'The most romantic, creative person in garden design I know.' Piet Oudolf 'Jinny's genius is to marry a beautiful vision to an extraordinary empathy with the landscape into which that vision will fit, resulting in a pastoral harmony second to none' Victoria, Lady Getty Prolific designer Jinny Blom embraces a wide variety of styles, from large garden spaces to formal walled gardensand contemporary installations. What defines her work is her skill with plants and her ability to create a garden that responds to the history of the site and the wider landscape. The gardens Jinny creates are as different as their owners and their locations. In this book, Jinny shares her insight into the creative process she has developed while designing more than 250 gardens around the world. The Thoughtful Gardener contains modern takes on traditional forms, and is split into six sections: seeing, understanding, structuring, harmonising, rooting, and liberating. All of Jinny's gardens share a commitment to beautiful craftsmanship and considered planting. Structure and detail are important, and receive close attention. The styles vary considerably - logical, calm, beautiful, romantic, naturalistic, formal, sometimes spare - but the principles remain firm. Jinny designs for the long term, with consideration for the environment; these gardens are built to last. Reflecting Jinny's highly individual character, there is plenty of wit and quirkiness alongside the expert knowledge, and it will appeal to the widest audience of garden lovers. Thoughtful and beautiful, yet practical and informative, this book marries artistry with functionality.

User-friendly and highly accessible, this is a practical, fully illustrated and inspiring guide to indoor gardening by self-taught plant enthusiast Jade Murray. Here you will find invaluable tips and advice for choosing, caring for and propagating houseplants. Having limited space is no barrier to indoor gardening. Many of these plants are perfect for small homes and space-saving ideas abound - eg vertical arrangements - whether hanging in a basket, bunched on a shelf, on a window sill or grouped on a ladder. Chapters include: the easiest houseplants to grow for complete beginners (including Chinese Money Plants and Dragon Trees) the best 'diva' plants for creating drama and conversation pieces (including String of Dolphins and Elephant Ear) air-purifying plants (from ferns and lilies to the Fiddle Leaf Fig) humidity-loving plants (including the Lipstick Plant and Asparagus Ferns) heat-resistant indoor plants (cacti and succulents) plants to help with pests (including Venus Fly Trap and Trumpet Pitcher) Throughout the book you will find: advice on where to best position plants in the home ideas for how to display them to best advantage, including vertical arrangements tips on soil mix, watering, feeding and trouble-shooting step-by-step photographs for plant propagation an at-a-glance summary of Jade's 'golden rules' for success Jade firmly believes that plants can be restorative and therapeutic - a positive asset in any home or office. Her advice and enthusiasm shine on every page of this book - as do her glorious photographs.

From the author of The Humanure Handbook, an expert guide to compost toilets you can build yourself The Compost Toilet Handbook is an illustrated instructional manual explaining how to make, use, and manage compost toilets, which are waste-free toilets that rely on the biological process of composting to recycle toilet material. It is based on the author's 40+ years of first-hand experience with "composting as a sanitation alternative." The 254-page indexed book has 161 pages of color photos including 203 photos or illustrations from 13 countries where compost toilet systems are in use. The 2nd half of the book includes case study reviews of compost toilet projects in African prisons and schools; Haitian schools, orphanages, and villages; schools in Mozambique; neighborhoods in Mongolia; a school and village in Nicaragua; and an ecovillage in the US. Along with the nuts and bolts of compost toilet construction, use, and management, the book covers emergency preparedness, cold weather composting, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, health, and safety.

