Here we in the in-between period with the New Year waiting impatiently in the wings. You have those gift vouchers/money you were given as a gift and the New Year's Resolutions are percolating. I have picked some gardening books to tempt you into making those resolutions into reality.
I have not paid for these books, nor have I been paid to write these reviews. My words and opinions are my own.
The Self-Sufficiency Garden by Huw Richards and Sam Cooper
If you are thinking about growing your own food this book will be useful for you, if you want to go the whole 'Tom and Barbara' (age related reference) then this book is very much for you.
Whilst I am a big fan of audio books and not averse to an online version: in relation to gardening books I like the real deal - I want a physical copy. This book is a handy size, it is not too big or too weighty yet is packed full of information. I love that the paper is not shiny, it feels compostable (no I am not going to compost it but you know what I mean). What I really love about this book is it's no nonsense approach. Huw and Sam know that space is an issue for most gardeners: we don't all have acres. The garden they base this book on is roughly half and allotment in size and of course you can choose how much you want to go down this route. It is not all or nothing. If you do want to go down the full self-sufficiency route this book is very well explained and very detailed. There are plans, planting rotations, monthly sowing plans, how to grow and the tools you need and projects to create some of the equipment you might need such as hooped planting covers and hot beds. You are taken carefully through the seasons, what you need to do and when. There is also the necessary information on how to store your produce and some fabulous recipes. There are useful plans and excellent photographs to demonstrate and inspire. Even if you just want to grow a few carrots then this book has useful information in it. I really rate this book.
The Self-Sufficiency Garden by Huw Richards and Sam Cooper is published by DK Books
Grow to Eat by Rob Smith
Still on the theme of growing your own food, this new book from Rob Smith is a fantastic guide to growing your own food. This book focuses on how to grow from scratch familiar and some not so familiar vegetables. This book is full of wonderful photographs showing how beautiful vegetables can be. The advice is spot on, with how to sow, grow, harvest and store plus some top tips such as to successionally sow peas every few weeks so that you lengthen the harvesting time. Rob recommends varieties to grow; which is very useful as there are so many in the catalogues I admit to sometimes just going for the ones I like the name of most which is probably not the best way to do this. Similar to the book above it is a nice size which I think really matters with reference books. This is an excellent book for someone new to vegetable gardening and also someone who always can learn more. I fully recommend it.
Grow to Eat by Rob Smith is published by Quadrille Books.
Project Mushroom by Lorraine and Jodie Carey
I love mushrooms, I am not hugely adventurous in the ones that I eat, but I do like eating them. Many (many) years ago there was even a useless attempt at growing them which in reality was an attempt to see how many compost flies could I breed (sigh). This book is just an absolute delight. It is so beautiful with really beautiful photographs and illustrations it is pretty much a work of art. Lorraine and Jody talk you through how to successfully grow your own, to how to store and projects teat and do exciting things with fungi such as printing with them. There is also advice on foraging and whilst this appeals I am ridiculously risk averse and would not try it unless I had someone with me who knew what they were doing. I love love love this book and feel inspired to try again at growing my own. So watch this space.....
Project Mushroom by Lorraine and Jodie Caley is published by Quarto Books
A Year Full of Pots by Sarah Raven
Books by Sarah Raven are always of exquisite quality. The content is always top-notch. I always enjoy how Sarah writes. She has an informative and practical style that is rooted in her personal experience. So when I saw this book about container planting I knew it would be good. Month by month Sarah takes us through what to plant/sow and how to do this. She talks us through what will be in flower and gives us inspiration as to what to plant with what. The photography by Jonathan Buckley is superb and makes this feel like an irresistible menu to choose from. It is a book to dip in and out of throughout the year. Container planting is always very popular and something I do and always aspire to do better. Maybe this year with the aid of this book I will.
A Year Full of Pots by Sarah Raven is published by Bloomsbury
A good winter garden is a magnificent thing. Keeping interest in our gardens throughout the seasons is something most gardeners want to achieve. I am happy that not all areas in my garden have interest all year, that my focus moves around the garden as the season turns; but in the grey, dark, Winter months I need things to bring cheer. Books that focus on Winter gardening are not plentiful, but this book from Tony Hall takes it place centre-stage as an inspirational guide. We are taken through berries and foliage, to the bulbs and shrubs that will add value to our gardens. We are told about the importance the Winter garden has for wildlife and how fragrance draws in the pollinators. The photography, also by Tony Hall, fits perfectly with the text that tells us what we need to know about each plant discussed. We are told the plants foibles, where best to plant it, when it flowers and how hardy it is. This book is filled with good advice and information so that we will enjoy our gardens all year round.
Take care and be kind.
