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New book reviews on their way

I had a great response for my request for new book reviewers to see what they thought of The Alternative Kitchen Garden: An A to Z.

It was quite hard to narrow down the list, but I have done and now that I’ve emailed everyone who applied (as long as they left a valid email address!) I can tell you that the successful applicants are starting to reveive their copies.

The first person to post on their blog about it is Wulf, who received his book yesterday and has already blogged his first impressions. I’ll keep you posted as the reviews come in, and add them to the sidebar links on my Books page.

Hindsight

Once upon a time, I wrote a book. I wanted to write the kind of gardening book that I would read – one full of interesting snippets of information and personal experience, which wasn’t preachy but inspired people to go out into their garden and plant something they could eat – and then get involved in the wider world of sustainable gardening. I didn’t want to write a comprehensive veg growing manual – there are plenty of people who do that better than me, and a wealth of titles already out there to choose from. I didn’t intend to write a primer for novice gardeners either – new versions of those are published every year, either in spring or in the run up to Christmas.

I took a lot of photos, wrote a lot of words and then passed the torch to Permanent Publications, who did a lot of editing and layout and sent it off to the printer. The Alternative Kitchen Garden: An A to Z was the result, published just over a year ago. I should also say that during the process of writing and producing the book I discovered some wonderful people who helped with proofing, a foreword and pre-publication PR quotes and were generally selfless and wonderful (including the late and lamented Elspeth Thompson).

Inevitably, sooner or later a book gets a bad review, which you’re expected to take on the chin but is quite disappointing. No book is perfect, but a lot of them (and particularly first books, I would imagine) are crafted with love. I was not hoping to write a bestseller, become a world famous author and retire to Barbados to live off gigantic royalty cheques for the rest of my days, occasionally graciously accepting a commission to write another volume. I wanted to share my vision of a gardening world, and to connect with people into the bargain – exactly as I do here, but in a handy portable format.

Which is why a recent review of my book in RALPH* magazine annoys me. For a start, the magazine is a “Review of Arts, Literature, Philosophy and the Humanities”, and I don’t think my book would qualify as any of those, so they’re clearly not my target audience.

And the reviewer has clearly missed the point of the book. With hindsight, the decision to call it ‘An A to Z’ might have misled some readers into thinking it was a comprehensive tome, perhaps more so in the US than here in the UK. But from its size, it clearly isn’t. And she also says it starts with “A is for Apple” and “B is for Beans” – it doesn’t. It starts with “A is for Achocha”, which should give you a better idea of what it’s going to be about.

The review goes on to say that the topics are apparently picked at random, that they’re aren’t enough of them and that none of them are covered in enough depth to satisfy your curiosity (score one for me then – stirring curiosity was one of my aims). The reviewer was apparently motivated to go out and buy a copy of a seed saving book after reading my seed saving section, so I get another point there.

I am taken to task for including plants that I personally don’t like very much (do you think the writers of all those kitchen garden manuals love each and every vegetable equally?) and accused of including plenty that I would “never put in my mouth”. Which isn’t true – the reviewer mentions aubergines (beautiful, ornamental plants), basil (endless varieties available) and borage (much loved by ladybirds), all of which I have eaten and would eat again. They’re just not my favourites. Apparently with “so few” plants mentioned in the book, I should have stuck to the ones I like. But although there may not be hundreds of plants that get their own section, I counted over 60 that I mentioned in a quick flip through.

The reviewer does say that there are some interesting tidbits dispersed through the book, and that the photos are lovely – but apparently they are tiny and my book would work much better as a coffee table book with a hardcover and giant photos (and a price tag that would put most people off!). Sadly I wanted something people could read in bed, on the train, or take out into the garden.

There are plenty of times that I have bought a book and it hasn’t turned out to be what I hoped it was. But these days, with so much book information on the internet, Google Books previews and lots and lots of review sites (I link to the reviews I find on my Books tab), there’s no reason to waste money on a book that isn’t what you want – you can spend as much time looking at it before you buy as you would in a bookstore.

