -- Bull nettles -- Cassava -- Katuk -- Fabaceae: the pea family -- Groundnut -- Basul -- Hyacinth bean -- Water mimosa -- Perennial beans -- Winged bean -- Lamiaceae: the mint family -- Chinese artichoke -- Liliaceae: the lily family -- Asparagus -- Yellow asphodel -- Camass -- Daylily -- Giant Solomon's seal -- Malvaceae: the mallow family -- Edible hibiscus -- Cranberry hibiscus -- Musk mallow -- Meliaceae: the neem family -- Fragrant spring tree -- Moraceae: the mulberry family -- Breadfruit -- Moringaceae: the moringa family -- Moringa -- Musaceae: the banana family -- Plantain and green banana -- Nelumbonaceae: the lotus family -- Water lotus -- Oxalidaceae: the wood-sorrel family -- Oca -- Phytolaccaceae: the pokeweed family -- Pokeweed -- Haitian basket vine -- Poaceae: the grass family -- Clumping bamboos -- Running bamboos -- Article: Rhizome barriers for aggressive running bamboos -- Pitpit -- Polygonaceae: the smartweed family -- Rhubarb -- Sorrel -- Solanaceae: the nightshade family -- Wolfberry -- Ground cherry and goldenberry -- Pepino dulce -- Peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes -- Article: Pests and diseases of the nightshade family -- Tetragoniaceae: the New Zealand spinach family -- New Zealand spinach -- Tiliaceae: the linden family -- Linden -- Tropaeolaceae: the nasturtium family -- Mashua -- Urticaceae: the nettle family -- Stinging nettle and wood nettle Part 3: Resources Perennial vegetables for each climate type Recommended reading Helpful organizations and Web sites Sources of plants and seeds Sources of gardening supplies and materials Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFor years dahlias have been dismissed for being garish, gaudy additions to gardens and arrangements, but when you find the right variety it's hard to think of a better garden plant or more striking cut flower. The next title in Pavilion's series of stylish floral gardening guides celebrates the diversity and return to fashion of the dahlia. This title explores the history of the dahlia from its Aztec origins and its highs and lows as a cultivated plant, to its current status as one of the most adored flowers on the planet. Pavilion's guide to over 60 beautiful varieties reveals their charms and assets together with practical cultivation tips for any garden. Including classics like Café au Lait and Karma Choc, together with modern, dark-leaved stunners like the Mystic series, the varieties and forms range from perky pompons and lush dinner plates to those that resemble sea-anemones or spectacular fireworks! With contemporary commentary on each bloom, easy-to-follow advice and glorious photography, this book will appeal to everybody who appreciates the glamour and versatility of the dahlia.Trade Review'[H]andsomely produced and lushly illustrated.' * The Irish Times *'[L]avishingly photographed…if you haven’t already fallen in love with dahlias, this book will surely convert you.’ * Daily Mail *'This is a visually stunning book with superb photography, which makes it a beautiful experience to turn each page…a great introduction to the genus.' * Garden Answers *'lively descriptions…and the photographs are simply glorious too.' * Daily Mail Weekend *'A comprehensive, quick-reference guide. This is a visually stunning book with superb photography, which makes it a beautiful experience to turn each page – a great introduction to the genus' * Gardens Illustrated Magazine *'Leaves no question of cultivation unanswered.' * Hortus *

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Book SynopsisMedicinal plants and plant-derived medicine are widely used in traditional cultures all over the world and they are becoming increasingly popular in modern society as natural alternatives to synthetic chemicals. As more and more natural remedies are being commercialised, there is a need for a user-friendly reference guide to the plants and their products. The book gives the reader a bird's eye view of more than 350 of the best known medicinal plants of the world and their uses, in a compact, colourful and scientifically accurate reference text. It provides quick answers to the most obvious questions: Where does this plant originate? What does it look like? In which culture is it traditionally used? What is it used for? Which chemical compounds does it contain? How safe is it? What is known about its pharmacological activity? What evidence is there that it is effective? The authors also provide short overviews of the various health conditions for which medicinal plants are used and the active compounds (secondary metabolites) found in the plants and their modes of actions. This new edition has an additional 30 plant species, many new and improved photographs and the text has been fully updated to reflect the latest regulatory status of each plant.Table of Contents1: Preface 2: Introduction 3: Medicine Systems of the World 4: Plant Parts Used 5: Dosage Forms 6: Use of Medicinal Plant Products 7: Active Ingredients 8: Quality Control and Safety 9: Efficacy of Medicinal Plant Products 10: Regulation of Herbal Remedies and Phytomedicines 11: The Plants in Alphabetical Order 12: Health Disorders and Medicinal Plants 13: Overview of Secondary Metabolites and Their Effects 14: Quick Guide to Commercialised Medicinal Plants 15: Glossary

