Humans and the world around us have been governed by the waxing and waning of the moon since the planet came into being. Over the centuries different civilisations have embraced these natural cycles, and so lunar gardening has been around for as long as man has pulled food from the soil; once practised by the Incas and Native Americans, this tried and trusted method has been largely forgotten. John Harris, head gardener at Tresillian Estate in Cornwall, has been using Moon Gardening for over forty years. The methods he uses can be implemented anywhere, you do not need fancy tools, expensive seeds or substantial acreage, but instead, given time, patience and care, the results can be breath-taking. This is gardening at its most natural and organic. The Natural Gardener charts John's story from a rudderless young lad in a Cornish village to being charged with the salvation of the long-neglected gardens at Tresillian. As he shares how to follow these simple principles, he imparts his abundance of horticultural knowledge from years spent working in harmony with the soil, providing a timely link back to nature and the reassuring regularity of the seasons.

Our climate is in a state of flux. Weather patterns are changing and therefore the way we manage our gardens are changing too. This offers a new and exciting challenge for all gardeners. This new book looks at the garden styles of nine regions which have always dealt superbly with heat, drought and water shortage - the Italianate Garden, the Islamic Garden, the Patio Garden, the Mediterranean Garden, the Gravel Garden, the Desert Garden, the Bush Garden, Cape Colour and the Jungle Garden. Each chapter explains the style and includes a practical tutorial, typical plant forms, a planting plan and a project. The final chapter is a useful plant directory introducing the key plants along with cultivation advice for growing them yourself. This is a critical read for gardeners, a practical and inspirational insight into the classic gardens defined by sunshine, humidity and lack of water that will continue to inform the gardens of tomorrow.

'I return to Beth Chatto's books constantly. For those who are new to her work, you are entering into a life-long relationship with a wise friend and gardener' Monty Don 'Invaluable to those who want to plant a trouble-free, all-year-round garden with minimum care - or watering' FLORA In today's climate of increasingly hot summers and dry winters, gardeners need guidance on plants that will thrive in dry conditions. In Beth Chatto's classic book, she uses plants that need very little attention and are naturally adapted to flourish in dry conditions to provide a year-round display of beautiful foliage and flowers. Drawing from her own immense experience, she provides valuable guidance on types of soil and on basic principles of design. She discusses the plants and plantings suited to dry conditions and includes a detailed list of plants, with notes and advice on their characteristics.

*THE ORIGINAL & BESTSELLING ALMANAC* 'Lia Leendertz's classic almanac never fails to delight' - The Herald 'It's a perfect Christmas present' - Allan Jenkins, The Observer A perfect toolkit for connecting with the world around us and the year ahead as it unfolds - all in a compact and pocket size guide that just begs you to pick it up and browse. The Almanac: A seasonal guide to 2022 reinvents the tradition of the rural almanac for a new audience. It 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, such as the meteor shower of the month, beehive behaviour, folklore, seasonal recipes and charts tracking moon phases and tides. 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. The geographical scope of The Almanac is Britain and Ireland PRAISE FOR THE ALMANAC: 'The perfect companion to the seasons' - India Knight 'Indispensable' - Sir Bob Geldof 'This book is your bible' - The Independent 'An ideal stocking filler' - The English Garden 'I love this gem of a book' - Cerys Matthews

A beautifully designed, full-color personal account of what it means to become a gardener, filled with specially commissioned color photography, watercolors, and fine art. To make her new house in Connecticut truly feel like home, Catie Marron decided to create a garden. But while she was familiar with landscape design, she had never grown anything. A dedicated reader with a lifelong passion for literature, Marron turned to the library of gardening books she'd collected to glean advice from a variety of writers on gardening and horticultural topics both grand and small. Marron's quest to become a gardener, however, was about more than learning the basics about mulch or which plants work best in the shade. She sought something far more elusive: to identify the core qualities and characteristics that make a person a gardener and an understanding of what a garden could mean to her as it had to multitudes of other gardeners over the centuries. In Becoming a Gardener, Catie Marron chronicles her transformation into a gardener over the course of eighteen months, seeding the details of her experience with rich advice from writers as diverse as Eleanor Perenyi and Karel Capek, Penelope Lively, and Jamaica Kincaid. As she digs deeper into her readings and works in the garden itself, Marron not only discovers the essence of gardening but in the words of Michael Pollan, "the endlessly engrossing ways that cultivating a garden attaches a body to the earth." A delightful blend of informed opinion, personal reflection, and practical advice, Becoming a Gardener explores topics as varied as the composition of dirt, the agricultural wisdom of avid kitchen gardeners George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the healing power of digging in the soil, and the beauty of finding solitude in nature. Throughout, Marron carefully plants special illustrated features, such as musings on the merits (and detriments) of the rose, essential tools, moonlight gardening, children's books which feature gardens, and her favorite gardens around the world. Also included is an annotated list of recommended writers, books, and films related to gardens and gardening, and a monthly to-do calendar. Featuring specially commissioned illustrations by the Danish team All the Way to Paris, and stunning photographs by acclaimed photographer William Abranowicz that capture the pastoral beauty of Marron's Connecticut garden, Becoming a Gardener is a very special and moving portrait of life and the enduring power of literature and nature that is sure to become an instant classic.