I my case, you can even ask me. If you’d like to know what’s in my book, whether it will solve all your gardening problems (it won’t) or make you laugh (it might) and give you some ideas (it will) then you can email me and I will do my best to ascertain whether it is worth a space on your bookshelf.

And if you’re a blogger or an online book reviewer then there’s still a few days left to apply to become one of my next batch of reviewers to be given a free copy of my book. But please don’t apply if it isn’t the kind of book you will enjoy reading, because I wouldn’t want to waste your time!

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*it may be childish and petulant, but who would read a magazine called RALPH anyway? Doesn’t sound enticing….

Have you read my book? Do you want to?

As you may know, my book – The Alternative Kitchen Garden: An A to Z – was published around this time last year. It’s available all over the world (although you may have to order from the UK or US), and the furthest I know it has reached is Australia.

As a kind of anniversary celebration I want to send out ten review copies to people from anywhere in the world, completely free. But there is a catch – to qualify you have to be a blogger or a regular book reviewer, because I’m hoping that once you’ve read the book you will review it for me.

Please only request a copy if you genuinely want to read the book and review it. Obviously, if you don’t end up reviewing it then I’m not going to come round and bother you, but I do have the memory of an elephant and I’m not the most forgiving person in the world, so you won’t be in line for any goodies in the future!

If you would like to receive a copy of my book then either leave me a comment or email me with your blog URL or the URL of your profile if you’re a book reviewer on a special book review site – I want to see what you’ve been up to! The closing date for requests is 31st August 2010.

After that date I will select the people who will receive a copy and mail them out. If you have any questions you can email me or leave a comment.

Book Review: The Permaculture Garden

My new plan for the garden is to take it further down the low input/ high output route. The inputs I am particularly looking to reduce at the moment are the time I spend doing things like potting on and planting out, and the amount of watering I have to do in summer. Those of you who are in the know will realise that I am talking about applying permaculture principles to my garden. I was already doing that, but permaculture is very much a cyclical process of observing what is going on, thinking about and researching possible solutions and then implementing the ones that you think will have the best and most sustainable effect.

There are lots of books about permaculture, and many have a slant on gardening, but one that I have found particularly useful recently is The Permaculture Garden, by Graham Bell.

The book begins by looking at what a garden is, and the uses to which one can be put. Then it moves through planning the best use of your space (and it is aimed at people in urban environments, who don’t have acres) and walks you through some projects that you could complete in a day if you want to get off to a flying start.

The longer term work involves looking at the resources you have available, permaculture gardening techniques to make the most of those resources and prevent waste and pollution and looking at some of the more unusual permaculture principles, including shaping your growing spaces to increase the amount of productive ‘edge’.

There’s a chapter on adding features like greenhouses and play spaces, one on water (including both ponds and grey water systems) and one on the basics of forest gardening. The final chapters look at community gardening and working with the soil and then there’s a good booklist giving lots of publications you can turn to for more detailed information on all of these subjects.

Throughout the book there are lovely line illustrations by Sarah Bunker and many lists of useful plants that aren’t confined to a boring appendix but are added into tables according to their uses or their favoured locations and dropped in throughout the text so that you’re never overwhelmed with information.

A lovely book book for anyone new to permaculture who wants to focus on the gardening aspects of it, and for those already familiar with the principles who want a reference book to refer to for information or inspiration every once in a while. The Permaculture Garden is published by Permanent Publications and available from the Green Shopping Catalogue.

Book Review: Pests and Diseases

Next up in the review pile is ‘Pests and Diseases‘ by David Hurrion, another book in the Gardeners’ World magazine series.

Glossy, full colour and pocket-sized, it’s a handy reference guide to take out into the garden when you’re experiencing a problem with one of your plants and need to identify it and find a solution.

The book starts off with the basics of raising healthy plants, and a guide to recognising damage that is caused by environmental conditions (also known as physiological damage) rather than a specific pest or disease. There’s a look at why plants are attacked and the different kinds of organisms that attack them. Then you’re in to identifying problems, dealing with them, and helping to avoid them in the first place.

