This fun-filled adventure handbook is bursting with ideas to help kids discover the great outdoors and get closer to nature. Created with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK's leading gardening charity. This beautifully illustrated book is packed fun activities, handy tips and nature facts to encourage children to explore the wonderful world around them. Make a wilderness compass Grow your own herb garden Build a tepee Learn how to read a map Discover more about plants, trees and wildlife Each page is filled with inspiring ideas for discovering and exploring plants and wildlife, with exciting activities for all weathers.

Find out how to make your garden beautiful from January to December with this pocket-sized favourite about how to garden month by month from the experts at the RHS, now fully up to date and revised. Easy to follow, this guide not only tells you what to do in the garden now, but shows you how to do it. Follow over 1,300 seasonal tasks for every part of the garden, with expert gardening tips including invaluable guidance for your vegetable garden and advice on how to prune, while planting guides and star plants from January to December help you make sure your garden blooms all year round. Whether you are a green-fingered guru or are just starting out, enjoy 12 months of successful gardening with RHS Gardening month by month.

Most people think of spring-flowering plants when bulbs are mentioned, yet among summer- and autumn-flowering bulbs, there is great diversity and beauty to be found. This volume contains a photographic catalogue of over 50 varieties of summer bulbs. For each variety, there is full botanical information on growth, spread, size and flowering. There is step-by-step photographic guidance on growing and caring for summer bulbs, including pruning, harvesting for culinary use, and propagating.

Kiftsgate Court, perched on the northern edge of the Cotswolds Hills in Gloucestershire, is a garden composed of many different scenes. Some elements - the bluebell wood, the clipped hedging and the rose border, with its famously huge Kiftsgate rose - are traditionally English, but there are also areas of Italianate planting and terracing, and others where a mixture of perennials, roses and rare and exotic shrubs thrive side by side. Equally remarkable is the fine balance between continuity and gentle evolution that the visitor finds at Kiftsgate. This is largely because the garden has belonged to the same family since its creation 100 years ago. Three women have tended Kiftsgate, each one its driving force for a third of a century, and each building on the legacy of the previous generation. In 1919 Heather Muir and her husband, Jack, bought the house, which stands on a relatively narrow plateau from which a bank plunges 100 feet. Heather gave Kiftsgate its structure, laying out the semi-formal gardens by the house, planting the tapestry hedge and rose garden, and terracing the banks. In 1954 Heather was succeeded by her daughter, Diany Binny, who extended and developed her mother's planting, made more borders and paths, and refashioned the White Sunk Garden. Since the late 1980s Diany's daughter, Anne Chambers, has been at the helm, further modernizing the garden and its planting, creating new areas of interest, and opening more often to the public. As Robin Lane Fox, who has written the foreword, comments: `There is nowhere else in Britain that has such a family tradition of planting and dedication ... It is intimate but many-sided, evolving but with roots in a remarkable past.' This beautiful new book - the first dedicated to Kiftsgate - is structured in two main parts. For the first, `The History', Vanessa Berridge has had exclusive access to the Kiftsgate archive, which contains not only family photographs but also letters from their gardening friends, helping us to understand why and how Heather, Diany and Anne have gardened. Among the circle of friends and acquaintances who feature are Lawrence Johnston of Hidcote Manor (Kiftsgate's neighbour); Vita Sackville-West, the creator of Sissinghurst Castle Garden; and the horticulturalist Graham Stuart Thomas, gardens adviser to the National Trust. The second part of the book takes the reader on an extended tour of the garden, illustrated by the glorious photography of Sabina Ruber. The tour concludes with notes on Kiftsgate's signature plants and Anne Chambers's personal reflections on this, one of the great gardens of England.

This work offers a new approach to planning and planting. It shows how to throw caution to the wind and orchestrate colours, textures, scale and scent to spectacular effect from spring until autumn. The key is colour: intense, strong and voluptuous - deep crimsons combined with acid green and incandescent orange, for example. Integral to Sarak Raven's vision is a feeling for dramatic scale: plants with huge presence, architectural foliage, strong, sculptural shapes. To complete the effect, she includes flowers with silken and velvety textures and describes how to flood the garden with scent. There are schemes for sunny, open beds and borders for shady areas, for damp soils and to clothe walls and fences - many of which include lots of quick-growing annuals and take only a season to achieve.