Britain's gardens are a vast, living landscape and the home to hundreds of species of birds. Learn to pay attention to these visitors to your own garden or local park and you'll have a front-row seat to the unfolding drama that is the garden bird's year. As dawn breaks across your back garden, if you were paying attention, you would notice that the robin and the blackbird are always the first birds to arrive. These ground hunters have large eyes, so don't mind the dim light of the early morning. And that's just the beginning of what you can learn watching your own back garden. Ornithologist Mike Toms has spent a year avidly observing his own garden, and the result is a comprehensive picture of the lives of garden birds. From the crowded yet quiet January garden populated by migratory fieldfares and bramblings, to the riotous gardens of spring, filled with songbirds competing for mates, the garden ecosystem changes throughout the year. Learn to spot these changes, to greet the arrival of the swifts in May and the new crop of fledgling goldfinches and blackbirds in June, and you'll find a new world opening up to you. A Garden Bird's Year is the perfect introduction to this world. Supremely readable, it explains biology and behaviour to paint a picture of the lives of common bird species, while also offering practical information for watching and feeding the birds in your own backyard. Toms details birds' preferences for particular plants, seeds and feeders, so you can learn to attract different species to your own garden. He also charts fascinating recent adaptations - urban birds sleep later than their rural counterparts, probably because cities are on average a few degrees warmer, and they sing either earlier or later, to avoid competing with local traffic; and the balance of migratory birds to Britain is being affected by the world's changing climate. Many species of garden birds are threatened, but there is much that each one of us can do to support them, to attract them, and to help them thrive through the year.

Gardening for Everyone is a sustainable guide to growing vegetables in five simple steps: planning, building, planting, tending and harvesting. With the same wisdom and stunning aesthetic as Simply Living Well, Julia's beautiful new book is a guide to creating and growing a garden simply and sustainably with profiles of essential vegetables and herbs, ecological tips, and fun and creative projects. Growing food in your backyard (or even on a porch or windowsill!) is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to nourish yourself, be self-sufficient and connect with nature in a hands-on way. Here sustainability expert Julia Watkins shares everything you need to know to grow your own vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as wildflowers and other beneficial companion plants. The book covers all the nuts and bolts of creating and caring for your garden - planning, building, planting, tending and harvesting - followed by a deeper dive into the plants themselves: demystifying annuals vs. perennials, cold-weather vs. warm-weather veggies, and profiles of favorite crops. Throughout, Julia offers tips for creating an eco-friendly and sustainable garden (such as vermicomposting, no-till 'lasagna' gardening, and attracting pollinators), plus some fun and unexpected hands-on projects like how to build a bean teepee, make wildflower seed paper, and enjoy refreshing herbal lemonade ice pops.

In the multifaceted world of gardening, the same questions arise time and time again. Organised season-by-season, this book promises to answer the 1000 most-asked questions that can frustrate all gardeners alike. Drawing on her years of experience in gardening, former panellist and researcher for the BBC's Gardeners Question Time Daphne Ledward has answered them all. From knowing how to identify your soil type, the finer points of pruning and propagation, and seeds versus seedlings; to the thorny problems of dealing with chronic pests and diseases, and finding plants for difficult places, this book is the answer to all of the most frequently asked gardening questions. Get the most out of your garden, big or small, and discover answers to common issues such as: - what type of soil is best for your garden - how to select the best plants, vegetables and herbs according to your space - how to get your plants through a difficult winter - how to best care for your plants, be it bulbs, roses, vegetables or even your lawn - how to make your own compost

Delicious Italian-inspired recipes from a New Zealand home garden Nostrana means homegrown, ours; growing food with the intent of sharing it. Inspired by the abundant lemon trees and trellised tomato vines of her Italian grandparents' vegetable garden, Bri DiMattina started her own edible pantry in her back garden and discovered the joys of bringing food from seed to table. Organised seasonally, and with growing guides for each ingredient, Nostrana shares simple, gorgeous and delicious recipes with fresh vegetables and fruits you can easily grow and harvest yourself. Just a taste of the mouth-watering, Stromboli-inspired recipes in Nostrana includes: fried artichokes with caper mayonnaise strawberry and amaretto slushies green bean panzanella bottled spaghetti zucchini arancini rhubarb and custard tortes BBQ parmigiana and limoncello.

Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London, covering an area of 2,500 acres. From its heights there is an uninterrupted view of St Paul's Cathedral, 12 miles away. The royal connections to this park probably go back further than any of the others, beginning with Edward I in the thirteenth century, when the area was known as the Manor of Sheen. The name was changed to Richmond during Henry VII's reign. In 1625 Charles I brought his court to Richmond Palace to escape the plague in London and turned it into a park for red and fallow deer. His decision, in 1637, to enclose the land was not popular with the local residents, but he did allow pedestrians the right of way. To this day the walls remain. In 1847 Pembroke Lodge became the home of the then Prime Minister, Lord John Russell, and was later the childhood home of his grandson, Bertrand Russell. However, Richmond Park emerges from its historical record as a place that has seen many changes in fabric and detail and yet remains the embodiment of a medieval deer park. It is a palimpsest, retaining subtle clues to each period in its history.