The second section deals with identifying symptoms and is divided up into stem problems, fruit and blossom problems and underground problems. For some reason, attracting beneficial insects has been added to the end of this section, rather than included in the good gardening habits covered in the first section.

It’s the third section that earns this book a place on your bookshelf – the A to Z of basic problems. Although it doesn’t have a picture for everything, there is a description of all the common pests and diseases you’re likely to encounter in your garden, with an idea of how much of a problem they are and ideas on how to control it. Although organic control methods (good gardening practices, natural allies and biological controls and barriers) are discussed, this isn’t an organic book – there are references to pesticides for those who want to use them as a last resort.

The A to Z listing is great if you’re flipping through, but possibly less useful when you’re faced with a problem – you’ll have to have some idea of what you’re dealing with to find the relevant information. This isn’t a bad book, it would be very useful for novice gardeners who are learning to recognise pests and diseases and want a guide to take out into the garden with them. There aren’t too many ‘yukky’ photos, which can be an issue in some of the more detailed publications on pests and diseases, but if you already know the basics then forego buying this one and invest in the RHS version instead.

Book Review: First Time Veg Grower

I have been catching up on my reading lately, which has given me a chance to tackle the pile of unread review books on my shelf. I thought I’d start with something easy – ‘First Time Veg Grower‘ by Martyn Cox is one of the small books in the Gardeners’ World Series.

If you’re new to growing veg then this book would be a good place to start for a simple reference guide that’s not too big to fit in your pocket or your bag if you’re heading out into the garden or down to the allotment. It has a nice wipe-clean cover and looks like it would stand a lot of abuse.

More importantly, it does cover all the basics. The first section explains how to get started, by thinking about how much space and time you have available, and what you might like to grow. It tells you how to prepare a seed bed, dig properly, and check the pH of your soil. Then you’re on to seed sowing and planting out, through planning and into choosing tools.

The second section looks at where you will be growing your vegetables, from pots and windowboxes to handmade raised beds. There’s advice for gardeners with little space, decent kitchen gardens, allotments and greenhouses.

Then the book walks you through choosing the right varieties for your garden, taking into account space restrictions, your tastes and your growing experience. Then there’s a section on ‘Foolproof veg’, although in my experience there’s no such thing. But it covers all the popular crops, such as potatoes and runner beans, beetroot and salad leaves.

The final section is all about how to maintain your vegetable patch once it’s up and running – watering, feeding, controlling pests and diseases, composting, attracting wildlife, weeding and improving your soil.

In short, this is a compact, handy guide (with plenty of colour pictures) that would be a good companion through your first couple of seasons as a veg grower. If you have a little more experience then you’ll find it too basic.

Do you grow unusual edibles?

Ripening goji berries

I am working on a new book project which is all about people who grow unusual edibles. I would like to include profiles of several growers (some famous, some not). I have some people in mind, but I also know that there are plenty of growers out there that I don’t know by name and it would be interesting to see what they’re up to!

So, if you do grow unusual edibles (i.e. things that are out of the ordinary in kitchen gardens in your part of the world) and you would like to be considered for inclusion, then please send me an email with the answers to the following questions (or leave a comment):

1. What unusual edibles do you grow? If you only grow a few, then by all means list individual plants. Or perhaps you grow a lot but are interested in specific plant families or plants from specific geographical regions, or heritage/ heirloom varieties.
2. How did your interest in unusual edibles develop?
3. How do you track down your unusual seeds and plants?
4. Do you have a favourite (commercial) supplier?
5. Do you have books and/or websites (or other sources of information) that you recommend?
6. Do you have a favourite garden to visit that grows a lot of unusual edibles?
7. What are your hints and tips for sourcing unusual edibles?
8. Do you have a book/ website/ project etc that you would like mentioned in the book?

Please bear in mind that I may have to edit your responses for inclusion, and that I may not be able to include them all. Thank you!

Book Review: Sacred Sierra

When I went on holiday last year, I took several books with me. I didn’t get to read them all; I started with The Angel Tree, my first ‘gardening travelogue’. I didn’t enjoy it.

