Driveways, paths and patios are an essential part of most properties and this comprehensive book provides a detailed explanation of exactly how they are designed, planned and constructed. Discusses the design of driveways, paths and patios with reference to their planned use, style, size, gradients and special features such as steps, ramps and terraces. Considers the range of materials available including block paving, flags, slabs, setts, cubes, cobbles, loose aggregates, plain & patterned concrete and tarmac. Analyses how to estimate costs and making the choice between the DIY approach and using a professional contractor. Examines the critical issue of drainage. Lays bare the mathematics associated with accurate setting-out and levelling. Describes the range of tools and equipment needed. Details the correct constructions of kerbs and edging and laying methods for flags, block paving and much more.

This book is the second volume of the definitive handbook for the gardener, comprising a wealth of green-fingered tips and techniques that cover absolutely everything necessary for creating and maintaining a fruitful garden. Although an antiquarian text, this handbook contains timeless information about the subject and continues to be a must-read for the keen amateur horticulturist today, complete with detailed drawings and diagrams to help you every step of the way on your journey to successful gardening. Sir William Watson (1858 1935) was an English poet, famous for the controversial political content of his work. This book was originally published in 1910 and is proudly republished now with a new introductory biography of the author."

In his youth, Peter Finch wove his way through a series of exploits and adventures. Travels took him to Canada, where a fateful encounter in the Rocky Mountains opened up new horizons. In midlife he and his wife Gundi made the shift to country living, ushering in a new phase in their life, as they set down roots in the hills and settled into a deliberately simplified lifestyle.

Peter relates how he and Gundi immersed themselves in ways guided by nature. As she created and sold glass sculptures, he sunk his hands and tools into pure glacial-till soils, sowing, planting, and growing culinary and medicinal herbs, heirloom vegetables and salad greens to take to farmers markets and restaurants in and around Toronto. Invigorated by the pleasures and health benefits of growing, selling, and eating fresh organic food, Peter reveals how he became a passionate advocate of traditional, small-scale, chemical-free farming.

"High Up in the Rolling Hills" shares the personal journey of an independent couple as they explore the vital role of nature, creativity, and healthy food in life.

In recent years, container gardening has taken on a new dimension, as new and vastly varied containers have become available to suit every taste. In this will advise you on the best use of container plants to enhance your garden and patio, to achieve dramatic and colourful results in small spaces, or, in larger gardens, to create focal points which link different parts of the garden. She gives practical suggestions on how containers can be used to solve problems in the garden, and hundreds of ideas for striking and unusual plant combinations. Creative containers provides a wealth of exciting and original ideas for container gardening, focusing on the following - Planning - how containers fit into the overall design of the house, patio and garden. Choosing containers, including ideas for unusual containers and instructions for making or decorating your own containers. Plant discussions - detailed descriptions of suitable container plants, suggested combinations, growing conditions, etc. Plant care and maintenance - how to make sure that your container plants flourish.

With over 40 projects to make your own creative containers, let Frances Tophill show you how to use often overlooked pots to their full potential and transform your garden - whether you've only got a modest balcony, small square of patio or just a windowsill. There is always room for a bit of greenery in your life. Whether it's growing herbs to add a fresh touch of flavour to your cooking or planting succulents to display on your windowsill, containers help you to bring nature to the most inhospitable and smallest of spaces. Frances covers a range of different planting schemes and types of container, from urns and troughs to chimney stacks and hanging baskets. She delivers expert advice on what to grow - from bonsais, bulbs and bamboos to tumbling and creeping plants and flowers - and shows you how to make a living wall, a pond in a metal trough or even your own bespoke containers. With Frances's creative ideas, you can transform any garden into a host of inspirational and unique pots and plants.

This book is the fifth volume of the definitive handbook for the gardener, comprising a wealth of green-fingered tips and techniques that cover absolutely everything necessary for creating and maintaining a fruitful garden. Although an antiquarian text, this handbook contains timeless information about the subject and continues to be a must-read for the keen amateur horticulturalist today, complete with detailed drawings and diagrams to help you every step of the way on your journey to successful gardening. Sir William Watson (1858 1935) was an English poet, famous for the controversial political content of his work. This book was originally published in 1910 and is proudly republished now with a new introductory biography of the author."