This title includes practical instructions for designing and planting beautiful gardens that welcome wildlife, through step-by-step instructions with explanations of how wildlife will benefit. It covers all kinds of ideas for feeding and sheltering wildlife, such as bird feeders, log piles, toad houses, bee nesting boxes, butterfly roosting houses, bird boxes, habitat stacks and hibernation sites. It features annotated planting plans for country gardens, urban spaces, courtyards and wild gardens, as well as beautiful borders specially designed to attract bees, butterflies and birds. It features projects as seen in Michael Lavelle's medal-winning wildlife garden at the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show 2007. Award-winning garden writers Christine and Michael Lavelle give expert advice on how to help native insects, birds and animals, with the aim of creating a wildlife habitat in your backyard. They explain how the process of welcoming wildlife is not only good for local species, but will also improve the health of your plants. There are clear and easy-to-follow instructions on a range of techniques, with advice on planning and garden design to show how you can share your outdoor space with wildlife. All the major habitats are covered, with ideas for the best types of plants to encourage wildlife. There are also instructions for how to make bird feeders, bee boxes, log piles, nesting boxes, hibernation sites and more. With its wealth of hands-on practical advice, 40 step-by-step projects and over 570 inspirational photographs, this is the ideal book for gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts everywhere.

For decades fruit growers have sprayed their trees with toxic chemicals in an attempt to control a range of insect and fungal pests. Yet it is possible to grow apples responsibly, by applying the intuitive knowledge of our great-grandparents with the fruits of modern scientific research and innovation. Since The Apple Grower first appeared in 1998, orchardist Michael Phillips has continued his research with apples, which have been called "organic's final frontier." In this new edition of his widely acclaimed work, Phillips delves even deeper into the mysteries of growing good fruit with minimal inputs. Some of the cuttingedge topics he explores include: The use of kaolin clay as an effective strategy against curculio and borers, as well as its limitations Creating a diverse, healthy orchard ecosystem through understory management of plants, nutrients, and beneficial microorganisms How to make a small apple business viable by focusing on heritage and regional varieties, value-added products, and the "community orchard" model The author's personal voice and clear-eyed advice have already made The Apple Grower a classic among small-scale growers and home orchardists. In fact, anyone serious about succeeding with apples needs to have this updated edition on their bookshelf.

This comprehensive book contains a wide range of designs for 30 unique stained glass plant containers. It is complete with a helpful guide to selecting and caring for plants in terrariums. A total of 30 unique designs cover a full range of uses from simple plant pots to elaborate terrariums in styles to suit everyone. All projects have a specification list, material list, illustrations and colour suggestions. Step-by-step photographs are provided to guide you through a typical project assembly. All projects are shown in colour and are accompanied by over 60 black and white photographs and illustrations.

A unique illustrated book about growing native orchids giving a step by step guide to every planting situation. Learn how to cherish these remarkable flowers and help them flourish in their natural habitat: * Which species of orchids will work in their garden and what companion plants to grow next to them * How to grow orchids from seed or in a container * How to start an orchid meadow or add orchids to an orchard & preserving and promoting local ecosystems

It's a rare midwesterner who doesn't grow something, whether potted plants on a porch, caged tomato vines, a blooming border, or a solitary rose. And it's an even rarer midwestern gardener who isn't sometimes flummoxed by extremes of weather, pesky insects and persistent diseases, or simple questions about what to plant where. For nearly four decades, Jan Riggenbach has given these gardeners answers, as well as a weekly dose of gentle humor and wise counsel, in her widely syndicated newspaper column, Midwest Gardening. Your Midwest Garden draws on these columns to offer readers in America's heartland all the gardening information they want and need, along with plenty they might not even suspect they're missing. Annuals and perennials, shrubs and vines, fruits and vegetables, wildflowers, bulbs, and herbs: As readable as it is useful, this book reviews the familiar, reconsiders old favorites, and introduces dozens of surprising and seldom-grown plants ideal for Midwest gardens and landscapes. Illustrated with color photos from the author's garden, it provides tips on plant placement and care, starting seeds and making compost, matching specimens and sites, combating insects and diseases, simplifying garden chores, designing for winter beauty, and myriad other ways of enriching and enjoying your Midwest garden.