Learn how to create your own no dig, organic garden with permaculture design and techniques. Vera's 15 years of experience as a no dig gardener provides a vast amount of knowledge on growing fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers. The book is divided into two sections, container gardening and permaculture kitchen gardening. Part One shares knowledge especially useful to urban gardeners and those with little space. Part Two advises on starting and maintaining a garden. Vera's speciality is creating beautiful and delicious polycultures and she offers a range of examples to get you started and the knowledge to experiment. She also includes recipes for your fresh harvests. Chapters on making compost, building raised beds, and a monthly job guide make this useful for all levels of gardener. Vera demonstrates that gardens can look beautiful and be productive, and her advice and examples encourage us to look at our own growing spaces in a different light. We no longer need to hide our veggie patches; they can take centre stage. Why not incorporate cut flowers with herbs, brassicas and peas? Or plant a pottager garden? These examples will help people create edible paradises everywhere, like patios, balconies, windowsills, allotments, community and school gardens, front and back gardens and anywhere else we can grow.

No matter your space, this planet-friendly introduction to gardening will get you growing your own fruit, veg and flowers in no time!

Gardening expert and social media sensation Joe Clark of @joesgarden shares everything he has learned about the power of gardening to bring you joy, save you money and help the planet.

You will:

• Learn when and how to grow your own food, even in small spaces like containers or raised beds
• Find advice on attracting garden-friendly insects and wildlife, including a how-to guide for building your own hedgehog hotel and rewilding tips
• Make your own organic pest controls, plant food and rainwater collector so you can nourish your garden while being kind to the planet
• Discover useful food sustainability tips, from extending the shelf life of your produce to avoiding food waste and preserving your food
• Find ideas on how you can use you gardening to improve your mental and physical health

With beautiful illustrations and easy-to-understand instructions and growing tips, this is the perfect book for budding or seasoned nature lovers who want to use their green-fingers to make a difference.

Among the oldest plants on earth, mosses are a gardener's dream - they provide a lush backdrop in almost any setting and are easy to keep healthy with regular maintenance. In The Magical World of Moss Gardening, moss enthusiast Annie Martin shows you how to create a green and sustainable solution to that difficult shady spot in your garden.

There are many examples of British wildflowers that we routinely use in our gardens and still more that could be used if we knew just a little more about them. Divided according to their natural habitats, the book features almost 200 different wild plants and photographs of each. Each habitat is introduced with practical information and tips, along with inspirational planting plans that show you how to combine plants creatively for maximum effect. All the essential facts, such as height, habitat, care and propagation are provided, to enable you to site plants successfully.

Plant, soil, moss, twine--that's all you need to create the exciting form of bonsai known as koke (moss) dama (ball). Moss Ball Bonsai provides all the information you need to make these self-contained gardens, using different types of plants--from flowering trees and ferns to grasses and cacti. A sampling of 100 different kokedama shows how even the most common of house plants can shine in this appealing no-pot environment, while a section on mosses acquaints you with the many tones and textures of this versatile plant family. With this bonsai guide, you will learn how to: Create and maintain a healthy home for your miniature garden's root system Use inexpensive house plants and cuttings as the basis of your kokedama Make beautiful (and quirky) group plantings within a single project Find, collect and propagate moss And more! Whether resting on a pottery dish or suspended in the air, these little indoor gardens are a wonderful way to add a touch of artistry and greenery to your home or work space.

