An inspiring guide to transforming a small patch of ground, be it on an allotment or in a garden, into a cut flower patch which produces flowers from early spring to late autumn. Louise Curley looks at what makes a great cut flower, ideal conditions and soil and the tools you'll need. There is advice on what to grow - from favourite hardy annuals, half hardies and biennials to spring and summer bulbs to adding foliage and fillers to balance arrangements - and advice on how and when to sow, how to support your plants and tips on weeding, deadheading, pests and feeding. Growing your own means greater choice, working with the seasons and super fresh flowers. Bought flowers can be expensive and the international flower trade often means dangerous chemicals, poor working conditions for growers, demands on water resources and the 'flower miles' of worldwide airfreight. This book will help you get the most from your patch with guidance on how to cut the flowers so that they keep producing more blooms and how to look after them once they have been picked. The Cut Flower Patch is completed by a selection of flower arranging tips and sample arrangements as well as tips on finding great containers, planting plans and a helpful year planner The Cut Flower Patch won the 'Best Practical Book' at the Garden Media Guild Awards, 2014 Jason Ingram won Photographer of the Year at the Garden Media Guild Awards, 2014

A true story of one of the world's strangest plants and humanity's oddest obsessions: the orchid, brought to book by the author, traveller and self-confessed orchid obsessive. From the Orinoco River to the hothouses of Kew, and the clandestine nurseries of Europe to the peat bogs of Minnesota, this is a dark and humorous tale of orchid smugglers, ice-cream makers and visionary breeders; of courruption, murder and moths with 12-inch tongues; and of the vicious, bizarre world of international plant politics and the wide range of gentle people whose overriding passion is the cultivation of these beautiful, fragile flowers.

'I absolutely adore Clare Nolan's approaches to garden planning and creative use of color in her designs. This gem is sure to delight any flower lover.' - Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farm Planting cut flowers brings that 'grow-your-own' excitement to a whole new level - being able to step out of the back door and pick a single stem for beside the bed or pull together a posy for a friend is a joy. In this beautifully designed book, brimming with inspirational photographs, Clare Nolan reveals her secrets for growing a bountiful harvest as well as styling spectacular homegrown displays that will fill your home with colour and the gorgeous scent of the garden year-round. She takes the mystique out of what to grow and guides you through the entire process - from choosing the plants to suit both your garden and home decor and laying out your cutting patch, to planning ahead so you get your perfect palette of colour, texture and shape to play with at the right time. A whole chapter on arranging will inspire you to create spectacular arrangements for your home without the need for complicated floristry techniques.

Learn How to Grow Flowering Plants "Anyone wanting to get started with a flower garden will find plenty of expert guidance here." Publishers Weekly #1 Best Seller in Annual Flowers Gardening, Bulb Flower Gardening, and Perennial Gardening. In the mountains of Asheville, NC, Niki Irving's boutique flower farm grows specially cut, mountain-fresh flowers with sustainable, natural practices. Now, she brings her organic gardening techniques to your home, helping you grow, harvest, and arrange lush, seasonally inspired flowers. Revel in flowering plants. This beautifully photographed book features simple, and engaging know-how enabling you to grow, harvest, and arrange a cutting garden of flowers. An instructional guide to gardening for beginners or if you're looking to hone your botanical skills, Growing Flowers teaches everything from caring for a cut flower garden to making simple-yet-gorgeous flower arrangements and botanical bouquets. An indispensable gardening guide for homebody horticulturists and floral foragers. A flower book with a whimsical twist, Growing Flowers is a go-to reference for those new to herb and flower gardening. Discover flower arranging techniques using blooms, greenery, and even artichokes, vines and berries. Learn about tools of the trade. Get down and dirty with dirt, seasonal rotation, starting from seeds and/or seedlings, and more. Inside find: Explanations of soil types and soil preparations A list of seasonal flowers such as peonies or garden roses for the spring and sunflowers and dahlias for the summer and fall Basic knowledge to create flower bouquets that include things like sprigs of greenery and even attractive weeds Growing Flowers is a wonderful addition to any collection of garden books. If you're looking for gardening gifts for gardeners or enjoy flowering plant books and flower books like Floret Farms Cut Flower Garden book, Floret Farm's A Year in Flowers, or The Flower Gardener's Bible, you'll love Growing Flowers.

Dig into eco-gardening and cultivate your green thumb. Discover how to care for the planet while you care for your garden. This is your no-fuss guide to planet-friendly gardening. Do you want a beautiful and productive garden that won't cost the earth but don't know where to start? This wildlife gardening book for beginners will introduce you to all aspects of sustainable gardening. It includes a wide selection of recommended plants including trees, climbers, and wildflowers, to help encourage local biodiversity in your garden. Whether you're growing in pots on your patio or have a fully-fledged garden, this organic gardening book explores everything you need to know to create your own eco-garden. Discover how to minimise garden waste and make soil-building compost. Learn how to do your bit to reduce your carbon footprint and make a positive contribution to slowing down climate change. You don't have to be a horticulture expert to get started, this indispensable reference book will take you through every single step! It includes: - Tips on how to turn your outdoor space into a refuge for local wildlife - Packed with practical, jargon-free know-how and simple gardening techniques - Easy-to-follow format to help grow your gardening knowledge Let It Grow! Gorgeous, full-colour photography provides plenty of inspiration and environmentally-friendly ideas. Expert tips and step-by-step instructions on every page guide you on how to be more sustainable and why it's important. Grow Eco Gardening covers everything you need to work in harmony with nature. It's the perfect book for beginner gardeners who want to do their bit for the climate. Complete the Series: Make your green-fingered dreams a reality with the Grow series from DK. Learn how to brighten up even the trickiest areas in Grow Containers, or discover how to prune your garden in Grow Pruning & Training. Alternatively, there are more titles to explore such as Grow Easy Veg and Grow Houseplants.