You don't need a sprawling garden to brighten your life with flowers. Bloom will show you how any space, no matter how small, can be transformed into a colourful oasis with flowering plants. The ultimate guide to beautiful blooms, Lauren and Sophia from Leaf Supply have tips for care, selection, styling and arrangement. A guide through the seasons, Bloom has everything you need to create flowering gardens indoors or on balconies. * Practical information on the best light, soil and care requirements * Details of when to plant and when flowers bloom * 60+ flowering plant profiles * Interviews with plant-lovers who have filled their homes with blooming plants

There is a fantastic array of vegetables you can grow in your garden, and not all of them are annuals. In "Perennial Vegetables" the adventurous gardener will find information, tips, and sound advice on less common edibles that will make any garden a perpetual, low-maintenance source of food.
Imagine growing vegetables that require just about the same amount of care as the flowers in your perennial beds and borders--no annual tilling and potting and planting. They thrive and produce abundant and nutritious crops throughout the season. It sounds too good to be true, but in "Perennial Vegetables" author and plant specialist Eric Toensmeier ("Edible Forest Gardens") introduces gardeners to a world of little-known and wholly underappreciated plants. Ranging beyond the usual suspects (asparagus, rhubarb, and artichoke) to include such "minor" crops as ground cherry and ramps (both of which have found their way onto exclusive restaurant menus) and the much sought after, anti-oxidant-rich wolfberry (also known as goji berries), Toensmeier explains how to raise, tend, harvest, and cook with plants that yield great crops and satisfaction.
Perennial vegetables are perfect as part of an edible landscape plan or permaculture garden. Profiling more than 100 species, illustrated with dozens of color photographs and illustrations, and filled with valuable growing tips, recipes, and resources, "Perennial Vegetables" is a groundbreaking and ground-healing book that will open the eyes of gardeners everywhere to the exciting world of edible perennials.

With over 400 recipe ideas and many wonderful stories from the cook's garden, Tender: Volume I - A cook and his vegetable patch, is the definitive guide to cooking with vegetables from the presenter of BBC One's Simple Cooking. 'I would like to think I know more now than I did before I picked up my trowel and dug that first furrow of red and white radishes. How to get the best out of a vegetable yes, but also what are the different ways to treat it in the kitchen, which seasonings will make it sing, what other ingredients is it most comfortable or most exciting with. What are the classic recipes not to be missed by a newcomer and what new ways are there which might be of interest to an old hand.' In his inimitable, unpretentious style Nigel Slater, the presenter of BBC One's Simple Cooking, elevates vegetables to the starring role in his latest cook book, whether that means enjoying vegetables for their own sake or on the same plate as a piece of meat or fish. From crab cakes and crushed peas to broccoli and lamb stir-fry, luxury cauliflower cheese to a delicious broad bean salad, 'Tender' has everything a cook could want from a recipe book.

This vividly written and lavishly illustrated book challenges many cherished beliefs about the rose. It looks set to establish itself as the definitive history of the Queen of Flowers. Ever since Sappho planted roses at the shrine of Aphrodite, no flower has captured the imagination in quite the same way. Wherever it has grown, human beings have projected on to it their dreams and aspirations. Celebrated as a sacred symbol and as a token of womanhood, the rose unites Venus with the Virgin Mary, the blood of Christ with the sweat of Muhammad, the sacred and the profane, life and death, the white rose of chastity and the red rose of consummation. In The Rose, the acclaimed horticultural historian Jennifer Potter shows what, exactly, gives this most fragrant flower its potency in societies around the world. Beginning her story in the Greek and Roman empires, she travels across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas to unravel its evolution from a simple briar of the northern hemisphere to the height of cultivated perfection found in rose gardens today. Whether laying bare the flower's long association with sexuality and secret societies, questioning the Crusaders' role in bringing roses back from the Holy Land, or hunting for its elusive blooms in the gardens of the Empress Josephine at Malmaison, Jennifer Potter reveals why this flower, above all others, has provoked such fascination.

