Gardening
Format: Hardback
Pages: 208
ISBN: 9781036117320
Pub Date: 28 Feb 2025
Format: Hardback
Pub Date: 28 Feb 2025
Pages: 208
ISBN: 9781036117320
Description:
London’s Royal Parks are among its most beautiful and beloved spaces: just as much as the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace or St Pancras Station, the mere mention of Hyde Park or Greenwich Park is enough to evoke the capital in all its glory for residents and tourists alike. They have a magnificent history – some were royally owned as far back as the Norman conquest, others were acquired by Henry VIII during the Reformation and were great hunting grounds for successive monarchs – and since being opened to the public, they have hosted some of London’s great events, including the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park and innumerable jubilees, international games and competitions and celebrations. Today, the Royal Parks are visited by over 77 million visitors. But what are the ingredients of these magnificent green spaces? We often think of wider landscapes of trees, grass, lakes, meandering footways, bedding displays and herbaceous borders. But the Royal Parks are much more than this. Defined as ‘parkitecture’, we find royal palaces, stately homes, villas, monuments, memorials, statues of national figures and war heroes, public art, often controversial yet inspiring, sculpture, bandstands, gates and railings of exquisite designs, fountains, refreshments rooms, lodges and pavilions, bridges and boathouses. Each of the Royal Parks is defined by its ‘parkitecture’, from the formality of Regent’s and St James’s Parks to the rurality of Bushy and Richmond Parks. This new book is a long overdue complete celebration of the many buildings and monuments of London’s Royal Parks with over 250 beautiful illustrations.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781399006163
Pub Date: 15 Mar 2023
Format: Hardback
Pub Date: 15 Mar 2023
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781399006163
Description:
Spring is the most captivating season of the year for both novice and veteran gardeners as green shoots emerge from bare earth, announcing the promise of beautiful blooms to come. But have you ever found yourself crouched beside a flower bed, puzzling over which plants exactly are pushing their way through the soil?
Difficult, but by no means impossible – and this is where this picture-led book, jam-packed with useful information, compelling facts and identification tips for beginners, is at hand. Cataloguing 150 common garden plants found in Britain and Europe, the book covers perennials, flowers, shrubs, weeds and wildflowers as well as a unique section on self-seeding plants, which merrily spread about our gardens and can prove difficult to identify.
As well as satisfying your curiosity, identifying the plants in your outdoor space will help you get the most out of your plot. Without knowing which flowers, herbs, shrubs or weeds you are working with, it is impossible to give your garden or allotment the care it needs to thrive. And even those without the luxury of their own outdoor space will find interesting insights on plant names and origins alongside intriguing historical tidbits in this engaging field guide, from the connection between daffodils and dementia in Wales to the controversial history of the hawthorn tree.
In this comprehensive directory, you’ll find garden plants organised according to type with hands-on advice for identifying the mystery interlopers in your borders, and information about their height, spread, flowering period and toxicity. Discover a wide array of British garden plants, with practical tips for their care and uses.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 184
ISBN: 9781526794581
Pub Date: 06 Mar 2023
Format: Hardback
Pub Date: 06 Mar 2023
Pages: 184
ISBN: 9781526794581
Description:
Plants were an essential part of medieval life. Most people lived in houses made of wood and thatch, which often accidentally burned down when they cooked their food or huddled over wood fires to keep warm. People wore linen clothing dyed with plants. They drank ale, cider and wine as they danced to music played on wooden instruments. Beauty, love and seduction could all be made easier with a few herbal preparations. If you became ill, plants provided many of the cures. The unwary may have mistaken a poisonous plant for one that was good to eat, with fatal consequence. Others may have used the poisonous plant to remove an unwanted rival. Some plants had magical properties. The mysterious mandrake could kill anybody who tried to dig it up without taking the appropriate precautions. Demons could be summoned or dismissed by the aid of plants. The church used powerful incense to clean the air and induce a sense of religious euphoria.