What I should have read was the other gardening travelogue in my suitcase – Sacred Sierra by Jason Webster, which is a much better read. Jason is an ex-pat American, who has spent many years living in Europe and has settled in Valencia (Spain), where he has found a home with a Spanish flamenco dancer called Salud.

Sacred Sierra follows them through their first year in a little farm (a ‘mas’ in the local language) they have bought up on the mountain. Life on a mas has always been hard, with harsh weather and wild animals, and most have gradually been abandoned as people left for an easier life in the towns and cities. But Jason and Salud are hoping to live the good life, away from the heat and the bustle of the cities below.

Their mas has neglected olive and almond trees, which a friendly neighbour helps them to bring back into cultivation. Each small harvest is savoured and provides the motivation to carry on with the clearing and weeding, despite the fact that any new plantings are likely to fall prey to the wild boars that roam the area.

During their first year on the mountain they face numerous challenges, including a forest fire and a storm that takes the newly repaired roof off the home they are renovating. But they remain undeterred and really make an effort to meet the local people and immerse themselves in the culture – much of which is unfamiliar even to Salud.

At the end of the book there is a special Coda which is devoted to information about the main trees that Jason mentions throughout the book – the trees that are adapted to the local climate, have been cultivated there for centuries and which are one of the things that give the area it’s sense of place. While I don’t live in a Mediterranean climate and couldn’t hope to grow these trees myself, I find it fascinating to learn about the plants that are grown and relied upon in other parts of the world, and this aspect of the book was one that I found particularly interesting.

I also have a long standing fascination with Spain (I learned Spanish at school and have visited many times, although I have never been to Valencia) and so I particularly enjoyed another addition to the book. In between the chapters of Jason and Salud’s life are translations of Spanish stories – myths and folk lore, many related to the plants that Jason mentions in his text. And that adds another layer of understanding about how these plants are seen and used in Spanish culture.

All-in-all I reckon this is a great book for a gardener who gets the opportunity to put their feet up over the summer. It didn’t make me long to rush out and plant anything (although I would have had that urge if I didn’t already have a rosemary!), but it was a great read, interesting and enthralling and one which I will be happy to read again. If you liked Driving Over Lemons, then you’ll love this – it has more plants ;)

Book Review: Wisewoman's Cookery

Wisewoman’s Cookery: Food, Sex, Magic & Merriment

Regular readers of this blog will know that as well as adoring edible and useful plants of all kinds, I am very interested in the uses to which they are put. The official name for this is ethnobotany (or economic botany, but to me that adds a different connotation). I’m always on the look-out for interesting information about how people use plants around the world. A lot of what I find is from exotic places, where plants I can’t hope to grow in this climate thrive without much effort.

And so when I came across a review of a book that would let you grow your own garden of erotic delights then I just had to read it!

The book is called ‘Wisewoman’s Cookery: Food, sex, magic and merriment’, with a subtitle of ‘A Guide to Aphrodisiac Cooling, Sensual Simples and Folklore Erotica’. It is self-published by Shannon Loeber and Mary Edwards and available from bookstores in their home town of Vancouver, but for those of us a little further away it can be ordered from ChaptersIndigo.ca and Amazon.ca.

The book itself is divided into four main sections. In ‘Herbal Lore’ you can read about the erotic history of herbs such as parsley and rosemary and there are delicious recipes for both enticing meals and herbal body preparations to enhance all aspects of your wellbeing. For example, the first recipe is for a lover’s massage oil, but there are main courses and baked goods as well.

Things heat up a bit in the next section, ‘Spice Sorcery’, as you discover sensuous uses for cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and more. Here there’s an ancient recipe for the spicy elixir hippocras. According to the book the “seduction of its erotic aroma combined with the therapy of it’s mind-calming effects and heart-warming afterglow make it a perfect aperitif”.

Section three is ‘Bountiful Earth Fruits and Vegetables’ and shows us how to turn the common fruits of our kitchen gardens into enticing edibles. The tomato (in past times known as the love apple) is here, but so is the beetroos, and I’m guessing that most gardeners don’t know that beetroot has a sensuous side!