Christopher Lloyd, icon and iconoclast of the gardening world, was born at Great Dixter, in East Sussex, in 1921 and died there in 2006. In the years between he developed the garden at Dixter into a mecca for plantsmen and a hub of ideas and connections that spread throughout the world. And from the 1930s almost until his death he was also photographing the garden, recording it in intimate detail as it changed and developed. A carefully chosen selection of Christopher's photographs is published here, the majority for the first time. They are juxtaposed with images from the Lloyd family's earliest days at Dixter, and with photographs taken by Carol Casselden and others of the garden as it is today.

This title shows you how and when to prune all the key plants in your garden, with step-by-step photographs. It clearly explains the different methods of pruning, such as deadheading, shaping, clipping and trimming. It describes specific pruning techniques for different types of plants, including roses, shrubs, climbers and hedges. You can learn how to restrict the size of evergreens, trim vines, rejuvenate conifers, train apple trees and shorten the growth on soft fruit bushes to maximize their yield. It includes an at-a-glance seasonal chart to remind you when to prune, and a list of plants' common names. Most plants benefit from a prune for healthy growth and visual appeal, but many gardeners approach the task with trepidation. This accessible handbook provides a clear, easy-to-follow guide through the complexities, explaining why we prune, and giving step-by-step instructions on the different techniques. There is also advice on selecting and using equipment, an extensive section on pruning specific types of plants, and two useful charts showing methods of pruning and seasonal pruning. The book contains all the information you need to keep your plants beautifully healthy, flowering and fruiting prolifically, and looking just as you want them.

A well-written and straight-forward look into how easily people can grow fresh vegetables in the small spaces of back yards, patios and balconies. Through the use of simple directives and annotated photographs, you are informed step-by-understandable-step on seed set-up, transplanting, cultivation, fertilizers, composting and harvest. Also included is a glossary of commonly used terms, advice on pests, recommended tools and resources.

PREFACE: The plan of this work differs from that of the ordinary Botany. The method pursued is to introduce the pupil at once to the study of the plant itself, by means of elaborate illustrations, and living specimens. The parts and functions, together with the generic and specific characters of each plant, are pointed out and described. The thing being seen is then named. No new term is introduced until a necessity arises for its use....Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

A handy early guide to the formation and management of the kitchen garden and the cultivation of useful fruit and vegetables. This fascinating work is thoroughly recommended for inclusion on the bookshelf of all gardeners and contains much information that is still useful and practical today. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original artwork and text.

This book was prepared with the design to having been to afford the novice of the game Bridge with sufficient theoretical knowledge of the principles and strategy of the game to enable the reader to commence the practise in a sound and intelligent manner. It includes full instructions, numerous examples, analyses, illustrative deals, and a complete code of laws, with notes indicating the differing practices at the most prominent clubs. It was originally published in 1902 but will still prove to be of interest to any player or learner of the game. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original artwork and text.

From needle size, yarn weight, and gauge to techniques and instructions, "Knitting Essentials" is an informative booklet and the go-to guide for knitting enthusiasts. Learn the different stitches, along with interesting twists and finishing techniques to make your knit projects a success.

The ultimate guide to encouraging wildlife into the garden all year round. Taking a month-by-month approach, The Wildlife Gardener's Almanac is packed with ideas, advice, tips and checklists, to give gardener's the best chance to make their contribution to conserving our native flora and fauna, no matter what size their garden. Each chapter of this beautifully illustrated book presents an introduction to the wild plants and creatures to expect at that time of the year, lists of seasonal tasks with straightforward instructions on how to carry them out, detailed profiles of plants in bloom, and a practical project aimed at encouraging more wildlife into the garden, including making a wildlife pond, building a nest box, planning a herb bed, planting a wildflower meadow and more. With appendices covering wildlife gardening in containers and suggested garden layouts, this guide offers a wealth of gardening information in an accessible format, allowing gardeners to find the advice they need, exactly when they need it.