Foliage gives shape and texture as well as colour. It is the vital contrast needed to make a garden the vibrant place that it should be. It is possible to have a garden based entirely on leaves and foliage alone, but it would be difficult to make an attractive garden if all of the flowering plants had identical leaves. The leaves are often a backdrop for the flowers and although foliage sometimes masks them, the greenery usually helps to highlight them. "Trees and Shrubs for Foliage" is a compendium of beautiful trees and shrubs with photographs specifically chosen for the extraordinary array of leaves in every shape, size and colour available for gardens in every season.

Creating a garden that has colour, beauty and architectural interest year-round is far easier than many gardeners believe. The secret is to choose versatile plants and to appreciate that brilliant autumn and winter foliage, stems and berries can create just as stunning an effect as spring and summer flowers. Selecting over 85 specially photographed plants, including shrubs, climbers, trees, perennials and other border plants, this book shows how with imagination and a little planning, a garden can look good all year, including the winter months.

Peterson, former president of the American Pit Gardening Society, shows how common kitchen staples - pits, nuts, beans, seeds, and tubers - can be coaxed into lush, vibrant houseplants that are as attractive as they are fascinating. With Peterson's help, a sweet potato turns into a blooming vine; chickpeas transform into cheery hanging baskets; the humble beet becomes a dramatic centerpiece; and gingerroot grows into a 3-foot, bamboo-like stalk. In some cases the transformation can happen overnight!"Don't Throw It, Grow It!" offers growing instructions for over 50 plants in four broad categories - kitchen vegetables; fruits and nuts; herbs and spices; and more exotic plants from ethnic markets. The book is enhanced with beautiful illustrations, and its at-a-glance format makes it a quick and easy reference. Best of all, every featured plant can be grown in a kitchen, making this handy guide a must-have for avid gardeners and apartment-dwellers alike. "Don't Throw It, Grow It!" will appeal both to committed recyclers and to anyone who wants to find magic in the mundane - from parents and teachers looking to instill a sense of wonder in children, to the houseplant enthusiast seeking to create a one-of-a-kind Eden right in her kitchen.

Start growing your own food at home! Whether you're an urban gardener, a first-time vegetable grower, or have your own allotment, this illustrated guide takes the uncertainty out of your harvest with clear, reliable gardening advice for every month of the year. This gardening reference guide is filled with gardening tips on growing everything from herbs and kale to strawberries and rhubarb. Inside, you'll find: - Month-by-month chapters that break down what to do through the year, with instructions on what to sow and plant and the gardening tasks to focus on - Visual galleries accompany every chapter that showcases the products that can be harvested during that month - Crop planners that provide a catalogue of more than 60 fruits, vegetables, and herbs that can be grown in an allotment or kitchen garden - "Allotment know-how" chapter that offers detailed, accessible advice on preparing your allotment, choosing the correct tools and equipment, and making the most of your plot with crop rotation - "Troubleshooter" chapter that breaks down the warning signs of pests, diseases, and disorders, with detailed advice on preventing and/or treating these issues Wondering how to grow your own fruits and vegetables or how to make the most out of your existing allotment? Allotment Month by Month has everything you need to know about how to grow your own fruit and vegetables: when to sow, how to cultivate, advice on pesticide use - and step-by-step garden projects like making a compost bin. With more than 60 fruit and vegetable crop planners, this gardening book is your go-to guide to growing fresh, seasonal produce in your kitchen garden, on your plot or in smaller city spaces. Month-by-month alerts help you guard against the season's garden pests and diseases to ensure a top-quality harvest. This new edition has updated recommendations for the best varieties to grow and all the latest expert gardening advice.

Put the fun into gardening with this great family guide to growing plants indoors and out, all year round. How do plants work? How can I grow tomatoes? How can I encourage garden wildlife? RHS Get Growing will answer all these questions in a fun and accessible guide. Perfect for parents and children who enjoy engaging with the outdoors and want to do more activities together, or for beginner gardeners just starting out, this book explains how plants work, describes the building blocks of gardening, and shows how to grow everything from cacti to cucumbers. With great facts and practical projects, giving the reader a lot of information, it's an ideal, hands-on introduction for complete beginners, and designed to inspire a life-long love of gardening. In this book, you will learn to: Learn about the plants and animals that make up the ecosystem of any garden Plant seeds together with your children and watch as they grow Carry out experiments - from making a wormery to mapping rain shadows Make delicious recipes from your home-grown produce The projects and experiments are bite-sized and self-contained, ideal for weekends, holidays and even home-schooling. This book is ideal for parents and teachers who want to get kids connected with nature, experiencing the world and relating to the food that they eat. All the guidance is backed by scientific and educational research, drawn together by the team of RHS experts. Get your children growing shoots and seeds, whatever their ages, and watch them fall in love with the natural world with RHS Get Growing, the complete family gardening guide.

