Home & Garden

A 2014 Garden Writers Association Media Award Winner Just as he demystified the soil food web in his ground-breaking book Teaming with Microbes, in this new work Jeff Lowenfels explains the basics of plant nutrition from an organic gardener's perspective. Most gardeners realize that plants need to be fed but know little or nothing about the nature of the nutrients and the mechanisms involved. In his trademark down-to-earth, style, Lowenfels explains the role of both macronutrients and micronutrients and shows gardeners how to provide these essentials through organic, easy-to-follow techniques. Along the way, Lowenfels gives the reader easy-to-grasp lessons in the biology, chemistry, and botany needed to understand how nutrients get into the plant and what they do once they're inside.

Whatever the season, this guide to gardening all year round features specific monthly tasks for various parts of the garden, expert plant advice, tips on organisation and over 1,000 photographs. It tells you what to do when, and also shows you how to do it.

Fill your home with beautiful, home-grown displays and the gorgeous scent of the garden throughout the year.

Shows how gardeners can successfully use that sun to raise a wide variety of traditional winter vegetables in backyard cold frames and plastic covered tunnel greenhouses without supplementary heat.

Greenhouses have universal appeal, fusing together cultures and countries under one glass roof. In their new book, photographers India Hobson and Magnus Edmondson take you on a worldwide journey through their favourite botanical spaces.

This inspirational book explores every aspect of the dahlia - from its history, to sustainable cultivation, to a newly revived passion for the flower.

There are twenty million acres of lawns in North America. In their current form, these unproductive expanses of grass represent a significant financial and environmental cost. However, viewed through a different lens, they can also be seen as a tremendous source of opportunity. Access to land is a major barrier for many people who want to enter the agricultural sector, and urban and suburban yards have huge potential for would-be farmers wanting to become part of this growing movement.The Urban Farmer is a comprehensive, hands-on, practical manual to help you learn the techniques and business strategies you need to make a good living growing high-yield, high-value crops right in your own backyard (or someone else's). Major benefits include: Low capital investment and overhead costs Reduced need for expensive infrastructure Easy access to marketsGrowing food in the city means that fresh crops may travel only a few blocks from field to table, making this innovative approach the next logical step in the local food movement. Based on a scalable, easily reproduced business model, The Urban Farmer is your complete guide to minimizing risk and maximizing profit by using intensive production in small leased or borrowed spaces.Curtis Stone is the owner/operator of Green City Acres, a commercial urban farm growing vegetables for farmers markets, restaurants, andretail outlets. During his slower months, Curtis works as a public speaker, teacher, and consultant, sharing his story to inspire a new generation of farmers.

The latest in the series that launched with the bestselling RHS Latin for Gardeners, this offers a unique guide to the fascinating genealogical relationships between plant families.

How to Grow Perennial Vegetables is a captivating and insightful book written by the renowned author, Martin Crawford. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC in 2012, this book falls under the genre of Gardening. It provides an in-depth understanding of how to cultivate perennial vegetables, a topic that is not only interesting but also highly relevant in today's world. Crawford's expertise and passion for the subject matter shine through each page, making it a must-read for anyone interested in sustainable farming or gardening. The book is not just informative, but also highly practical, offering a wealth of knowledge that can be applied in real-world scenarios. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, this book is a testament to their commitment to publishing high-quality, informative books. So, if you're looking to expand your knowledge on perennial vegetables, this book is a must-have.

Provides a practical model for supplying fresh, locally grown produce during the winter season, even in climates where conventional wisdom says it just can't be done

Create your own piece of the château at home with help from Sunday Times bestselling authors Dick and Angel Strawbridge.Drawing on their many years of hosting celebrations at Château-de-la-Motte Husson , this book is Dick and Angel's definitive guide to creating magical and unforgettable celebrations in your very own home. Whether it's enjoying the blossoming of spring with a delicious Easter lunch, soaking up the joys of summer with picnics and outdoor games, harvesting the bounty of the garden in autumn or creating an unforgettable family Christmas during winter.With mouthwatering recipes, beautiful craft projects and charming gardening ideas, whatever you're celebrating, you'll find something here for every occasion.

The international literary icon opens his eclectic closet: Here are photographs of Murakami's extensive and personal T-shirt collection, accompanied by essays that reveal a side of the writer rarely seen by the public.

This book takes the houseplant look outside by exploring the wonders of lush, green, foliage plants that are hardy in the garden. These big-leaved, larger-than-life plants provide year-round impact and small, urban gardens that are well protected are the perfect home for them. Learn how to choose and use exotic plants to make exuberant gardens.

From Seed to Bloom is a captivating piece written by the talented Milli Proust. Published recently in 2022 by Quadrille Publishing Ltd, this book is a must-read for all book enthusiasts. The storyline is intriguing and is sure to keep you hooked from the beginning to the end. The author's unique writing style, combined with a captivating plot, sets this book apart in its genre. From Seed to Bloom is more than just a book; it's an experience that takes the reader on a journey of growth and discovery. This book is a testament to Milli Proust's creative genius and is a fine addition to any book collection. Don't miss out on this literary masterpiece. Get your copy today from Quadrille Publishing Ltd.