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate gift for gardeners and art-lovers, featuring 300 of the most beautiful and pioneering botanical images everTrade ReviewAs featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Daily Telegraph, Garden & Gun, Gardens Illustrated, The Guardian, Martha Stewart Living, Natural History Magazine, New Scientist, Newsweek, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Seattle Times, Smithsonian, The Sunday Times, Tatler, The Wall Street Journal, and on Atlas Obscura, BBC Focus, Goop, and mental floss'The ultimate gift for gardeners and art-lovers.' – Goop'A breathtaking collection of botanical prints, photos, drawings, and even micrograph scans.' – Martha Stewart Living'Plant may start on your coffee table, but it won't stay there for long.' – Flower Magazine'An extraordinary collection.' – Gardens Illustrated 'I am totally mesmerized by the extraordinary range of artists, scientists and technicians represented. Wonderful and absorbing and loving.' – Edwina von Gal, Landscape Designer 'From the winning cover to the beautiful images inside, Plant is a complete pleasure covering centuries of botanical art. Artist information and provenance is dutifully recorded. Inspiration and imagination is there for the taking. This new book is classic Phaidon and bound to be a bestseller.' – David Whitman, Pergola 'The timeless pleasure of looking at plants: a new illustrated book examines mankind's fascination with making images of plants through the ages... Compton's fascination with what different people have done within the remit of botanical art jumps out of every one of Plant's pages. The variety is astounding.' – The Daily Telegraph 'An inspiring delight and great resource for those who cherish all things botany.' – Emily Thompson, Emily Thompson Flowers 'The side by side juxtapositions of images here are brilliant. The clear pencil drawings of Van Gogh and Ellsworth Kelly my favorites, so delicate, just gorgeous.' – Perry Guillot, Landscape Architect 'My award for sumptuous volume of 2016 has to go to Plant: Exploring the Botanical World, 300 works of botanical art from ancient times to the present in every imaginable medium... The images are thought-provokingly juxtaposed.' – The Sunday Times, Move 'Botanical art of all kinds, from a Minoan fresco of swallows billing among ocher red Lilium chalecondicum, painted circa 1600 B.C., to a hand-colored image from a scanning electron microscope of the seed of an alpine pincushion flower, its plum-colored skirts floating like a ballerina mid-jeté. These are things of beauty, but they have a purpose beyond decoration. Plant's editors [...] don't confine themselves to the strictly scientific.' – Newsweek 'Celebrates the beauty and diversity of plants from around the world across all media - from murals in ancient Greece to a Napoleonic-era rose print and cutting-edge scans.' – The Guardian '300 of the loveliest botanical images ever collated.' – Town and Country 'A glorious visual compendium of plants and flowers that spans thousands of years.' – Atlas Obscura 'This beautiful new book is like having a botanical art exhibition on your coffee table.' – Waitrose Weekend 'A glorious presentation of how we've represented flora and fauna in art and photography throughout history.' – Outdoor Photography 'Gorgeous... Fascinating... [An] unprecedented range of artists... A highly nuanced curation of imagery from across the ages. An indispensable coffee table book for the green-fingered and mere admirers alike.' – AnOther Magazine 'It might be a bit early, but this one's already on our Christmas list.' – BBC Focus 'A non-chronological approach illuminates intriguing contrasts and similarities in the artists' approach to capturing vegetation... Each page will surprise.' – Smithsonian 'A lavishly illustrated guide to the fascinating world of plants, this book is a feast for the eyes and will bring joy to anyone with green-fingered tendencies, or simply an appreciation for the diverse beauty of nature.' – theweek.co.uk 'More than 3,000 years of beautiful botanical art... The stories behind the pictures are just as eye-opening... A gorgeously illustrated survey that would make the perfect gift for a plant lover.' – Daily Mail, Weekend 'Here's one you'll have trouble deciding whether to keep or wrap, and as you mull over the decision, each flick to a new page will shift you ever closer to finding some other gift for that art-loving or plant-loving friend... The images and stories are a reminder of our complex love affair with plants, and make for an addictive, page-turning treat.' – The Sydney Morning Herald 'From ancient stone carvings and watercolour illustrations, to the first photography and cutting-edge scans, this history of botanical art explores our endless fascination with nature.' – SA Life 'Plant, Exploring the Botanical World is a seriously beautiful book... The design is beautiful, as expected of a Phaidon publication, and the stories behind each of the artworks are fascinating. What I enjoyed most about it was the range of imagery included - this is not your average botanical illustration book but more a book of art inspired by plants.' – The Planthunter 'What better way to spend a dreary winter afternoon than paging through gorgeous, full-color pictures of flowers? Not just flowers, but roots, stems, leaves, seeds and fruits, too, captured in 300 images of sketches, paintings, photographs, carvings, engravings and pressings that date from 1352 B.C. to the present... The greatest joy comes from stumbling upon the unexpected.' – Atlanta Journal Constitution 'Breathtaking... [This] hefty coffee table book features 300 remarkable pieces of plant-related art.' – mental_floss 'We love this survey of botanical art... Its pages teach you about plants, it reveals much about the time period and culture in which these images were created.' – Real Living 'What is rather lovely about this book, which unites 300 botanical images from ancient stone carvings to vivid micrograph scans, is its non-chronological arrangement. Instead, it mixes botanical art from different periods, charting the depiction of plants through interesting pairings.' – House & Garden 'Botanical beauty... Art and science were often close allies when images of flowers were created centuries ago, and that remains true with the latest photographic technology. ' – Independent 'The rich range of imagery is spectacular.' – Lugene Bruno, curator Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation

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Book SynopsisA revised and updated edition of Andrew Lawson’s classic work Andrew Lawson has an artist’s eye, a scientist’s training and long experience as both a gardener and a photographer of gardens. In this book he calls on all his skills and practical knowledge to illuminate the complex subject of using colour in the garden and to demonstrate the extraordinary power of colour to change the sense of space, to suggest coolness or warmth and to evoke different moods. The Gardener’s Book of Colour shows how to put colours together in garden beds, borders and containers, explaining how to construct harmonizing and contrasting schemes and exuberant displays of mixed colour. All the major schemes are supported by keyline drawings giving full planting details. In addition, illustrated plant directories, arranged by colour and flowering season, provide cultivation details for over 850 plants, enabling you to assemble the right plants for your chosen scheme and to carry that scheme through the year. Authoritative and accessible, The Gardener’s Book of Colour will stimulate your imagination and put exciting new ideas within your grasp. Whether you want an instant splash of brilliant seasonal colour or a sumptuous border with subtle year-round appeal, this book will show you how to achieve it.Trade Review"A reprint of an old favourite, my original copy is dog-eared and tattered with love. Whenever I am puzzling about where to fit a plant in the garden or design a scheme, this sourcebook proves invaluable with plants categorised by colour and images featuring various combinations of hues." * Image magazine *"thoroughly revised and updated....spectacularly illuminating illustrations, the book sets out above all to help you find both what individual colours and what combinations work best for you throughout the year. In short, invaluable." -- David Sexton * Evening Standard Best Gardening Books of 2015 *'The Gardener's Book of Colour is a classic, written 20 yeras ago, re-released in a different format. This is a much more compact book, one with a life away from the coffee table, one that can be carried and read and referred to. Basic understanding of colour...is an essential tool, which makes Lawson's book as relevant as ever.' * Sunday Telegraph *'Whatever the size of your garden, there is inspiring advice to be had from the definitive work on the subject. The photographs in this hugely helpful book are superb.....There's no likelihood of failures in planning if you absorb the lessons of this impressive book, and it is as delightful in its minor suggestions as it is persuasive on the loftier issues...Authoritative and reader-friendly, this is an essential book for the gardener's library.' * The Lady *'This excellent book tells you all you need to know about brightening up your garden. "Colour is the most potent weapon in a gardener’s armoury," says Lawson in this revised and updated edition of his authoritative guide, which offers helpful tips and stunning photographs to show how to keep the colour interest alive in every season.' * Daily Mail *'As well thought out and thorough as it is possible such a book to be ... but of course, it is the big photographs in the book that make it special. And not just because some of them are captivatingly beautiful, but because they are all organically related to the text.' * The Oldie *‘At the top of the heap of gardening glitterati, Andrew Lawson has produced a book that combines all his talents: it gives you this Renaissance man as painter, photographer, writer and gardener . . . You need this book.’ * Country Living *'He talks with reassuring simplicity on such basic yet essential matters as light saturation, tones and colour distribution, so that newcomers to gardening, as well as old hands, will find themselves understanding the huge and potentially complex subject of colour in the garden. This is a constructive book, and beautiful, too.' * Hortus *‘The word “definitive” makes me nervous, but once you have The Gardener’s Book of Colour, I should be surprised if you ever needed another book on the subject.’ -- Ursula Buchan * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe art of bonsai is widely known in the West: from the Karate Kid to the American Bonsai Association and even local grocery stores, bonsai has become a common sight in the States. But bonsai, the Japanese art of creating miniature trees, actually originated in China, where it's called penjing. Penjing, meaning "tray scenery," is a traditional Chinese art of creating miniature potted landscapes including trees and other plants. Brought from China to Japan in ancient times before spreading to the West, bonsai/penjing is now popular throughout the world. In China, the art of creating miniature landscapes has evolved in several different ways. Literati Style Penjing: Chinese Bonsai Masterworks focuses on a special category of penjing associated with traditional Chinese culture, such as the painting of the literati, or elite scholar-bureaucrats, of imperial China. Like literati ink paintings, this style of penjing has a subtle elegance distinguished by a lone, lean trunk with sparse foliage exhibiting distinct lines and simplicity. The term "literati style penjing" has been widely accepted by the bonsai community and is becoming more common within the bonsai world. It is well suited to melding concepts from Chinese painting, poetry and Zen into a stunning bonsai work, making it of interest to a wide variety of gardening styles. Literati Style Penjing; Chinese Bonsai Masterworks explains the concept of penjing with a literati bent, exploring its rich history and aesthetics, as well as cultivation techniques, and care and maintenance. It includes 12 examples of literati style penjing creations, which incorporate a deep knowledge of the art form together with practical creativity and artistic beauty. Lovers of bonsai will find much to inspire and delight within these pages.

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Book SynopsisIf you have a backyard, or even a sunny porch or balcony, you can grow your own hops, brewing herbs, and malt grains to enhance the flavor, aroma, and uniqueness of your home-brewed beer — and ensure that you have the freshest, purest, best ingredients possible. Simple instructions from experts Joe and Dennis Fisher guide you through every step of the process, from setting up your first hop trellis to planting and caring for your herbs, harvesting and drying them, malting grain, and brewing more than 25 recipes specifically designed for homegrown ingredients. This fully updated second edition includes a new section featuring color photography of the plants, expanded information on growing hops in small spaces, innovative trellising ideas, an expanded section on malting, new profiles of prominent grower/brewers, and up-to-date information on grain-growing best practices.