A totally new category of plants - as easy to grow as tomatoes, perfect for gardeners Cannabis prohibition is ending around the world, and there's a new bud in town - auto-flowering cannabis. As easy to grow as tomatoes, auto-flowering cannabis is the perfect new plant for the home gardener who has limited time and space. Unlike commercially grown cannabis, auto-flowering cannabis plants are small, container-grown, day-neutral, require no special lights or equipment, and grow incredibly fast - from seed to harvest in as little as seven weeks. Written by gardening authority Jeff Lowenfels, DIY Auto-flowering Cannabis is a full-color, illustrated guide for everyone wanting to grow their own. It covers: The history and benefits of auto-flowering cannabis Its origins, chemistry, and growing habits Step-by-step growing methods, including tips, tricks, supplies, and seed sourcing How to harvest, process, and breed your new plants. If you are a home gardener or already grow cannabis, you too can learn how to grow this new plant with ease, all while reaping its many benefits, such as harvesting it for medical use, recreational use, or simply as a decorative, sweet-smelling flower to enjoy. If you like to grow tomatoes, you will love growing auto-flowering cannabis.

In common with other titles in this series, this volume describes the scientific principles that are the bases of crop production practices. This volume focuses on the leafy salad vegetables: lettuce, endive and chicory. It opens with a review of world production data, crop uses, botany, taxonomy and evolution. It then describes the genetics and breeding of the crop, including cultivar development and germplasm resources. Physiological aspects, such as germination, growth and development, are then discussed. Production methods worldwide, including growing under cover in protected environments, are reviewed, before consideration of harvesting and seeds, pests and diseases, and economics and marketing. The book is written by one of the world 's leading authorities on the subject and will be indispensable for advanced students and growers in horticulture.

Nothing tastes better than herbs harvested fresh from the garden. In Grow Your Own Herbs, garden experts Susan Belsinger and Arthur O. Tucker share everything a new gardener or home cook needs to know to grow the forty most important culinary herbs. Grow Your Own Herbs starts with basic gardening information with details on soil, watering, and potting. Profiles of 40 herbs - including popular varieties like basil, bay laurel, lemon verbena, tarragon, savory, thyme, and more - feature tasting notes, cultivation information, and harvesting tips. Additional information includes instructions for preserving and storing, along with techniques for making delicious pastes, syrups, vinegar, and butters. Grow Your Own Herbs is perfect for those new to gardening, gardeners with limited space, and anyone looking to add fresh herbs to their daily meals.

With a catalog of 150 different culinary herbs and their varieties, more than 30 recipes, step-by-step photographs on how to plant, nurture, harvest, and store, and flavor charts that list the best herbs to partner with popular ingredients, "The Cook's Herb Garden" shows you how to grow your own supply of herbs whether on a window ledge, in pots, on the patio, or in a vegetable garden.

This title includes succinct advice on site, aspect, soil, compost, lawns, fences, pruning, training, propagation, pest control and more. It is an authoritative guide: helpful solutions to more than 1001 of the most frequently asked questions in one accessible at-a-glance volume. It answers queries on garden sites, soil, walls, lawns, fences, patios, trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, herbs, houseplants, vegetables, container gardening, the water garden, compost, propagation, weed control, everyday maintenance and greenhouses. It comes with over 850 photographs, this volume will help you find a quick solution to every garden question. Whether you're a novice gardener or have been growing plants for years, each season can bring new dilemmas that need addressing. This handy volume asks every typical garden question and provides invaluable guidance for successful gardening. There are chapters on planning and assessing the garden site; the hard landscape; lawns; the ornamental garden; the kitchen garden; the water garden; propagation; pruning and training; garden problems; growing under cover; and garden equipment. All provide suggestions, help and reassurance for the concerns most likely to be encountered, making this the perfect reference book for every gardener.