How to garden easily and effectively, based on the author's 40 years of growing vegetables. Advice on setting up your garden and planning what to grow, ways to sow and to save seeds, planting, spacing, watering, and harvesting. Plus details of succession planting, winter gardening, and how to use covers for early cropping and pest protection.

Namechecked as the "LeBron James of plant styling..." by "Good Morning America", Hilton Carter now shows how you can make, style, decorate and care for your own stunning plant-inspired interior with his 25 step-by-step DIY projects and plant hacks.

Revitalize your garden by making your own biologically diverse inoculants and mineral-rich amendments using leaf mold, weeds, eggshells, bones, and other materials available for little or no cost from local woodlands, fields, restaurants, and markets.

This delightful pocket sized title, coming from one of the UK's foremost experts on roses, will be an indispensable guide to rose-lovers everywhere.

How Not to Kill Your Houseplant is your guide to every stage of plant parenting for beginners, from identifying exactly what's in the pot, to helping it flourish and grow. If you wonder what the crispy bits at the leaf edges are, why the stalks are looking spindly, or why your plant looks brown even though you've watered it, How Not to Kill Your Houseplant will explain - and fix - your horticultural woes. Understand how much light, water, heat, and humidity your plant needs with quick tips on what your houseplant does and doesn't like.Learn to spot the danger signs and how to rescue an unhealthy plant, and follow easy advice to pick the top plants for your bathroom, cold rooms, desk, and windowsill to create your own indoor oasis.

From the author of the award-winning RHS Grow Your Own Crops in Pots, RHS Red Hot Chilli Grower is an informative and inspirational guide aimed at anyone who fancies giving chilli growing a go.

"e;Offering clear and comprehensive instructions for low-tech growing for a range of budgets, interests, and scales, this book offers practical inspiration and a sense that "e;hey, I can do this!"e; -- DANIELLE STEVENSON, owner, DIY FungiDIY Mushroom Cultivation is full of proven, reliable, low-cost techniques for home-scale cultivation that eliminate the need for a clean-air lab space to grow various mushrooms and their mycelium.Beautiful full-color photos and step-by-step instructions accompany a foundation of mushroom biology and ecology to support a holistic understanding of the practice. Growing techniques are applicable year-round, for any space from house to apartment, and for any climate, budget, or goal. Techniques include:Setting up a home growing spaceInexpensive, simple DIY equipmentCulture creation from mushroom tissue or sporesGrowing and using liquid cultures and grain spawnGrowing mushrooms on waste streams Indoor fruitingOutdoor mushroom gardens and logsHarvesting, processing, tinctures, and cooking.Whether you hunt mushrooms or dream about growing and working with them but feel constrained by a small living space, DIY Mushroom Cultivation is the ideal guide for getting started in the fascinating and delicious world of fungiculture.

The instantly recognizable English cottage garden encapsulates that delightful mix of scented climbers, drifts of flowers inter-mingled with herbs and vegetables, fruit trees and traditional features. Much loved and copied throughout the world, it is uniquely individual. With no strict rules to adhere to, it is a garden style that is both informal and functional, celebrating fragrance, flowers and seasonal interest at its heart. The old cottage style of gardening, that blended planting to create a flowery yet productive plot within a small space, is still highly relevant and easily transferable to today''s modern garden, whether it be a city courtyard or a large garden in the country. Appropriate for gardeners of every level of ability, The English Cottage Garden covers all aspects of designing a cottage-style garden; from choosing the right trees, climbers, shrubs and perennials to creating an authentic cottage feel to the planting It also covers the use of colour within the garden; how features can establish a framework and create focal points; and why companion planting is essential to this style. Illustrated throughout with a wealth of photographs showing gardens, planting combinations, colourful border schemes and individual flowers, this book is an essential read for anyone interested in the quintessential cottage garden.

''Go on, have a flutter! Take a few tips from the new book by biologist Dave Goulson and it''s a safe bet that beautiful butterflies will start gathering in your garden'' Daily MailFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Sting In The Tale comes this practical guide to creating a paradise for pollinators.There are twenty six different species of bumblebees to be found in the UK, of around 250 species worldwide. Bumblebees are among the most important of our insects; these superb pollinators ensure that wildflowers set seed and reappear each year, and that our vegetable and fruit crops give us bountiful harvests. With the decline in the populations of our wild bees, these beloved creatures need looking after more than ever. Gardening for Bumblebees shows you how you can provide a refuge for bumblebees to feed, breed and thrive. No matter how large or small your space is, Dave Goulson shows you how you can make a pollinator-friendly haven. In this book you will learn the best trees, shrubs and flowers for pollinators, how to create the perfect nest and breeding site, and the best ways to control pests. Gardening For Bumblebees will encourage and inspire gardeners and allotmenters alike to make their patch more bee friendly. Praise for Dave Goulson''Ideal for filling the garden with a happy hum''Tiffany Daneff, Country Life''Goulson reminds himself that he ''began studying bumblebees not because they are important pollinators but because they are fascinating, because they behave in interesting and mysterious ways, and because they are rather loveable'' Hannah Rosefield, Literary Review