Creative gardening with indigenous plants, now in its second edition, is an invaluable handbook for South African gardeners. In this comprehensive guide the authors set out to popularise the use of indigenous South African plants in gardens, parks, on roadsides and anywhere where previously exotic plants were preferred. This book covers more than 300 plants, all illustrated by stunning photographs in full colour showing the whole plant as well as selected features such as flowers, fruit, leaves and bark. The text comprises a description of each plant, its usages - including medicinal uses and snippets of folklore - and advice on cultivation. Introductory chapters cover topics such as propagating plants from seeds and cuttings, gardening in the different climate regions, and using indigenous plants to attract birds and insects to the garden. Taking a very practical approach, using symbols, distribution maps, plant size and flower colour, the authors lead the reader to the correct plant to choose for the application, whether this be tree, shrub, annual, perennial, climber or water-loving plant. This all-inclusive book is a must for gardeners, horticulturists, landscape designers and anyone involved in the South African nursery industry.

Originally published in 1936, this book is a detailed guide to the cultivation of the mushroom. Full of detailed information and instruction on growing and harvesting, this book is still of great practical use to today's grower. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include: Introduction - The Nature of the Mushroom - Site and Soil - Buildings - Manures - Spawns - Making up Beds - Care of Beds - Diseases and Pests and Their Control - Picking and Packing - Exhibiting - Some Companion Crops - Marketing and Costings - Cooking Recipes

Conventional wisdom is difficult to question, even when it is misguided and contains many contradictions. Gardening has its share of such 'myths' - some with discernible origins in history, others that have become established for no obvious reason - and they often obscure simpler and easier methods of working. This delightfully illustrated book reveals how common sense triumphs and crops are more successful when these 'rules' are overturned. A fascinating but practical book that will save the seasoned gardener time and give new gardeners heart.

An invaluable reference for beginners and experienced enthusiasts alike! Beginners will love this book for its pictorial and concise approach to growing, grouping and caring for succulents and cacti to make them thrive. Experienced succulents enthusiasts will appreciate the sheer variety of plants described here--a detailed field guide to over 700 varieties, both common and exotic. Author Shoichi Tanabe walks you through all the steps from selecting your plants to potting, watering and displaying them. In this complete guide you will find everything from: Advice on selecting the right plants for your environment and lifestyle How to create attractive groupings of succulents and spaces which thrive together Tips on ensuring the right light, air flow, humidity and watering regimen Essential tools and soils as well as how and when to transplant your succulents And so much more! The plants are grouped by seasons (spring-fall or summer-winter types), when and how much to water them, their ease of cultivation, and more. Tips for cultivating each genus are included, along with plenty of advice on how to keep them healthy and vigorous. An index to all the plants makes this an indispensable guide when adding to your collection of succulents, cacti and air plants!

"I think this book will quickly become an insightful gardening friend." -- Adam Frost, garden designer and TV presenter Discover what to do at just the right time to create a garden that's full of life and colour all year round in this invaluable book, now shortlisted for the GMG PRACTICAL BOOK OF THE YEAR award. What to Sow, Grow and Do is a season-by-season guide that brings together projects, advice, task lists and ideas to help you plan your time in the garden, inspire your planting and nurture a deeper relationship with nature. Tracking a year in the garden, it guides you in what to do through a series of how-to tasks and helpful checklists. It also celebrates each season, highlighting the plants to enjoy, the wildlife to spot and the changes you can notice in the garden and beyond. Seasonal jobs cover everything from pruning roses to planting summer bulbs, together with ideas on encouraging and supporting a garden that's full of beneficial insects and wildlife. Armed with this book, you can create a thriving, flourishing garden that's a joy to be in. Whether you are a seasoned horticulturalist or are just starting on your gardening adventure, this guide is an indispensable companion to your year in the garden.

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.

