Archive For The “Gardening” Category
Stories, History and Recipes. This gorgeous volume is a compendium of all things Christmassy. The Kew Gardens Christmas Book is a beautifully illustrated celebration of the plants and animals central to Christmas. Kew is famed for its polished Christmas presentations and this book reflects its attention to charming detail. Jenny Linford, author of the highly…
60 Travel Experiences to Uplift and Inspire. Well, summer is over. Halloween is almost upon us and then it’s Christmas. Now is the season to start thinking about gifts, and here is a suggestion for a garden or a travel lover – The Joy of Exploring Gardens: 60 Travel Experiences to Uplift and Inspire. This…
Using vegan-organic techniques for a planet-friendly, wildlife-abundant, beautiful and productive garden. It’s been a strange few years, but these taxing times have offered new opportunities and a chance to ‘reset our lives’. Some of us have taken up painting, others have dusted off long-forgotten musical instruments and many have rediscovered the joys of gardening to…
A Celebration of Plants in the Kitchen. We understand more than ever the importance of food. Food is a unifying cultural force, but food security is one of the greatest challenges facing the world. Increased prices and food shortages are a new reality for many. There are 50,000 different plant species that are edible, but…
Cucumber ‘Prolific’ (sometimes also known as ‘Brocade’) A fascinating and useful cucurbit originating in South East Asia. It is a versatile variety known locally as ‘Sambar Southekai’ that can be used in a wide range of dishes. Fruits can be stored in cool dry conditions for months after harvest. Plants are similar in growth to…
It is that time of year when we are all enjoying the great outdoors, which must mean tucking in to picnics with gusto too … hurray! And as the mode du jour for 2021 is bringing the inside out…it is not only food that we can grow for our dining table in the sun, but…
It’s been a strange year and Christmas will likely continue in the same vein. But these times have given us the chance to re-evaluate our lives and what matters. Our gardens have become a focus and Kikkerland have a little Seeds Garden Kit that will remind the lucky recipient of summer days. This is a…
We live in strange times and just now gardens are more important than ever. Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots: Planting Advice & Recipes from Great Dixter will thrill those of us who are lucky enough to have a garden. One doesn’t need a lot of space to grow vegetables. Grow Fruit & Vegetables in…
Courgette and Peppers to Tickle the Taste Buds from Burpee Seeds Europe Not only does growing your own bring you a sense of achievement and wellbeing, but vegetables also keep much more of their vitamins when eaten quickly after harvesting. The courgette and pepper below are the perfect additions to a superb recipe (at the…
An in-depth exploration spanning 800 years of the art, essence, and enduring impact of the Japanese Garden. The most comprehensive exploration of the art and concept of the Japanese garden published to date, this book covers more than eight centuries of the history of this iconic horticultural genre. One might think of a Japanese garden…
We British tend to think that we invented gardens and the concept of those spaces as areas of leisure. English gardens are mimicked the world over and even in countries whose climates are unsuitable for even the notion of a cottagey, green and lush space. In horticultural terms India would be the head gardener and…
The title might conjure images of cows grazing in Hyde Park or pigs on Richmond Green. But this particular urban farmer is cultivating an allotment in north London and Celia Brooks Brown is the aforementioned ‘farmer’. My reader from beyond the UK might not even know what an allotment is. It’s truly an allotment of…
There is so much talk these days about healthy eating and home cooking. We are told to guard against waste and to use what we have to hand. Food should be our most important purchase but we don’t want to throw money away. So what to do? It’s all about flavour. A sprinkle of a…
The “ultimate” anything has got to be good. What would this Garden Designer variety have to offer? It needed to be a comprehensive tome covering every aspect of the subject. Needless to say I had visions of a book the size of a small garden shed or at least a rabbit hutch. This is a…
This is the revised edition of the original Fork to Fork of a decade ago. A few things have changed on the home-growing front in those ten years. We are all a lot more mindful of food miles so a book that presents a real opportunity to pare those miles to yards is bound to be…
This magnificent volume has already sold over half a million copies. Hardly seems like Jekka’s Complete Herb Book needs another promotion but I guess there might be someone who doesn’t already own it or has not yet come across it. Jekka McVicar is a familiar face to UK TV viewers. She has oft graced our…
Growing our own food is becoming a popular pastime and for several very good reasons. Most of us are aware that we should be eating more fresh produce and there is no better way to ensure you get those quality veggies than by growing your own. Prices are rising on a daily basis so food…