The final section, ‘Garden Alchemy’ is all about the spiritual connection we make to nature when we garden, and use the produce we grow. It’s about the magic of following natural cycles and closing the loop as we watch seeds sprout and grow into mature plants, harvest their fruits and compost the remains. Here you will also find a section on moon planting and some lovely recipes for enchanted bath salts.

Shannon and Mary spent about five years researching this book. They travelled to folk lore libraries in England and Ireland and collected stories about the great lovers of history and the contributions that strong and vibrant women have made. Their stories are woven into the books with the recipes, all of which have been tried and tested by Shannon and Mary and their families. They also took most of the photographs in the book.

The result is a beautiful and fascinating collection of folklore and history, recipes for food that is simple and healthy but tasty and enticing and for herbal products that you can make in your kitchen that will enhance your love-life but are also healthy and chemical-free. This isn’t a gardening book, it doesn’t explain how to grow these plants in your garden, but if you’ve been looking for interesting ways to add another aspect to your garden or make better use of your produce then this may be the book for you. It is very much in the wisewoman’s tradition of using herbs and natural ‘magic’ to help and heal, and you can find out more about the book on the Wisewoman’s Cookery website.

While I was waiting for my copy of the book to arrive I got in touch with Shannon and Mary and asked them whether they would like to be on the Alternative Kitchen Garden Show. They said yes, I interviewed them last week, and you can now hear them talking about the book in episode 105. They are really down-to-earth and fun, good natured women, and that comes across both in the book and in the interview. They’ve also kindly offered three copies of the book to give away to listeners, so if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning, listen to the show!

Book Review: The Edible Garden

Now that Alys Fowler’s long-awaited tv series The Edible Garden is on the air (and I realize I’m behind in episode reviews, but I am trying to catch up!), the book of the same name has also been published. Last year Alys kindly signed a copy of ‘The Thrifty Gardener’ for me, but I haven’t had time to read it.

But as I was given a review copy of The Edible Garden I thought I had better get on and read it – and I’m very glad I did.

The book is divided into three main sections. Prior to that there’s an introduction, where Alys explains the concept that she’s exploring in her garden on the tv show – polyculture. She also explains how gardening, especially in this way, can re-root you in your local community.

Part 1: Things to Know, takes these concepts a bit further, then covers foraging, seeds and growing from seeds, and everything you need to know to grow healthy plants.

Part 2: Things to Grow contains the ‘edible directory’, a list of plants you might want to grow, together with enough information to grow them and use them and Alys’ thoughts on each one. She covers all the well-known vegetables and then strays off the beaten track a little to talk about things like orach, tree spinach, chrysanthemum greens, salsola, landcress, amaranth and tomatillos.

There’s also a section on perennial veg, including two I don’t know much about – Mitsuba (Japanese parsley) and myoga (Japanese ginger). I’ll have to look into those!

The fruit section is comprehensive, but the most unusual plant mentioned is the honeyberry, which is not surprising as we’re talking about a book which embraces the idea that people don’t have space for an orchard and a huge vegetable patch. It’s followed by flowers, including edible flowers, and a couple of ideas for hand-picked bouquets you could make if you’ve followed Alys’ planting suggestions.

The final part of this section covers seed-saving, and comes up with the wonderful idea that you can save brassica seed (which is notorious for crossing and hybridizing) and use it for microgreens. Because all brassica sprouts are edible, the fact that your seed will not ‘grow true’ doesn’t matter in the slightest.

Part 3: Reaping your harvest, covers how to harvest and what to do with it. There’s a section on preserving that includes recipes for jams and chutneys, then a home cooking section with more recipes, including one for Jerusalem artichoke soufflé which I intend to try if my JA’s crop nicely this year.

Edible seeds are covered, and there are uses for two invasive weeds – a recipe for Japanese knotweed shoots that should help you keep it under control and a suggestion that you collect and eat the seeds of Himalayan balsam, which can also be problematic.