How do you design a landscape book suitable for its intended uses? How can the natural qualities of a landscape be enhanced with new features and focal points? How can you make pedestrians stay on the footpath? What kind of plant, path or wall should you put where, and what sort of contract should you choose for your client's contractor? This refreshingly down-to-earth introduction to the vast subject of landscape design and construction answers all these questions, guiding new students through the many facets of professional practice and welding together the artistic, legal, financial, environmental and management issues which can seem so dauntingly disconnected. Illustrated with original drawings, photographs, sample plans and facsimiles, including a new colour plate section, this readable classic has been fully revised and updated throughout. It opens with a completely new chapter which explains design and aesthetic principles, explores the history of our relationship to landscape, and shows how design principles can be applied to influence reactions to the finished site. The author then considers different elements of hard landscape and their relative merits in different situations. The soft landscape section includes coverage of the effects of mass and form, natural and abstract planting, and the difficult subject of plant selection. A step-by-step guide through all the stages of managing a project, from initial discussions with clients, site inspection, surveying and quoting, through tendering, contracting, contractual agreements, development from concept design to final plans and drawings, as well as maintenance, now includes the current information on CDM regulations and provides readers with a plain-speaking reference on client management and contractual administration. Added to the guide to drawing and lettering is an extensive section on computer-aided design. A bibliography and list of useful organization are also included.

Originally published in 1881, this is a'Practical treatise on the cultivation of the most profitable outdoor crop known'. Wonderfully detailed, it presents a complete system for the growing, cutivating and harvesting of all types of mushrooms.

Loaded with plants that conjure visions of tropical islands and pina coladas, this book makes real every gardener's dream of living in a private Eden. Detailed, step-by-step instructions guide gardeners through the process of cultivating their own tropical gardens with thick foliage and bright, bold plants.

Ben Raskin's wide-ranging work in varied locations makes The Woodchip Handbook a really useful overview of the possibilities afforded by woodchip. Charles Dowding, author of Charles Dowding's No Dig Gardening The first and only complete guide to sourcing and using woodchip - an abundant, inexpensive and ecologically sustainable material - for savvy growers and landscapers at any scale, from farm to garden to greenhouse. The Woodchip Handbook is the essential guide to the many uses of woodchip both in regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Author Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association, draws on his extensive practical experience using woodchip, provides the latest research from around the world and presents inspiring case studies from innovative farmers. The book explores and unlocks the tremendous potential of woodchip to enhance soil health and plant growth: As a natural mulch for weed suppression, temperature buffering and water conservation As a growing medium for propagating plants As a decomposing source of warmth for hotbeds in the greenhouse or hoop house As a carbon-rich compost ingredient that supports beneficial fungi and microorganisms As a powerful soil health booster when applied as small-sized ramial chipped wood As an ideal substrate for growing many kinds of edible or medicinal mushrooms As a sustainable, versatile and durable material for foot paths and ornamental landscaping Some of these techniques, like mulching - or the renewable harvest potential from coppicing and pollarding trees - have been around forever. Yet there is always new science to be discovered, such as the role that salicylic acid from willow woodchip can play in preventing tree diseases or promoting livestock health when used as a bedding material. Whether you are a commercial grower or farmer, a permaculture practitioner or a serious home gardener producing your own fruit and vegetables, The Woodchip Handbook will show you how to get the most out of this readily available and renewable material. I did not know the world needed a whole book on woodchip, but from the first chapter I could not put this book down. Alys Fowler, author of The Edible Garden and The Thrifty Gardener

Grow your own cut flowers and you can fill your house with the gorgeous colours and heavenly scents of your favourite blooms, knowing that they haven't travelled thousands of miles - and you can make money while you do it! Combining boundless passion with down-to-earth guidance and practical advice, Georgie Newbery draws on her own experiences as an artisan flower farmer and florist as she takes you through: * how to start a cut-flower patch * what to grow * cutting, conditioning and presenting cut flowers * creating a hedgerow Christmas * starting a cut-flower business * where to sell * marketing and social media * a flower farmer's year planner. Whether you want to grow for your own pleasure or start your own business, The Flower Farmer's Year is the perfect guide.

A wildlife-friendly garden provides year round entertainment whilst providing food, drink and shelter for a range of species. This volume gives clear and practical advice on how to create a wildlife haven in your back garden and how to enjoy it through the changing seasons.