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Book SynopsisIn this first substantial study of Emily Dickinson's devotion to flowers and gardening, Farr seeks to join both poet and gardener in one creative personality, casting new light on Dickinson's temperament, aesthetic sensibility, and vision of the relationship between art and nature.Trade ReviewIn this first major study of our beloved poet Dickinson's devotion to gardening, Farr shows us that like poetry, gardening was her daily passion, her spiritual sustenance, and her literary inspiration...Rather than speaking generally about Dickinson's gardening habits, as other articles on the subject have done, Farr immerses the reader in a stimulating and detailed discussion of the flowers Dickinson grew, collected, and eulogized...The result is an intimate study of Dickinson that invites readers to imagine the floral landscapes that she saw, both in and out of doors, and to re-create those landscapes by growing the same flowers (the final chapter is chock-full of practical gardening tips). -- Maria Kochis * Library Journal *This is a beautiful book on heavy white paper with rich reproductions of Emily Dickinson's favorite flowers, including sheets from the herbarium she kept as a young girl. But which came first, the flowers or the poems? So intertwined are Dickinson's verses with her life in flowers that they seem to be the lens through which she saw the world. In her day (1830-86), many people spoke 'the language of flowers.' Judith Farr shows how closely the poet linked certain flowers with her few and beloved friends: jasmine with editor Samuel Bowles, Crown Imperial with Susan Gilbert, heliotrope with Judge Otis Lord and day lilies with her image of herself. The Belle of Amherst, Mass., spent most of her life on 14 acres behind her father's house on Main Street. Her gardens were full of scented flowers and blossoming trees. She sent notes with nosegays and bouquets to neighbors instead of appearing in the flesh. Flowers were her messengers. Resisting digressions into the world of Dickinson scholarship, Farr stays true to her purpose, even offering a guide to the flowers the poet grew and how to replicate her gardens. -- Susan Salter Reynolds * Los Angeles Times *If you want poetry and gardening of equal merit, turn to Emily Dickinson, whose gardens--poetic and herbaceous--are the subject of an attractive new book, The Gardens of Emily Dickinson, by Judith Farr. It includes a chapter on 'Gardening with Emily Dickinson' by Louise Carter. This book catches a constant tension in Dickinson's life. An interesting, skillful gardener, she had a strong literal regard for the immediate world in which she gardened. And yet the garden in her poems is never just her garden. Nature serves her visionary passion. A dandelion demonstrates how 'Winter instantly becomes/An infinite Alas.' I suspect that as she passed among her flowers in Amherst they evaporated into the symbolic ether behind her. And yet, as Farr notes, Emily Dickinson had strong gardener's hands. -- Verlyn Klinkenborg * New York Times Book Review *Farr...shows that Dickinson's use of flower imagery drew on first-hand experience in the garden and conservatory. She was a passionate gardener, 'able to envision every season and flower at will,' Farr writes, her gardening, like her poetry, 'the manifestation of profound and even occasionally rebellious desire.'...For bringing us so close to Emily Dickinson--one can almost hear her breathing--The Gardens of Emily Dickinson deserves wide readership. -- Tom D'Evelyn * Providence Journal *The reclusive poet's garden, conservatory and the nearby woods were intimate theaters, entwined with her identity, requisite to her survival and her primary inspiration. Plants and flowers had souls and spoke to her; their lives and deaths were mystical events. In them, she found metaphors for beauty, truth, heaven and earth, and she wove them into poems she called 'blossoms of the Brain.' Dickinson scholar Judith Farr unravels the symbolism in Dickinson's spare sensuous poetry and explores the influences of family, friends and Victorian culture on her work. The final chapter, by horticulturalist Louise Carter, describes plants surely and most likely grown by Dickinson, along with their care. (She loved heavily scented flowers and described herself as a 'Lunatic on Bulbs.') An engrossing read, illustrated with paintings, photographs and other images from the era. -- Lili Singer * Los Angeles Times *Farr claims Dickinson was better known in her lifetime as a skilled gardener than as a poet. She grew native plants and more exotic imports, and she botanised in the woodlands and pastures surrounding her home. This is, of course, no news to Dickinson scholars, but the point cannot be stressed too often. Farr makes it emphatically by bringing together a wealth of material about Dickinson's engagement with flowers. Her book, which is full of close readings, is likely to become the standard work on the subject. As Farr shows, Dickinson's gardening and writing were intertwined enterprises, which both required a great deal of care. -- Madeleine Minson * Times Higher Education Supplement *For the serious Dickinson lover, get The Gardens of Emily Dickinson by Judith Farr, an engrossing and serious biography with deep analysis of the floral themes in the poems. -- Carol Stocker * Boston Globe *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Gardening in Eden 2. The Woodland Garden 3. The Enclosed Garden 4. The "Garden in the Brain" 5. Gardening with Emily Dickinson Louise Carter Epilogue: The Gardener in Her Seasons Appendix: Flowers and Plants Grown by Emily Dickinson Abbreviations Notes Acknowledgments Index of Poems Cited Index