There’s also a section on fermentation (have you got a glut of chard? Check out the Gundru recipe!), one on herbal teas and a final one on fruit liquers and cocktails.

In ‘The Edible Garden’, Alys has put together a well-researched and informative book which is also inspiring and shows that you can create a beautiful and productive garden, even in a smallish space. This is one that’s going on my bookshelf, as I’m sure I will refer to it in the future!

Hampshire Green Fair 2010

I went to the Hampshire Green Fair last year (at the Sustainability Centre) and had so much fun that I forgot to take any photos, except this one of a lovely view from the centre down towards the sea.

This year I’m going to be having even more fun on Sunday May 9th because at this year’s Green Fair I’m going to be running a seed and seedling swap! So if you are going to attend, don’t forget to bring along your surplus seeds and plants – edible, useful or just pretty – to trade in and try growing something new in the garden this year.

I will also be available to sign copies of my book, and there will be opportunities to snag yourself a copy if you haven’t already done so, as the wonderful Green Shopping shop will be open!

The Hampshire Green Fair is set to expect record attendance this year, and promises to be a fun-filled and informative day out for the whole family.

The Kids Area will bigger and more central this year, providing lots of fun activities, including bushcraft, chalk carving and traditional bread-making. Children of all ages can participate in hands on activities, culminating in a parade of fancy dress costumes created throughout the day

The Centre’s main paddock will be lined with stalls selling ethically-sourced goods and local produce. There will be hands-on displays of practical crafts – rag-rug making, green woodworking and willow-weaving to name a few, as well as information on green building techniques.

The GreenShare marquee is a new feature this year, offering a series of talks and discussions on green issues concerning local residents and the wider community. The Centre’s ‘Green Beans’ baby and toddler group will be on hand, happy to share in green parenting experiences, and story teller Jonathon Huet will be keeping all entertained with some engaging and fantastic yarns!

Food will be provided by the Centre’s Beech Café, working alongside the Art House Café from Southampton to serve up delicious food throughout the day, wherever possible using local, organic and fairly traded ingredients.

Music maestro Trevor Thwaites will be assembling a fine and enthusiastic group of successful local musicians, playing a mixture of music to appeal to all tastes and give the day a really festive swing.

And if all that wasn’t enough, you can wash the day down with a pint of ale sourced from a local microbrewery and a scrumptious Hampshire ice cream!

For advance tickets, or directions, click through to the Sustainability Centre website. You can also download a flyer.

Book review: Practical Gardening Handbook

The gardening season is here (just about, it’s raining again as I type this) and the new crop of gardening books is emerging. The first one I have been sent to review is Toby Buckland’s ‘Practical Gardening Handbook’, released under the Gardeners’ World banner. It comes with the subtitle ‘Innovative Ideas, Expert Skills, Traditional Techniques’ and sets out to teach you how to be a better gardener.

Toby’s approach to gardening is one of recycling and resourcefulness, and he likes to experiment with plants and to have a bit of fun in the garden.

The book is divided into three unequal sections. In the first section, ‘Getting to know your garden’, there is information about how to go about starting a new garden, pruning, weeding, hard landscaping, different sorts of plants and the scourge of slugs and snails. Toby explains his ‘out-sourcing’ philosophy for recycling and reclamation, tells you where to find the best freebies and looks at using native timber and plant materials in the garden as well as making your own compost.

The biggest section is part 2 is ‘Growing your garden’, which starts off with the basics of growing from seed and other types of plant propagation. There’s a big chunk on the Edible Garden, with guides to popular fruit, vegetables and herbs as well as greenhouses and polytunnels. For those of us who always fall behind in the garden there’s half a page of ideas for catching up – including sowing seeds indoors, using cloches and windbreaks, pre-sprouting seeds and the use of mulches to warm up soil.

Moving on from the edible garden, there’s stuff on lawns, wildlife and pests and diseases.

For an experienced gardener, Part 3 ‘Living in your Garden’ is the most interesting, as Toby comes out with some unusual ideas. But it’s also the thinnest section. He barely has the space to suggest sinking a few holes into your lawn to turn it into a mini-golf green and give basic instructions on how to put up cargo nets, tree swings and toy cablecars to keep the kids amused.

