I received this book for Christmas and it has been a delightful companion the past few days.
The Curious Gardener is a collection of 72 articles from Anna Pavord's regular column for The Independent which she's been writing since 1986. There's 6 articles per month, followed by a list of key gardening tasks - unusual for this kind of anthology, but adding a useful touch to the elegant prose.
The topics covered are wide ranging from a gardeners' horoscope to an amusing account of how her family Christmas has changed over the years. Along the way there are garden visits, a look at the scrum that is Chelsea, growing giant vegetables, how garden media and programmes have changed with the times, alongside advice on choosing trees, slow gardening and growing fruit, flowers and vegetables.
All this is written with such a lightness of touch and humour that you forget there's useful information to be gleaned; it's far too enjoyable to be placed in the 'useful' category of books. In addition, each chapter is fronted by a lovely wood engraving by Howard Phipps to set the scene for the month.
One to read in one go whilst curled up by the fire, then to keep to hand for a friendly monthly gardening guide.