The Times Best Gardening Books of 2022 Ornamental plants are the cornerstone of our gardens and we are spoiled for choice with literally tens of thousands of hardy beauties from which to select. But we take them absolutely for granted, not for a moment realising that every plant has a fascinating tale to tell. Wild Edens sets the record straight. With global coverage, each of the nine richly illustrated chapters explores a plant biodiversity hotspot. The reader is transported on a visually stunning and fascinating voyage of discovery which reveals our garden favourites - as well as some species that should be more widely cultivated - in their natural habitats, from daffodils from Andalusia and tulips from the Tien Shan, to monkey puzzles from Chile and rhododendrons from the Himalayas, lilies from Japan and proteas from South Africa. Because the authors have been to the hotspots, each chapter opens with their personal reflections on the landscape and spirit of place, and closes with their selection of prime locations. In between, the informative yet approachable text tells of the plants' 'forgotten stories'. Of the landscapes which are their home, the adventures of how and when they were discovered and by whom, the reasons why they were collected, their impact on garden fashions and trends, etc. Wild Edens brings another dimension of interest and understanding to plants and gardens, as well as being a premium armchair traveller's guide to the natural world of garden plants.

' How to Grow Plants from Seeds is a great little book - a hand-holding, step-by-step guide with clear pictures and instructions. It demystifies the process and covers flowers as well as vegetables and herbs. A most useful present for anyone wanting to get started on sowing seeds.' Country Living 'Whether you want to grow a cutting garden or a harvest of fresh produce, discover the basic rules for success.' The Garden How To Grow Plants From Seeds does away, once and for all, with the idea that there's something difficult about growing direct from seed. There's no need to rely on the professionals to raise seedlings for you: seeds are not only cheap to buy and environmentally friendly but, if you follow a few basic rules, they're also fantastically rewarding, not least because a single packet will usually leave you with plenty of spares to swap with fellow enthusiasts. Whether you're a novice or an experienced gardener, if you want to nurture an impressive cutting garden or aim to have a bounteous harvest of fruit and vegetables, here's what you need to know, presented in a straightforward and accessible way. You'll discover the basic rules for different seeds, their sowing preferences (Indoor, under cover or direct- to-plot? Surface-sow or cover up? Water or spray?), how long they take to germinate, and how to prick out, pot on and raise your infant plants to become sturdy, productive adults. The book opens with a basic primer showing how seeds work, to give every grower the best chance at success. This is followed by extensive chapters on raising food and flowers from seed with plenty of detailed plant profiles included, and finally there's a guide to collecting seeds from your plants and how to save and swap - so that you, too, can become a seed evangelist.

One in every seven flowering plants on earth is an orchid. Yet orchids retain an air of exotic mystery--and they remain remarkably misunderstood and underappreciated. The orchid family contains an astonishing array of colors, forms, and smells that captivate growers from all walks of life across the globe. Though undeniably elegant, the popular moth orchid--a grocery store standard--is a bland stand-in when compared with its thousands of more complex and fascinating brethren, such as the Demon Queller, which grows in dark forests where its lovely blooms are believed to chase evil forces away. There is the Fetid Sun-God, an orchid that lures female flies to lay their eggs on its flowers by emitting a scent of rancid cheese. Or the rare, delicate Lizard Orchid, which mimics the appearance of lizards but smells distinctly of goat. The Book of Orchids revels in the diversity and oddity of these beguiling plants. Six hundred of the world's most intriguing orchids are displayed, along with life-size photographs that capture botanical detail, as well as information about distribution, peak flowering period, and each species' unique attributes, both natural and cultural. With over 28,000 known species--and more being discovered each year--the orchid family is arguably the largest and most geographically widespread of the flowering plant families. Including the most up-to-date science and accessibly written by botanists Mark Chase, Maarten Christenhusz, and Tom Mirenda, each entry in The Book of Orchids will entice researchers and orchid enthusiasts alike. With stunning full-color images, The Book of Orchids is sure to become the go-to reference for these complex, alluring, and extraordinarily adaptable plants.

This is an illustrated guide to varieties, cultivation and care, with step-by-step instructions and over 150 beautiful photographs. It features full photographic directory of over 40 varieties, including cluster-flowered roses, miniature roses, ground-cover roses, large-flowered roses and rugosa roses. For each variety, full botanical information is provided on history, growth, hue, height, spread and suitability. It offers step-by-step guidance on planting, propagation and pruning, and how to deal with common pests and diseases. It includes instructions on using roses for hedging and ground cover, and combining them with other plants. It is a highly accessible guide to some of the world's best-loved plants, celebrating their diversity and beauty. It offers everything you need to know at a glance in one handy and superbly illustrated practical guide. The rose is the quintessential flower of the summer, and apart from the beauty of the flowers, many modern varieties have the twin advantages of a long flowering season and disease resistance. With hues ranging from delicate pastels to glowing reds, yellows and oranges, the range has never been wider, encompassing roses for growing en masse or in conjunction with other plants, as hedges, ground cover or in containers. This beautiful book explains how to use modern roses to their best advantage, and features a directory of over 40 varieties. There are practical instructions for planting, propagating and pruning roses, ensuring a magnificent display in all types of garden.