With a revolutionary new "Climate Battery" design for near-net-zero heating and cooling By the turn of the nineteenth century, thousands of acres of glass houses surrounded large American cities, becoming a commonplace symbol of the market garden and nursery trades. But the possibilities of the indoor garden to transform our homes and our lives remain largely unrealized. In this groundbreaking book, Jerome Osentowski, one of North America's most accomplished permaculture designers, presents a wholly new approach to a very old horticultural subject. In The Forest Garden Greenhouse, he shows how bringing the forest garden indoors is not only possible, but doable on unlikely terrain and in cold climates, using near-net-zero technology. Different from other books on greenhouse design and management, this book advocates for an indoor agriculture using permaculture design concepts-integration, multi-functions, perennials, and polycultures-that take season extension into new and important territory. Osentowski, director and founder of Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute (CRMPI), farms at 7,200 feet on a steep, rocky hillside in Colorado, incorporating deep, holistic permaculture design with practical common sense. It is at this site, high on a mountaintop, where Osentowski (along with architect and design partner Michael Thompson) has been designing and building revolutionary greenhouses that utilize passive and active solar technology via what they call the "climate battery"-a subterranean air-circulation system that takes the hot, moist, ambient air from the greenhouse during the day, stores it in the soil, and discharges it at night-that can offer tropical and Mediterranean climates at similarly high altitudes and in cold climates (and everywhere else). Osentowski's greenhouse designs, which can range from the backyard homesteader to commercial greenhouses, are completely ecological and use a simple design that traps hot and cold air and regulates it for best possible use. The book is part case study of the amazing greenhouses at CRMPI and part how-to primer for anyone interested in a more integrated model for growing food and medicine in a greenhouse. With detailed design drawings, photos, and profiles of successful greenhouse projects on all scales, this inspirational manual will considerably change the conversation about greenhouse design.

*THE ORIGINAL & SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING ALMANAC Reconnect with the seasons in Britain and Ireland with this month-by-month guide to the world around us - including key dates, tide tables and garden tasks; constellations and moon phases; sunrises, folk songs, seasonal recipes plus a 'bun of the month'; and - because 2023 will be a good year for planet spotting - the solar system and the zodiac. The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2023 gives you the tools and inspiration you need to celebrate, mark and appreciate each month of the year in your own particular way. Divided into the 12 months, a set of tables each month gives it the feel and weight of a traditional almanac, providing practical information that gives access to the outdoors and the seasons, perfect for expeditions, meteor-spotting nights and beach holidays. There are also features on each month's unique nature, with this instalment following the swirling micro world of the garden pond through the year. You will find yourself referring to The Almanac all year long, revisiting it again and again, and looking forward to the next edition as the year draws to a close. This year's edition is illustrated by artist Whooli Chen. The geographical scope of The Almanac is Britain and Ireland PRAISE FOR THE ALMANAC: 'Lia Leendertz's classic almanac never fails to delight' - The Herald 'It's a perfect Christmas present' - Allan Jenkins, The Observer 'The perfect companion to the seasons' - India Knight 'Indispensable' - Sir Bob Geldof 'This book is your bible' - The Independent 'I love this gem of a book' - Cerys Matthews

Birds are a delight in the garden, not only for their beauty and birdsong, but also because they eat many harmful garden pests. This book contains a wealth of feeding ideas for backyard birds, from seeds, grains and peanuts to fruits, suet cakes and fat balls, and suggestions for the best flowers, shrubs, hedges and trees to plant to encourage birds into the garden. There are step-by-step projects for tables, nest boxes, birdbaths and birdhouses that will enhance and decorate your garden, and the book also features illustrated directories of the most common garden birds in the UK and in the USA, from woodland and countryside locations to town and city environments, with information about identification, distribution, habitat and feeding habits. With its helpful practical advice and superb photographs and illustrations, this is the ideal source book for all wildlife enthusiasts Learn what to feed garden birds, from seeds, grains and peanuts to fruits, suet cakes and fat balls, as well as how to attract birds by planting the right flower borders, trees and shrubs, and by making wildlife hedges and ponds * Features practical step-by-step projects for making your own feeders, tables, birdbaths and nest boxes, from simple designs to highly ornamental creations * Includes a visual directory of all the most common garden bird species, with natural history information on distribution, size, nesting, eggs and feeding habits * Explains how birds live - from flying and feeding to egg-laying and migrating - with a guide to birdwatching in urban, country, woodland and aquatic locations * With over 760 beautiful photographs and illustrations.