This book is designed to give a broad introduction to the plants that were used during the medieval period. With many colourful photos, a list of plants that were available and some original medieval recipes to try, you can set out on an adventure to explore the wonderful world of medieval plants.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 160
ISBN: 9781399001830
Pub Date: 08 Nov 2022
Format: Paperback
Pub Date: 08 Nov 2022
Pages: 160
ISBN: 9781399001830
Description:
People are becoming more aware of the environment and their impact on it. Over the past decades we have become an increasingly consumerist based society. From a world in which recycling was common, single use became the norm. This throwaway society is unsustainable.
Sustainable gardening results in the creation of an environmentally friendly area in which natural predators thrive and soils are naturally replenished.
Discover innovative and simple ways of recycling everything from water to materials in the garden. Practical examples show recycling in action turning unwanted items into useful features such as bottle edging, footpaths made from tyres, garden forks into table lamps, broken pottery to mosaics and tree roots into lush garden stumperies.
Recycling, reusing and upcycling in the garden can make a difference helping you save money by using less water, making your own compost, choosing energy efficient equipment and by giving everyday items a totally new function.
Instead of a throwaway society, we are increasingly looking at ways of reducing our use of increasingly scarce resources, turning plastic into paths, using solar energy and conserving water. Natural recycling of plant material and sustainable gardening is increasingly popular. This book helps search for creative ideas that can conserve resources, and save you money.
Water is no longer cheap, so the book suggests many ways that you can re-use water and get free rainwater.
The book helps you with places you may not think of looking for free and cheap material, such as reclamation yards, factories, restaurants and hospitals.
Let your imagination run free without needing much skill and without breaking the bank.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 128
ISBN: 9781399001793
Pub Date: 02 Sep 2022
Format: Paperback
Pub Date: 02 Sep 2022
Pages: 128
ISBN: 9781399001793
Description:
This beginner’s guide to growing your own food is the perfect introduction to homegrown planting and growing. Whether you live in a flat or a field it will furnish you with all the information you need to plant the seeds of your first vegetables and gather the eggs from your pet chickens. It is a jam-packed, how-to, step-by-step guide on how to grow food and keep chickens, which will set you up with everything you need to begin your journey.
It is important to note even with this book at your disposal, growing vegetables is still a process of trial and error. But don’t let that put you off, because every trial and error is a wonderful learning curve. Eating homegrown food is one of the most rewarding, delicious experiences, and no food tastes better than your own homegrown food. Let’s not forget the sense of triumph felt watching seeds grow into plants and the plants provide food to harvest. You don’t need to be an experienced gardener to grow vegetables, you simply need the basic components of pot, soil, seed, light and water, then you can watch your seeds grow into delicious edibles. Everything you need to know to kickstart your new hobby is in this handy sized guide.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 216
ISBN: 9781526711908
Pub Date: 21 Apr 2022
Format: Hardback
Pub Date: 21 Apr 2022
Pages: 216
ISBN: 9781526711908
Description:
Attracting Garden Pollinators is a friendly, accessible, information packed guide to gardening for and with pollinators. Pollinators are in trouble, but our gardens can help. Gardens represent a vast, varied ‘nature reserve’ packed with plants rich in nectar and pollen to sustain these delicate creatures. This book explores the role that pollinators play and how gardeners and people with gardens can do something to help attract and support them. From butterflies (and their caterpillars - with host plant information) to surprising pollinators (moths, wasps, beetles flies and hornets) and of course including honeybees, hoverflies and bumblebees, this book will offer an insight into their fragile existence, lifecycles and their vital role in the food chain and the natural cycle.
Jean Vernon is the Best-Selling author of The Secret Lives of Garden Bees.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 176
ISBN: 9781526794543
Pub Date: 27 Jan 2022
Format: Hardback
Pub Date: 27 Jan 2022
Pages: 176
ISBN: 9781526794543
Description:
Medieval gardens usually rate very few pages in the garden history books. The general perception is still of small gardens in the corner of a castle. Recent research has shown that the gardens were larger than we previously believed. This book contains information and pictures that have not been generally available before, including the theory and practice of medieval horticulture. Many features of later gardens were already a part of medieval gardens. The number of plants was limited, but was still no less than many modern gardeners use in their own gardens today. Yet medieval gardens were imbued with meaning. Whether secular or religious, the additional dimension of symbolism, gave a greater depth to medieval gardens, which is lacking in most modern ones.