Adults might be more interested in how to build their own bench, juice press, bin store, green roof or hazel tunnel, but the instructions are very detailed if you’re not a dab hand at DIY.

Then there’s a quick flip through making an underground oven and how to grow a pumpkin for Halloween before the book finishes on a vegetable shopping list for if you want to grow your own Christmas dinner – complete with harvesting and storing ideas for those veggies that won’t survive December on the plant.

All-in-all, if you’re new to gardening and a fan of Toby’s approach on Gardeners’ World then you will probably find this book both helpful and inspiring and enough to get you outside and stuck into the garden (if the weather ever improves). More experienced gardeners will probably find it covers too much old ground and has too little detail to add much to well-stocked bookshelves.

Book review: Kids in the Garden

Last year I contributed to Black Dog Publishing’s rather ground-breaking book project – Growing Stuff, which pulled together a selection of bloggers to write most of the content.

This year its editor, Elizabeth McCorquodale, has produced her own book with Black Dog – Kids in the Garden – and they’ve very kindly sent me a copy to review.

The book is divided into three sections. The ‘Introduction’ section has a lot of information about gardening techniques and science – everything from composting and plant propagation through to photosynthesis and the carbon cycle.

The ‘Projects’ section is where you get into growing the plants, mainly in containers. There’s the usual suspects thought suitable for kids to grow (including broad beans, with their nice big seeds and sunflowers to see who can grow the tallest one), but there’s more, too. There’s even some fruits, with gooseberries and raspberries making an appearance. Perhaps the only real disappointment here is that herbs get relegated to two pages, all lumped in together.

The final section is ‘Recipes’, and there’s plenty here to ignite a passion for food, although I can’t be the only person who would be wary of kids deep-frying courgette (called zucchini throughout the book) fritters.

Right at the back you’ve got a glossary and the answers to the quiz questions posed throughout the book, which is also filled with lots of colour photos, cartoons and silly jokes.

The blurb says that this is a book “for kids of all ages”, but I think it has too much in it to be good for young children and is really aimed at school-age kids. For a child with an interest in gardening I can see this becoming a firm favourite and much-thumbed as they grow up and need less supervision.

Lob author comes to town

If you read my review of Lob by Linda Newbery then you may be interested to know that Linda will be in Mostly Books in Abingdon on Thursday 25th February.

For the whole of half-term week, Mostly Books will also be running ‘Lob’ activities in the shop. Try to find the green man in their ‘find Lob’ competition – and you can even draw your own Cat to enter their Cat Tales competition to win prizes. More details in the shop.

Finally, on Thursday, February 25th at 4pm, you can come to the shop to meet Linda herself, who will be signing copies of all her books. If you can’t make it to the shop, copies can be reserved by emailing books@mostly-books.co.uk.

Adventures with a Kelly Kettle

We went to see my publisher (Permanent Publications, and they’re also the people behind Permaculture Magazine) yesterday. It turned out to be their 20th anniversary, and as you can see we took part in the celebrations.

From left to right that’s Mary Lewis, Centre Manager for the Sustainability Centre, Penny Rose, Maddy and Tim Harland, and me. You can read Maddy Harland’s thoughts on their anniversary over on her blog (and while you’re there, check out her DIY bird box instructions and the lovely pictures of the birds in their garden).

I love being one of their authors because not only are they lovely people but they’re really green rather than light green or green washed, and yet they’re not preachy. They’re into practical solutions and having fun and just getting stuck in. Everyone who works in the office is a big fan of outdoor cooking, something I haven’t really tried yet. And so I’m chuffed to bits that they’ve given me a Kelly Kettle (a very funky camping stove) to try. You can see one in action on Alys Fowler’s allotment and they burn tiny bits of fuel to heat water or cook your food. I’m dying to try it out and make cups of tea in the garden, but it’s too cold yet – but keep an eye out as I will be using it at every opportunity and sharing my Adventures with a Kelly Kettle all summer!

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