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Book SynopsisThe easy way to succeed at urban gardening A townhouse yard, a balcony, a fire escape, a south-facing window even a basement apartment can all be suitable locations to grow enough food to save a considerable amount of money and enjoy the freshest, healthiest produce possible.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 What You’re Not to Read 2 Foolish Assumptions 3 How This Book Is Organized 3 Part I: Urban Gardening 101 3 Part II: Gardening Basics 4 Part III: Places and Ways to Garden 4 Part IV: Growing Plants in the City 4 Part V: Growing to Perfection 5 Part VI: The Part of Tens 5 Icons Used in This Book 5 Where to Go from Here 6 Part I: Urban Gardening 101 7 Chapter 1: Gardening in the City 9 Knowing the Basics of Soil Prep 9 Finding the Many Places to Garden the City 10 Growing All Kinds of Plants in The City 11 Trees and shrubs 12 Edibles 12 Annual flowers 13 Perennial flowers and roses 13 Lawns and groundcovers 14 Exploring the Down and Dirty of Growing 14 Weeding and mulching 15 Watering 15 Pest patrol 15 Chapter 2: Reaping the Benefi ts of Urban Gardening 17 Enjoying Local Produce from Urban Food Gardens 18 Looking at places to grow food 18 Checking out urban food gardening projects 19 Creating Healthy Cities 22 Reducing pollution 22 Making cities more livable 25 Improving the neighborhood 26 Chapter 3: The Urban Microclimate 27 The Sunny City: Working with the Sun and Warmer Urban Temperatures 27 Taking advantage of seasonal solar angles 28 Dealing with solar glare 29 Minimizing the Heat Island Effect 29 The Windy City: Working with Seasonal Urban Wind Patterns 32 Taking Macroclimate and Microclimate Conditions into Account in Your Garden 34 Knowing your hardiness zone 34 Considering your own microclimatic conditions 35 Part II: Gardening Basics 37 Chapter 4: Getting to Know Your Soil 39 Determining Your Type of Soil 40 Understanding the different soil types 40 Figuring out what you have 41 Checking Your Soil’s Drainage 42 Performing a percolation test 43 Mastering the metal rod test 43 Discovering Your Soil’s pH Level 44 Finding Out What Lies Beneath the Soil 45 Doing a little digging (literally and fi guratively) 46 Protecting yourself from soil contaminants 46 Chapter 5: Feeding and Fertilizing Your Soil 51 Organics 101: Plant Matter 52 Adding a Little Something Extra to Build Soil Fertility: Animal Manure 54 Making Compost and Growing Soil 56 Composting safely in the city 56 Choosing a container 57 Building your pile 58 Troubleshooting common composting problems 59 Composting with worms 60 Giving Your Plants and Soil a Boost with Fertilizers 62 Getting to know the “big three” in commercial fertilizers 62 Wet versus dry fertilizers 63 Applying a side dressing of fertilizer 65 Chapter 6: Getting Your Hands Dirty: Planting How-To 67 Planting Annual Flowers and Veggies 67 Starting with a raised bed 68 Deciding whether to buy seeds or transplants 70 Making a seed-starting schedule based on frost dates 71 Growing your own seedlings 73 Picking out transplants 74 Planting your annual or vegetable garden 75 Planting Trees and Shrubs 78 Buying a tree or shrub 78 Digging the hole and planting 79 Getting your trees and shrubs off to a good start 82 Planting Perennial Flowers, Bulbs, and Roses 83 Buying and planting perennial flowers 84 Buying and planting bulbs 84 Buying and planting roses 86 Part III: Places and Ways to Garden 89 Chapter 7: Creating an Outdoor Room 91 Analyzing Your Outdoor Space 92 Fencing In Your Space 92 Planning Your Outdoor Room 93 Creating Your Garden Entrance 93 Installing moon gates for a Zen-like feel 94 Showing off your space with garden arbors 95 Opting for other types of entry features 96 Defining the Uses for Your Outdoor Room 96 Creating a Focal Element 97 Using a unique plant 98 Creating serenity with a water feature 99 Going with a man-made feature 100 Turning Recycled Materials into Chic and Useful Garden Art 101 Using yard sale items 101 Repurposing materials (Reusing junk) 103 Considering Interactive Garden Art 104 A garden sundial 104 Music in the garden 105 Chapter 8: Containing Your Gardening 107 Surveying Container Options 107 Cool commercial containers 109 Hanging, balancing, and other interesting containers 110 Bathtubs, birdcages, bicycles, and more 111 Selecting Soil for Your Container 112 Planting a Container 113 Prepping your pots 114 Planting your containers properly 114 Jazzing Up Your Containers 116 Placing containers for visual interest 116 Coordinating colors 117 Cool container combos 117 Taking Care of Your Container Plants 119 Watering 119 Maintaining your containers 120 Moving containers 122 Chapter 9: A Garden with a View: The Rooftop Garden 123 Finding Out the Rooftop Gardening Basics 124 Why grow up? Reviewing reasons for planting on the roof 124 What’s your type? Choosing a green roof or roof garden 125 How much is enough? Looking at your limits 126 What’s next? Getting started and developing a plan 129 Designing a Rooftop Garden or Green Roof 131 Structural considerations: Making sure your roof won’t cave in 132 Managing rainwater 133 Deciding what to grow 135 Planning electrical service and lighting 137 Transporting materials 137 Staying In Bounds with a Rooftop Container Garden 138 Chapter 10: Going Vertical in Your Garden 141 Discovering the Benefits of Growing Vertical 141 Facing the Challenges of Growing Vertical 142 Rethinking Your Space: Up, Down, and All Around 143 Getting Plants to Grow Up 144 Vertical structures: Providing a place to climb 144 Growing vertical veggies and fruits 150 Giving Containers a Lift 151 Understanding the special considerations for vertical container gardening 151 Choosing vertical containers 151 Chapter 11: Apartment Gardens 155 Balcony Gardens 155 Using containers on your