This book will be of interest to those who know little about medieval gardens and to those with more knowledge. It contains some of the vast amount of research that the author carried out to create the medieval gardens at the Prebendal Manor, Nassington, Northamptonshire. The author has tried to use previously unused sources and included his own practical experience of medieval gardening methods that he carried out to maintain the gardens. Some worked, others certainly didn’t.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 112
ISBN: 9781526774583
Pub Date: 29 Jun 2021
Format: Paperback
Pub Date: 29 Jun 2021
Pages: 112
ISBN: 9781526774583
Description:
This book aims to cover the most commonly asked questions by new plant owners and will help people who want to have more greenery in their lives but don’t know where to start. It will advise on the best plant for a variety of home conditions so that everyone should be able to find plants that suit their space.
Having and maintaining an indoor garden can be possible for anyone, the book will give you step by step guides to creating and designing your own terrariums, cacti & succulent gardens and even kokedamas (Japanese for Moss Ball). It will include descriptions of the equipment needed, and how to find this inexpensively so that the hobby is accessible to everyone. Readers of the book will discover a newfound joy of plants and nature as well as learn a brand-new skill.
The book will go into detail about what may be causing damage to a plant, and how to look after plants so that they last. It will also focus on how plants can improve physical and mental health, to encourage readers to fill their homes with greenery for practical and aesthetic reasons.
The innate human need to be around nature is called Biophilia, and this book will tap into that need without over complicating things. The focus will be on low maintenance, good-looking greenery.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 168
ISBN: 9781526757203
Pub Date: 16 Mar 2021
Format: Hardback
Pub Date: 16 Mar 2021
Pages: 168
ISBN: 9781526757203
Description:
Embrace a plant-based lifestyle all the way from seed to plate. This inspiring and informative book takes the mystery out of gardening and reveals how to grow an array of fruits and vegetables using simple, organic techniques.
Packed with fresh ideas for turning home-grown produce into delicious, nutritious meals, you'll find heaps of no-nonsense recipes created for real people with busy lives and healthy appetites. No fads, no fuss, no fancy ingredients, just real, honest, ethical food.
With a passion for connecting people and plants, Gardening to Eat brings the garden into the kitchen. For people who love food and love to know where it's come from.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
ISBN: 9781526766519
Pub Date: 17 Jun 2020
Format: Paperback
Pub Date: 17 Jun 2020
Pages: 192
ISBN: 9781526766519
Description:
A friendly, accessible insight into the weird, but wonderful world of the bees you may find in your garden.
From the common or garden bumblebees that nest in bird boxes, compost heaps and old mouse holes, making ‘Winnie the Pooh’ style honey pots to feed their babes, to the quirky wool carder bee; a solitary bee that combs the fluff from garden plants to line her brood cells and the amazing leaf-cutter bee that carves chunks out of plant foliage to seal its egg chambers.
This book will reveal the secrets and fascinating lives of the bees that live and breed in your garden, from buzz pollination, to the bee robbers that cheat the plants and steal nectar by stealth.
With a seasonal guide to explore what you are likely to see in your garden, great plants to grow to help them, plus other fascinating information on these secretive creatures, this book is designed to bring alive the world of garden bees before your very eyes.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 136
ISBN: 9781526729699
Pub Date: 11 Feb 2019
Format: Hardback
Pub Date: 11 Feb 2019
Pages: 136
ISBN: 9781526729699
Description:
Garden Wildlife is a book that looks at the habitats in our gardens from the point of view of wild animal and plants.
If we understand our gardens in this way, then we can appreciate that different parts of our gardens essentially mimic wild habitats in microcosm. This means that we can provide places for wild animals and plants to flourish in our gardens, whether they happen to be in rural, suburban or urban settings.
