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Product Description
Review
'a handsome book'
--The Times, 5 April, 2010
'How to garden in a tea dress and wellies from the new style queen of the do-it-yourself lifestyle.'
-- Image magazine, 1 July, 2010
--The Times, 5 April, 2010
'How to garden in a tea dress and wellies from the new style queen of the do-it-yourself lifestyle.'
-- Image magazine, 1 July, 2010
Book Description
Gardeners' World's thrifty and resourceful Alys Fowler takes one step closer to self-sufficiency, growing her own in her small, suburban backgarden.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
129 of 133 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Gardeners World presenter Alys Fowler has created a gorgeous book. Alys takes the sort of approach I like - no rigid planning, no particular rules to abide by, simply recommendations to help you along. As she says, your own experience is far more valuable to you than reading things in a book. She is an experienced and accomplished gardener and her recommendations are very good - trees that will rob your garden of productivity vs trees that give you beauty, scent and marvellous fruit. She also covers how to make the most of the space you have and how to exploit the unique aspects of your garden. Divided into 3 simple parts:
Things to know: In order to reap the rewards of your garden you have to know a few things about it, such as soil type and how to keep your plants happy. This also includes foraging, growing in pots, recommendations of deorative edible vegetables - making the most of your pot garden. She also takes you through fertility and compost, including how to make your own. The book then goes on to getting the garden started - seed sowing (including when and where), pricking out, hardening off, weeds (and what to do with them), watering and pests and diseases - including the pesky slug (Alys squishes them). Recommendations for speedy crops and plant protection (this includes an innovative picture of a greenhouse constructed using old windows, including stained glass. I'll be keeping my eyes open in the local scrap yard!). A good overview of how to give yourself a stable start for your edible garden.
Things to grow: In this section Alys gives us the lowdown on her favourite fruit, vegetables and flowers to grow - because they taste good, provide a plentiful harvest and look good. This is a brilliant section - I'm always flummoxed when I stand in front of the seed racks to know what is really good. Getting the answer from someone who has tried numerous varieties and come up with a lovely list is so handy. This section also covers seed saving for the next year, including a germination test.
Reaping your harvest: Includes bottling and preserving - recipes for a number of things including jams (raspberry), jellies (blackberry and apple), pickles, chutneys, brews etc. Alys also covers freezing and apple drying. She includes recipes for a number of other bits and pieces - nettle soup, japanese knotweed spears (!) - make sure no-one has sprayed it with herbicide before you try, scafata (an Umbrian stew m,ade with broad beans, tomatoes and a late winter green), her own version of salad nicoise, raspberry icecream and blackcurrant and chestnut icecream. Alys's recipes are divided up by season (I've covered Spring and Summer for a taste), the recipes are simple and sound nice and I will be trying some. This isn't a recipe book though, some don't expect pages and pages of them.
Non-gloss pages all add to wholesome effect, the book is littered throughout with simple drawings and inspiring photos. Alys's book has renewed my enthusiasm to try some different varieties and persist with growing my own.
Things to know: In order to reap the rewards of your garden you have to know a few things about it, such as soil type and how to keep your plants happy. This also includes foraging, growing in pots, recommendations of deorative edible vegetables - making the most of your pot garden. She also takes you through fertility and compost, including how to make your own. The book then goes on to getting the garden started - seed sowing (including when and where), pricking out, hardening off, weeds (and what to do with them), watering and pests and diseases - including the pesky slug (Alys squishes them). Recommendations for speedy crops and plant protection (this includes an innovative picture of a greenhouse constructed using old windows, including stained glass. I'll be keeping my eyes open in the local scrap yard!). A good overview of how to give yourself a stable start for your edible garden.
Things to grow: In this section Alys gives us the lowdown on her favourite fruit, vegetables and flowers to grow - because they taste good, provide a plentiful harvest and look good. This is a brilliant section - I'm always flummoxed when I stand in front of the seed racks to know what is really good. Getting the answer from someone who has tried numerous varieties and come up with a lovely list is so handy. This section also covers seed saving for the next year, including a germination test.
Reaping your harvest: Includes bottling and preserving - recipes for a number of things including jams (raspberry), jellies (blackberry and apple), pickles, chutneys, brews etc. Alys also covers freezing and apple drying. She includes recipes for a number of other bits and pieces - nettle soup, japanese knotweed spears (!) - make sure no-one has sprayed it with herbicide before you try, scafata (an Umbrian stew m,ade with broad beans, tomatoes and a late winter green), her own version of salad nicoise, raspberry icecream and blackcurrant and chestnut icecream. Alys's recipes are divided up by season (I've covered Spring and Summer for a taste), the recipes are simple and sound nice and I will be trying some. This isn't a recipe book though, some don't expect pages and pages of them.