Open Miniscapes: Create your own terrarium and discover the creativity and fun of making your very own indoor garden encased in glass. Do you love the greener things in life but don't have the time or space for endless gardening? This is the book for you. Miniscapes has 16 projects covering four biomes (Desert, Forest, Carnivorous and Air plants), suitable for all skill levels. The book equips you with the knowledge you need about soil and rocks, moss, tools, propagation, choosing your plants and containers, and designing your tiny landscape. Between these covers is everything you need to create and maintain healthy, happy terrariums that are cheap to make and easy to maintain (you can even upcycle things you already have at home).

This celebration of the style, design, and joy that pools bring to us brims with over 200 glamorous photographs. It is organized by swimming pool design from glimmering infinity pools with a view of the ocean to dramatic cascading waterfall pools and those in lush garden settings. Ranging from beautifully landscaped backyards to dramatic beaches and tropical paradise surroundings, the stunning pool locales show creative examples of pools as architecture and organic forms. In the mix are seductive pools owned by such celebrities as Cher and Dianne Keaton and leading designers Bunny Williams and Carolyne Roehm, as well as masterpieces by famed architects Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, and Luis Barragan. Splash concludes with a section on poolside elements, from tiled steps, patterned surfaces, and Jacuzzis to pool houses with outdoor showers, landscaping, furnishings, and much more. Every example evokes the enduring and irresistible appeal of the swimming pool.

With their colorful leaves, sculptural shapes, and simple care, succulents are beautiful yet forgiving plants for pots. If grown in containers, these dry-climate jewels which include but are not limited to cacti can be brought indoors in winter and so can thrive anywhere in the world.
In this inspiring compendium, the popular author of "Designing with Succulents" provides everything beginners and experienced gardeners need to know to create stunning container displays of exceptionally waterwise plants. The extensive palette includes delicate sedums, frilly echeverias, cascading senecios, edgy agaves, and fat-trunked beaucarneas, to name just a few. Easy-to-follow, expert tips explain soil mixes, overwintering, propagation, and more.
Define your individual style as you effectively combine patterns, colors, textures, and forms. Discover how top designers interpret the dramatic options, in ideas ranging from exquisite plant-and-pot combinations to extraordinary topiaries and bonsai. Expand your repertoire with plump-leaved plants that resemble pebbles, stars, and undersea creatures. Short on space? Create vertical gardens and hanging baskets, and use daisylike rosettes in wall displays.
Each of the more than 300 photographs offers an inspiring idea. A-to-Z descriptions cover 350 of the best succulents, plus companion plants. Whether your goal is a gorgeous potted garden for a sunny windowsill or outdoor living area or simply making great gifts this is a comprehensive primer for creating vibrant, living works of art.
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Herbert Koepf was a pioneer of biodynamics in Germany, the USA and in the UK. He was an expert teacher, and drew on his own practical background in farming. This book is a collection of some of Koepf's writings on key aspects of biodynamics. It includes practical guidance on building soil structure, preparing and applying biodynamic sprays, crop rotation, compost and composting methods. He also considers ways of researching the effectiveness of biodynamic methods, and measuring results. This is an invaluable guide for anyone working with biodynamic methods, offering Koepf's unique insights and wisdom on practical issues. This overview of Koepf's work is a newly-edited combination of four pamphlets: Compost, Biodynamic Sprays, Three Lectures on Biodynamics, and Research in Biodynamic Agriculture. Published in association with the Biodynamic Association.

In Setting the Scene leading garden designer George Carter describes his own work over the past thirty years and puts it in the context of the teachings of the great eighteenth-century landscaper Humphry Repton. The result is a series of pithy lesson that will be invaluable to any garden designer, or garden owner. Rich in both inspiring ideas and practical advice, Setting the Scene shows how successful gardens are designed and made. Following the pattern set by Repton in his revered Red Books, Carter takes us through the process in meticulous detail, leading us from the initial site plan to the glory of the finished garden, and illustrating each chapter with photographs and plans of gardens from his own portfolio, ranging from small urban gardens to large country estates, the world over.