balcony 156 Creating a picture frame garden 158 Using flowerbox planters 159 Indoor Gardening 161 Creating an indoor herb garden 161 Growing under lights indoors 163 Practicing indoor plant care and watering 164 Chapter 12: Community Gardening and Urban Farming 165 Community Gardening 101 165 A brief history of community gardening 166 How community gardening works 167 Starting a Community Gardening Program 167 Selecting a site 168 Developing your site 168 Organizing the garden 169 Managing the garden 169 Urban Farming = Urban Renewal 169 Benefits of gardening together 171 Avoiding down zoning 171 Marketing Locally 172 Selling produce at farmers’ markets 172 Participating in farm-to-school initiatives 172 Selling to local restaurants 173 Hosting harvest festivals 173 Creating community gatherings and celebrations 173 Sharing a Garden 174 Gardening with roommates 174 Volunteering for others 175 Hiring out as an urban farmer 175 Planting a row for the hungry 175 Going from Pavement to Parks 176 Reclaiming urban green space 176 Creating urban parklets 178 Part IV: Growing Plants in the City 179 Chapter 13: City Setting, Country Food 181 Making a Veggie Garden Plan 181 Choosing a site for your vegetable garden 181 Sizing up your garden: How big is big? 182 Laying it all out 183 Keeping Your Veggies Happy 183 Feeding 184 Weeding, mulching, and watering 185 Raising the Top City Vegetables 185 Leafy greens 186 The tomato family: Eggplants, peppers, and other relatives 186 Melons, squash, and other vining vegetables 188 Root vegetables 189 Peas and beans 190 Cabbage, broccoli, and more 192 Easy herbs 192 Extending the Season 194 Succession planting: Lettuce forever! 195 Intercropping: The space between 195 Protecting plants in cool weather 196 Chapter 14: The Annual Flowering of the City 199 Understanding Annuals 199 Siting Your Annual Flower Garden 200 Figuring out whether your garden can support sun- or shade-loving annuals 200 Prepping and planting 201 Considering color 201 Thinking about texture and fragrance 202 Growing flowers for cutting 203 Growing Annuals in Containers 203 Choosing Annual Flowers for All Seasons and Soils 205 Cool spring and fall flowers 205 Summer flowers 207 Flowers for every soil 209 Caring for Your Annuals to Keep a Continuous Flower Show 210 Watering 210 Weeding 211 Fertilizing 211 Deadheading 212 Pruning 212 Keeping them up 213 Using Succession Planting to Maintain Your Annual Flowers 213 Chapter 15: Perennial Flowers, Roses, and Bulbs in the City 215 Getting to Know Perennials, Roses, and Bulbs 215 Finding a Permanent Planting Spot 216 Considering sun, soil, and exposure 216 Going with containers 217 Choosing Perennials Fit for City Living 218 Sun-loving perennial fl owers 219 Shade-loving perennial fl owers 221 Growing and Maintaining Perennial Flowers 222 General care and maintenance 222 Providing a little extra support 223 Divide and multiply 224 Enjoying La Vie en Rose 224 Selecting the best city roses 225 Growing and caring for roses 226 Lighting Up Your Garden with Bulbs 227 Finding a spot for bulbs 228 Finding the best spring flowering bulbs for the city 228 Determining the best summer flowering bulbs for the city 229 Caring for bulbs 229 Chapter 16: Growing a Tree in Brooklyn 231 Selecting City-Friendly Trees 231 The best deciduous trees 232 Evergreen tree options 234 Growing Some Shrubbery 235 Looking at ways to use shrubs in your yard 235 Discovering some great city shrubs 236 Keeping Your Trees and Shrubs Fit 239 Watering and fertilizing 239 Pruning 101 240 Growing City Fruits 242 Finding the best fruit trees for the city 243 Keeping those tree fruits growing 244 Keeping Berry Bushes in the City 245 Choosing the best city berries 245 Staying berry healthy 248 Chapter 17: Lawns and Ground Covers 249 Selecting the Right Grass 250 Cool-season grasses 250 Warm-season grasses 252 Seed versus sod 253 Caring for Your Lawn 255 Looking at city mowers 255 Mowing correctly 256 Maintaining your lawn 257 Patching up paradise 259 Ground Cover Alternatives 259 Lawns versus ground covers 259 Cityside ground covers 260 Planting and caring for your cover 261 Part V: Growing to Perfection 263 Chapter 18: Weeding and Mulching Your Plants 265 Winning the War on Weeds 265 Identifying weeds and knowing why you should care 266 Stopping weeds before they’re a problem 267 Controlling weeds once they’re large 269 Mulching 101 269 Types of mulch 270 Mulching correctly 273 Chapter 19: Watering Your Garden 275 Conserving Water 275 Knowing how much you need to water 276 Using less water 277 Harvesting Water 278 Installing a rain barrel 279 Utilizing gray water 279 Creating a rain garden 280 Delivering Water to Your Plants 282 Hoses and cans 282 Watering wands 282 Trigger nozzles 283 Soaker hoses 283 Drip irrigation 284 Sprinklers 286 A few other watering methods to try 287 Chapter 20: Controlling Urban Garden Pests 289 Knowing the Good Guys 290 Bringing in beneficial insects 290 Attracting birds to your yard 291 Encouraging bees to stick around 292 Being Proactive to Control the Bad Guys 293 Designing your garden to prevent problems 294 Deciding whether you really have a problem 294 Dealing with Insect Pests in Your Garden 295 Know your bug 296 Managing your pests without sprays 300 Using safe sprays 303 Spotting and Treating Diseases 304 Knowing whether you’re really dealing with a disease 304 Preventing damage in the first place 305 Being aware of some common diseases 306 Finding the safest sprays for diseases 308 Critters in the Bean Patch 309 Identifying animal damage 309 Figuring out which common city animals to watch for 310 Part VI: The Part of Tens 311 Chapter 21: Ten Tools for Urban Gardeners 313 Chapter 22: Ten Kid-Friendly Ways to Garden in the City 319 Chapter 23: Ten Tips to Manage a Sustainable Urban Garden 325 Index 331