Non-gloss pages all add to wholesome effect, the book is littered throughout with simple drawings and inspiring photos. Alys's book has renewed my enthusiasm to try some different varieties and persist with growing my own.
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I loved this book. Beautifully put together and encapsulating Fowler's quirky hippy charm it inspires you to get out there and make the most of whatever outdoor space you have. It opens your mind to a new approach towards growing your own and brings the notion of polyculture to a mainstream audience. Fowler's enthusiasm for fresh, home grown veg is clear, and infectious, and will have you reaching for your wellies and gardening gloves in no time.
43 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Alys' book is very pretty, and there are some useful bits; but I find the chapters very awkward to follow, it jumps around quite a lot, and nothing is dealt with in great detail. I was expecting more information than we got in the TV programme, and I felt a little let down. Very good section on the various types of compost for container planting; but her chapter on foraging almost seems an afterthought - I am hoping she is planning a whole book dedicated to the subject, which may explain why her advice amounted to 'buy a good reference book'.
Definitely one to depress those of us who need somewhere to dry clothes and house a slide and a sandpit (or, heaven forbid, a deckchair), because her garden is stunning, but what most of us (or our neighbours) would probably despair of outside the summer months - I definitely think the fact she is a professional horticulturalist puts her on a bit of a pedestal - if my garden looked like that my neighbours would probably complain to the council that it 'needs seeing to'! The explanations of permaculture / polyculture were very good, she has a lovely, approachable way of writing that explains things really well for beginners, and there's a nice chapter on edible flowers. I wish, ruefully, that I'd bought 'The Thrifty Gardener' instead.
In all, a pretty, easy to read and inspirational book more suited to the coffee table than a resource for growing healthy crops as easily as possible. If that's what you want, look to John Harrison instead.
Definitely one to depress those of us who need somewhere to dry clothes and house a slide and a sandpit (or, heaven forbid, a deckchair), because her garden is stunning, but what most of us (or our neighbours) would probably despair of outside the summer months - I definitely think the fact she is a professional horticulturalist puts her on a bit of a pedestal - if my garden looked like that my neighbours would probably complain to the council that it 'needs seeing to'! The explanations of permaculture / polyculture were very good, she has a lovely, approachable way of writing that explains things really well for beginners, and there's a nice chapter on edible flowers. I wish, ruefully, that I'd bought 'The Thrifty Gardener' instead.
In all, a pretty, easy to read and inspirational book more suited to the coffee table than a resource for growing healthy crops as easily as possible. If that's what you want, look to John Harrison instead.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Inspirational book
I bought this book after borrowing it from the local library and not wanting to give it back. Lots of ideas here to copy. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Karin Green
Alys Fowler's edible garden
A great joy to read & with interesting practible ideas. Delightful illustrations, & I hope she writes more books in her glowing style. More about her hens ?
Use of Bokashi ? Read more
Use of Bokashi ? Read more
Published 1 month ago by Romarly
All year round reference.
Fantastic read which complements the tv series brilliantly. Very inspiring. I shall be mixing in fruit and veg amongst my flowers throughout my garden.
Published 3 months ago by Jona
The Edible Garden.
What a lovely book, really easy to read and beautifully set out, with lots of photo's and hand drawn pictures (by her husband). Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. L. Hammond
This is a great book
In fact it's so good that I have bought two extra copies as presents. It's a really easy read, not too technical but with plenty of info to get you inspired. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kim
Great, great book!
I watched Alys Fowler's TV programme last year but didn't get around to buying the book till only recently...what a great gardening book this is! Read more
Published 9 months ago by paola
Edible garden
A very good addition to my (already well stocked)gardening book collection. It is nicely laid out and has a cosy/trendy feel to it. Good ideas ... it's a keeper.
Published 10 months ago by Tezza
An indispensible go-to gardening book for this amateur gardener!
This really has been our `go-to' gardening book recently- we actually bought it last year, but it is only this year that we have truly embraced the abundant knowledge contained in... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Nicola F (Nic)
excellent
fantastic book really easy to follow brilliant with the series but unfortunetly doesnt seem to be on dvd
highly recommended
highly recommended
Published 13 months ago by amma
Fantastic book - a must have for the garden
This is a fantastic book. I can't recommend it too highly. Alys covers things other gardening books forget (e.g. that garlic needs a frost to develop properly). Read more
Published 13 months ago by PipneyJane
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