Above all, we need to get away from the current obsession with tidiness and sterility in our gardens, and allow odd corners to go wild, so that our native species can live alongside us in the modern world.
Without wildlife to discover and observe in our gardens, our lives are impoverished, so we have a duty to ourselves and our children to invite nature back into our outside spaces.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 120
ISBN: 9781526737472
Pub Date: 30 Jan 2019
Format: Paperback
Pub Date: 30 Jan 2019
Pages: 120
ISBN: 9781526737472
Description:
If you care about what you eat, you should care about how you grow it.
Gardeners can demonstrate that by going beyond organics to veganics - growing without animal inputs - they are a driving force in saving the environment.
This book gives you the tools to grow without harming the planet and animals, and explains why moving beyond organics towards super organic vegan gardening is the way to show you are genuinely concerned about environmental issues and the industrial commodification of living, sentient creatures.
From advice about how to make and buy natural fertilisers and compost, to putting nutritional values on what you grow, and to how to cook it, and how to share your plot with wildlife, this book covers all the bases.
The foreword is by RHS Chelsea Flower Show best in show winner Cleve West, who is a passionate vegan gardener. Vegan Organic Network and Garden Organic have backed the book too.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 160
ISBN: 9781526714336
Pub Date: 11 Apr 2018
Format: Paperback
Pub Date: 11 Apr 2018
Pages: 160
ISBN: 9781526714336
Description:
''Gardening is where science meets art, where nature meets nurture and where food and health unite.''
In an age of clean eating and fad diets, the term super food has become synonymous with inflated prices and overstated claims about the disease-fighting, anti-aging, life-enhancing powers of certain foods.
Sales of fruits and vegetables like kale, beetroot and blueberries have rocketed, but why spend money on products that have travelled miles around the country or even the globe only to sit in a supermarket wrapped in plastic for days, when you could grow your own?
This lively, engaging book weeds out the hype and unearths the secrets of what makes a food a super food.
Discover a wide array of fruits and vegetables all with their own super qualities, and learn how to sow and plant them yourself, free from chemicals and full of goodness.
In the comprehensive directory of crops you'll find information about the nutritional benefits of an A to Z of fruits and vegetables, followed by practical advice for planting and growing, plus mouthwatering recipes for making the most of your harvest.
Experience the delight of following your food's journey from seed to plate, and the gratification of picking and eating your own produce. Indulge your taste buds with tasty, nutritious meals, where the key is pleasure not avoidance.
It's time to take control of what you eat and grow your way to better health.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 248
ISBN: 9781526708380
Pub Date: 26 Mar 2018
Format: Paperback
Pub Date: 26 Mar 2018
Pages: 248
ISBN: 9781526708380
Description:
Mankind has always had a morbid fascination with poisonous plants; how their poisonous properties were discovered and developed will most likely be left unknown. Over the centuries poisonous plants have been used to remove garden pests, unwanted rivals and deceitful partners. They have also been used for their medicinal qualities, as rather dangerous cosmetics, even to help seduce a lover when perceived as an aphrodisiac. Some of these and other uses originate in a medieval book that has not yet been translated into English.
Shamans and priests used these plants for their magical attributes, as a means to foretell the future or to commune with the gods.
Discover how a pot of Basil helped to conceal a savage murder.
Learn the truth about the mysterious mandrake, a real plant although many do not realise it.
Jane Austen wrote a conundrum to entertain her family; the answer is one of the plants in the book. Will you be able to solve the mystery?
Death In The Garden is based on Michael Brown’s most popular talk, popular as this subject holds a strange interest, for many will enjoy learning about these treacherous and peculiar plants, their defensive and deadly traits, as well as the folklore that has grown around them. This title will appeal to gardeners, horticulturalists, nature enthusiasts and anyone who holds an interest in this strange and enchanting corner of the garden. But be warned, many of these deathly plants may already be taking root in your very own garden…