In this age of high technology, GM foods and industrial farming, many people are looking for an alternative way to live, that honours and respects the natural world. The Druid Garden mines the deep seem of gardening through the ages and alternative modern developments, to bring the reader a method of gardening that is truly in touch with the Earth. Drawing on the knowledge of the Druids and other ancient cultures, Luke Eastwood has created a practical guide to organic and natural methods that are proven to work. Advice for the total beginner, through to the experienced, ties together Druidic wisdom with the best of gardening knowledge. Part of this book is a handy alphabetical guide to trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, giving a wealth of information on history and folklore, as well as practical details on plant care and growing from seed. This book is invaluable to anyone serious about organic gardening or those simply interested in how things were done in former ages, Celtic Europe in particular.

"The Living Garden"is the book for all gardeners (whether new or experienced) who want to work in tuen with nature to create a beautiful space. Jane Powers shows that if we cut out harmful chemical and use the right plants for our climate and conditions, we can make a garden that has a live of its own, in which flora and fauna are intricately interwoven. She describes how to plan and plant for birds, bees and other creatures (including humans) and how to grow our own food, look after our soil, make compost and plant potions, sow and save seeds, propagate plants and carry out many other essential operations.

"By harnessing the power of plants to grow more plants, my garden - which at the outset was always intended to be organic - quietly became vegan by stealth. Realising I had crafted a vibrant, nature-filled and no-dig garden from scratch, and was able to sustain it without lifting a forkful of manure, or any of the other grisly by-products (dried blood, bonemeal) of the animal-exploiting meat, dairy, poultry and fishery industries, filled me with an unexpected buzz. That same buzz has taken my growing, as well as my thinking about how what I do in my garden affects our natural world, way beyond just organic gardening. My vegan-organic gardening journey delights and surprises and teaches me something new each day, and I know of no better way to bring beauty and abundance into our beleaguered, changing world." Our natural living world is undergoing profound change, with implications for every living thing on earth. To meet this challenge we must rethink many aspects of our everyday lives, including the way in which we cultivate our gardens. This book explains a mindful, gentle, yet powerful way of gardening that is in harmony with nature. Vegan gardening builds on the spirit and philosophy of organic gardening - but goes way beyond it. We discover how our garden (or backyard) is actually a living, dynamic ecosystem in its own right, and how wildlife, in all its guises, is crucial to creating a healthy ecological balance. Climate-friendly gardening is explored with examples of how to take practical steps to reduce our 'gardening footprint'. Peat composts deplete the world of non-renewable resources, but there are effective (and easy) alternatives and solutions for flourishing plants. Pests only need to be contained, not killed - and beneficial wildlife can be encouraged.The no-dig approach is better for the soil and the plants - as well as your back! The concept of a vegan-organic, closed-loop garden, self-sufficient in everything it needs - from soil-building compost to plant supports - is shown in action.

This is a complete guide to growing and cooking perfect natural produce, with over 150 step-by-step recipes. It deals with growing and cooking food the natural way, with chemical-free gardening and delicious organic recipes. It is packed with practical advice to help you achieve outstanding results in all aspects of designing and maintaining an organic garden. It provides advice on soil, aspect, sowing, aftercare, natural ways to deal with pests and diseases, harvesting and storage.

Planting, by famed landscape architects Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury, is a groundbreaking moment in horticulture. It is the first book to share Oudolf s original planting plans and plant groupings and the only book to explicitly show how his gardens and landscapes are made. An intimate knowledge of plants is essential to the success of this approach and Planting makes Oudolf s considerable understanding of plant ecology and performance accessible, explaining how plants behave in different situations, what goes on underground, and which species make good neighbors. Extensive plant charts and planting plans will help you choose plants for their structure, color, and texture as well as the way they perform in the landscape. A detailed directory, with details each plant s life expectancy, the persistence of its seedheads, its tendency to spread, and propensity to self-seed, is an invaluable resource.Planting is an essential resource for designers and gardeners looking to create plant-rich, beautiful gardens that support biodiversity and nourish the human spirit."

Weeds are wild plants that have survived in the face of centuries of hostility. Many gardeners who are unfamiliar with the versatility of weeds think of them as a nuisance. They can be good, bad, dangerous or beautiful. Above all, they are tough. This essential guide explores the virtues of good weeds, including how they can protect soil and add to soil fertility; act as companion plants in gardens; provide food for farm livestock; support wild life; provide herbal remedies for minor ailments; yield vegetable dyes and finally, give us weed cuisine: nutritious food and drink for free.