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Book SynopsisCompiled by two distinguished professors of horticulture, The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation is a must for professionals and students of horticulture. Over 1,100 species and their propagation requirements by seeds, cuttings, grafting and budding, and tissue culture are discussed in exhaustive detail. Essentially a recipe book for making more trees and shrubs, this reference is a high-level how-to.Trade ReviewWill go a long way to help you ensure success even with the most difficult-to-germinate seeds. -- Phil Oyerly Wilmington News Journal 20091015

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Book SynopsisFilled with essential vitamins, proteins, and enzymes that cleanse, rejuvenate, and heal the body, sprouts just might be the perfect food. In The Sprouting Book, nutritionist Ann Wigmore unlocks the secrets to one of nature’s most beneficial foods, arming readers with all they need to know in order to eat, grow, and reap the benefits of sprouts. This comprehensive guide offers: Information on how sprouts work to strengthen your immune system, boost your metabolism, and increase your energy Methods on how to grow the best-looking, best-tasting sprouts for you and your family Facts on how sprouts can help to heal illness and improve your health More than fifty quick, simple, and delicious sprout recipes  A trusted and celebrated source from a pioneer in natural health, The Sprouting Book is the perfect guide for dieters, vegetarians, athletes, or anyone who wants to look good and feel better.

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Book SynopsisFood plants have their own ornamental value, adding harmony to existing landscapes without creating a separate vegetable garden. They also provide a fresh, healthy alternative to the tasteless and woody fruits and vegetables bred for long-distance transportation and shipped to our grocery stores from all over the world. In this book, we show how, with just a little effort, you can augment your landscape with edibles of every description in an ecologically sustainable manner: * 65 accounts of vegetables, herbs, fruits and seeds * Veggie favorites: tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, beans and onions * Berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries * The superhealthy: flax, broccoli, kale and garlic * The oddly beautiful: Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, asparagus and artichokes * The ancient and exotic: quinoa, amaranth and fennel * Starting, maintaining and harvesting an edible garden * Propagation and winter care * Solutions to common garden problems.

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Book SynopsisThis gorgeous box of postcards features 100 different roses from The New York Botanical Garden''s extensive archives.This elegant, 100-postcard box features beautiful illustrations of roses, the flower world''s most iconic bloom. These vividly colored postcards are perfect for greeting cards, thank you notes, or wall decor, while the box, also printed with magnificent full-color art, can be used as a keepsake when empty.

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Book SynopsisGood soil leads to thriving gardens, and it's easy to create! Elizabeth Snell shows you how to properly use composted plant materials and animal manure to make soil that is perfectly suited to your growing goals. She provides all the information you need to give your garden a healthy foundation of rich, nutrient-filled soil that will ensure bountiful harvests and beautiful plants.Table of ContentsWhat kind of soil do you have?; creating fertility with nutrients and organic matter; the gardener's toy cupboard - soil-building tools; compost - the gardener's ultimate treasure; more soil-boosting secrets - mulches, soil amendments and green manures; demystifying fertilizers; improving what you've got - new sites and problem soils; fine-tuning tips for specific plants; the four seasons of soil building - a soil care calendar.

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Book SynopsisPlan a flower garden for season-long beauty and color with this comprehensive guide to growing 542 annuals, perennials, and bulbs. Plant-by-plant descriptions include specific growing instructions and precise information on regional suitability, sowing, transplanting, bloom time, propagation, and care, so you can choose and cultivate the species that will bloom brightest under your garden’s unique conditions. With at-a-glance design planner lists and full-color photographs of more than 500 flowers, this essential reference source is sure to find a prized place on your potting bench.

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Book SynopsisDo you share your garden with a car? Worried that your neighbour’s trees are blocking your light? Is your garden too big? Too small? An awkward shape? Or maybe you just don’t know where to begin… Whether you are grappling with a particular dilemma or just need some inspiration, this guide leads the way forward with sharp design advice and beautiful images. Read this book and the prospect of tackling your own garden will seem suddenly less daunting and more fun. Trade Review'An inspirational handbook for the nonplussed' – The Sunday Times 'Portable, accessible and jolly' --House & Garden 'Beautifully photographed and perfect for novices' --Elle Decoration 'Wry, useful and entertaining advice' --The Simple Things 'Kendra Wilson has produced a book that will allow those who feel daunted by their garden to discover the fun of gardening' – Gardens Illustrated

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Book Synopsis''It''s a beautiful story of love blossoming in the most unexpected places.'' Phillipa Ashley, bestselling author of A Perfect Cornish SummerSometimes you have to dig a little deeper to get the life you want . . . Abby Hamilton''s world has turned upside down in a matter of months - it seems that change is definitely in the air. But moving into Willow Court might just be the fresh start and happy distraction she needed.Meeting her intriguing new neighbours helps push Abby out of her comfort zone. Then she finds an overgrown patch of garden in desperate need of love and time - something Abby has in spades! Throwing herself into bringing the garden back to life, Abby discovers that new beginnings can come from the most surprising places... An uplifting, feel-good novel, perfect for fans of Holly Hepburn, Heidi Swain and Isabelle Broom.Readers and authors love ''The Garden on Holly Street''''An inspiratiTrade ReviewThe Garden on Holly Street by Megan Attley is a wonderful, heartwarming read about friendship and community, overcoming loneliness and finding happiness in unexpected places. It's so uplifting! - Cressida McLaughlin, author of The Cornish Cream Tea BusThe Garden on Holly Street is a beautifully written, heart-warming story about the importance of kindness and reaching out to those around us. ... All in all, a wonderfully uplifting, positive read! - Carla BurgessThe Garden on Holly Street is the perfect feel-good book. It's full of heart and has a warm sense of community spirit. - Victoria CookeA truly scrumptious, 5* read! This is such a sweet, endearing, and ultimately uplifting story. - Lucy ColemanAn inspirational and touching read - Heidi SwainA heart-warming story about a community coming together. I loved the residents of Holly Street! - Catherine MillerIt's a beautiful story of love blossoming in the most unexpected places. - Phillipa Ashley

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Book SynopsisEach year, the flowering of cherry blossoms marks the beginning of spring. But if it weren’t for the pioneering work of an English eccentric, Collingwood “Cherry” Ingram, Japan’s beloved cherry blossoms could have gone extinct. Ingram first fell in love with the sakura, or cherry tree, when he visited Japan on his honeymoon in 1907 and was so taken with the plant that he brought back hundreds of cuttings with him to England. Years later, upon learning that the Great White Cherry had virtually disappeared from Japan, he buried a living cutting from his own collection in a potato and repatriated it via the Trans-Siberian Express. In the years that followed, Ingram sent more than 100 varieties of cherry tree to new homes around the globe. As much a history of the cherry blossom in Japan as it is the story of one remarkable man, The Sakura Obsession follows the flower from its significance as a symbol of the imperial court, through the dark days of the Second World War, and up to the present-day worldwide fascination with this iconic blossom.

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Book SynopsisWhatever your level of expertise, you''ll find everything you need to know in this easy-to-follow gardening guide.This book contains the principles of good gardening - how plants work and how to give them what they need. It also includes step-by-step advice, tips and techniques.Keen on starting your own garden or looking for gardening tips to improve your existing gardening skills? This simple step-by-step guide will show you where to start, what tools and techniques to use, and how to troubleshoot common garden problems. From bulbs to borders, weeds to watering, pick up gardening techniques, practical basics, and simple skills which will have your garden blooming. Master the essentials of gardening through easy to follow steps and photographs.This beginner''s gardening book will make growing your own garden easy and enjoyable. It includes: - The latest environmentally friendly practices- A new section of growing fruit, veget

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Book SynopsisAlmost eighty years after her death, Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) is still one of the most influential of all English garden designers. Best known for the superb use of colour schemes in her hallmark flower borders, she combined an early training in art with self-taught horticultural skills. Early influences included William Morris, John Ruskin and William Robinson, but it is her partnership with the architect Edwin Lutyens that produced some of the most distinctive of Edwardian houses and gardens. From her house (and nursery) at Munstead Wood, Surrey, Jekyll designed over 400 gardens across Britain and Europe, and some in America where her archive of designs and drawings is now held. This book explores her life, influences on her early work in art and crafts, the transfer to Munstead Wood and working relationship with Edwin Lutyens, as well as her own writings and achievements.Table of Contents?Early Life, Art School and Travel / Artist, Gardener, Craftswoman / Flowering and maturity / Beyond the Garden Gate / Autumn of a Gardening Life / A Gardening Legacy / Places to Visit / Further Reading / Index

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Bestseller There aren't many books more beloved than The Tale of Peter Rabbit and even fewer authors as iconic as Beatrix Potter. Her characters-Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck, and all the rest-exist in a charmed world filled with flowers and gardens. In Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life, bestselling author Marta McDowell explores the origins of Beatrix Potter's love of gardening and plants and shows how this passion came to be reflected in her work. The book begins with a gardener's biography, highlighting the key moments and places throughout her life that helped define her. Next, follow Beatrix Potter through a year in her garden, with a season-by-season overview of what is blooming that truly brings her gardens alive. The book culminates in a traveller's guide, with information on how and where to visit Potter's gardens today.Trade Review'There are photographs here that I have never seen before of Beatrix and her gardens, and delicious watercolours of rose hips, violets, clematis and honeysuckle, snapdragons and waterlilies.' (Alan Titchmarsh, The Telegraph)

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Book SynopsisThe essential guide to the simple art of growing stuff.Feeling green-fingered but not sure where to start? This book is for you. Growing stuff - herbs, veg, salad, flowers and plants - is fun and pretty easy. You just need some practical knowledge - all in this book - and a bit of space - a window ledge, pot or plot of soil. Then, have fun growing: basil, mint, parsley, rosemary, chillies, courgettes, rocket, tomatoes, geraniums, pansies, lavender, osteospurmum, daffodils, hyacinths, muscari, tulips, succulents, aloe vera, money plants, maidenhair ferns and oxalis.If you have no outside space at all, you can grow everything here inside too...Trade ReviewA champion of urban gardening * The Finery *

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Book Synopsis'Delightful... The Hidden Horticulturists pulsates with the extraordinary energy and excitement of the time.' Daily MailChosen as one of the Sunday Telegraph's 'Top Ten Gardening Books of the Year' _____________________The untold story of the remarkable young men who played a central role in the history of British horticulture and helped to shape the way we garden today.In 2012, whilst working at the Royal Horticultural Society's library, Fiona Davison unearthed a book of handwritten notes that dated back to 1822. The notes, each carefully set out in neat copperplate writing, had been written by young gardeners in support of their application to be received into the Society's Garden.Amongst them was an entry from the young Joseph Paxton, who would go on to become one of Britain's best-known gardeners and architects. But he was far from alone in shaping the way we garden today and now, for the first time, the stories of the young, working-class men who also played a central role in the history of British horticulture can be told.Using their notes, Fiona Davison traces the stories of a selection of these forgotten gardeners whose lives would take divergent paths to create a unique history of gardening. The trail took her from Chiswick to Bolivia and uncovered tales of fraud, scandal and madness - and, of course, a large number of fabulous plants and gardens. This is a celebration of the unsung heroes of horticulture whose achievements reflect a golden moment in British gardening, and continue to influence how we garden today.Trade ReviewDelightful... The Hidden Horticulturists pulsates with the extraordinary energy and excitement of the time. * Daily Mail *The chance discovery by the author, the RHS's chief librarian, of a notebook led to this excellent page-turner. * 'Top Ten Gardening Books of the Year', Sunday Telegraph *This book by the head librarian of the RHS is a cracker... A highly original piece of research into the lives of jobbing gardeners in the early 19th century, with plenty of fascinating social background. -- Tim Richardson * Gardens Illustrated *The rise and progress of the Victorian head gardener is a tale of ever-increasing professionalism in a developing world of technological progress, artistic revolution and endless plant novelties... It's time their story was told. * Country Life *The story of a cadre of promising young men who qualified as gardeners in the early 19th century... What is refreshing is that nearly all the names unearthed will be unfamiliar, even to garden historians... Davison has conducted deep research into the later careers of most of these gardeners, discovering what happened to them after they left Chiswick. The result is a revealing insight into the lives of aspiring working men in this period. * Literary Review *Table of Contents1: 'The beau ideal': The Horticultural Elite 2: 'Much judgement and good taste': The Gardeners Who Set Standards 3: 'A great number of deserving men': Life Lower Down the Horticultural Ladder 4: 'The most splendid plant I ever beheld': The Collector 5: 'Much attached to Egypt': Travelling Gardeners 6: 'Young foreigners of respectability': Trainees from Abroad 7: 'A little order into chaos': The Fruit Experts 8: 'For sale at moderate prices': The Nurserymen 9: 'A solitary wanderer': The Australian Adventurer 10: 'Habits of order and good conduct': The Rise and Fall of a Head Gardener 11: 'A very respectable-looking young man': Criminals in the Garden

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