Learn how to make and use nourishing compost for your garden with this handy little guidebook from an experienced National Trust head gardener. It's packed with useful tips for successful composting, from deciding what to put in your kitchen compost caddy to how to use the final product in your garden. The author discusses the various composting set-ups you can choose, from simple plastic cone-shaped 'Dalek' bins to ingenious hand-rotated barrels and elaborate solar-powered hot composting systems, and gives full instructions to make a professional-looking three-bay compost heap from old pallets. Also covered are unusual and innovative techniques such as keyhole gardening and lasagne planting, and there's a guide to wormeries and, for the very adventurous, snaileries. He also reveals the many uses to which compost can be put in your garden, and not just to grow plants in - as a top dressing to keep your lawn looking fresh and green, as mulch for your flower beds, or, in liquid form, as a powerfully nutritious plant feed. And there's a handy guide to which bits of kitchen waste you can put into your compost, and which you really shouldn't. Finally, if you've always wanted an exceptionally environmentally friendly composting toilet, instructions are here. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this practical guide contains all the advice you'll ever need to get your compost going and use it to help your garden thrive.

RHS Puzzles & Brain Teasers for Gardeners is a beautifully illustrated collection of 100 quizzes and puzzles to test the horticultural and botanical knowledge of gardeners and plant lovers everywhere. Testing everything from your knowledge of the creatures in your garden, to your ability to name the tools in the tool shed, as well as plenty of of no-knowledge-required gardening-themed logic puzzles, this is the perfect gift for the gardener in your life, no matter their experience level. Quizzes include: - 12 'Planting Calendar' word searches based on what to plant in each month of the year - Match the leaf to the plant - Which horticultural hero am I?

'Who is the patron saint of gardeners? Which leafy South American herb, 200 times sweeter than sugar, has no calories? These are just two of the knotty brainteasers in this fun book for gardening know-it-alls, ideal for those wanting to test the limits of their botanical knowledge. And if you were wondering, the answers are: St Fiacre and stevia.' - Mail on Sunday Ever wanted to show just how much you know about roses? Or see if you can remember the Latin name for Japanese Maple? RHS Gardener's Quiz & Puzzle Book is designed to test your horticultural and botanical knowledge with puzzles to delight and challenge. Featuring over 400 lavishly illustrated questions, from anagrams to garden history, from obscure tools to identifying plants based on their leaves - there are questions for every level of gardening knowledge. Including... - Solve anagrams to improve your knowledge of Latin names - Test your ability to identify plant anatomy with annotated diagrams - Feature pages contain quizzes on specific themes such as botany, vegetables, houseplants, pests and plant care ...and much more.

The title might sound like a bold statement, but you really will be able to garden by the end of this book. Whether you are a budding botanist or just aspire to have greener fingers, this book will hold your 'horticultural hand' and guide you gently through the principles of gardening. Whether you have a tiny courtyard or something a bit bigger, this book will share everything you need to know to create your own patch of horticultural heaven. With 12 easy-to-follow chapters that explore all the basics of successful, stress-free gardening including assessing and designing your garden, how to grow fruit and vegetables, plant maintenance, propagation, lawns and container garden. The 15 step-by-step techniques will teach you how to sow seeds, prune shrubs, cut a hedge, mow a lawn and even how to design your own outside space, plus so much more. Just as important, the book explains how to garden sustainably and encourage wildlife, so that you can make informed decisions when it comes to creating and maintaining your garden.

*** 'So you know you want to start gardening but you have no idea where to begin? ... Simon Akeroyd gives step-by-step guidance on everything from creating a cactus collection to growing fruit in hanging baskets. The book turns what is often a daunting task into bite-size steps that can often be done in an afternoon.' George Hudson, Evening Standard, favourite garden publications of the year Aimed at first-time gardeners, those in rented accommodation or anyone with limited outdoor space, this book teaches how to take stock of an environment and start a garden. With ideas for gardens, patio spaces, courtyards, balconies and interiors, these 50 easy-to-adopt ideas provide the steps to success for even the most inexperienced gardeners. Contents include: - Create a floral display with bulbs that last all year - Grow pet-friendly plants - Create a vegetable harvest in pots - Add height in flat spaces - Make a mow-free lawn - Hang plants around your home

'Discover clever methods for protecting your plants and crops without harming wildlife in this engaging and humorous compendium... If, in despair and dejection, you've been tempted to reach for a bottle of insecticide or order an animal trap, then think again; here's a whole book of handy tips and tricks.' Gardens Illustrated From the green-thumbed optimist who views their garden as a calming getaway to those that see backyard life as more of a struggle against weeds and pests, almost all gardeners will meet a creature or two who will drive them to despair. Plenty of gardeners are ready to swear off nasty chemical deterrents and bloodthirsty solutions. But how can you save your squash and uphold your hostas at the same time? 50 Ways to Outsmart a Squirrel serves up a smorgasbord of eco-friendly ideas and solutions. They're legal, humane and - best of all - effective. Cut through the old wives tales, save your salt for seasoning, and discover gold-standard, sustainable planting solutions and crop-saving tips from gardeners who know exactly how you feel.

Increase your stock of plants easily and for free by propagating them yourself. RHS How to Grow Plants for Free demystifies the art of taking cuttings and explains the other ways you can multiply your garden plants. Propagating your own plants is fun, inexpensive, and a sustainable way to garden. An introductory section explains the botanical science behind all types of propagation and defines and simplifies the language. The book is then split into self-contained practical chapters detailing each of the different types of propagation. Each chapter includes a selection of 'plant profiles' for the plants best suited to each propagation method: - Dividing Plants covers the easiest methods of splitting one plant into several new ones - Saving Seeds introduces how to collect and process seeds from flowers, vegetables, herbs and trees - Cuttings covers how to successfully grow a new plant from an existing one using several different methods for taking cuttings - The Houseplants chapter shows techniques needed to increase your collection. - The final chapters show how to grow new plants from kitchen scraps, and gives ideas on how to make the most of all the new plants you've created by giving them as gifts

*** 'With an approachable layout and excellent illustrations, including both photographs and line drawings, this book is just the thing for someone discovering the pastime and would be ideal for those who have just acquired a garden of some size. Topics covered range from plant biology and propagation, to everyday garden care, fruit and vegetables and growing under cover.' The English Garden Keen amateur gardeners and aspiring professionals can learn from the expertise of the RHS with this handy guide. It doesn't matter if you're an old hand at gardening or just starting out, there are always things to discover and opportunities to improve, whether it's mastering a new technique or brushing up on your botany. RHS Gardening School is the perfect guide for gardeners who want to learn. Inside you'll find chapters on: Understanding plants Everyday garden care Problem solving Planting design Gardening through the year and much more. Hands-on guidance and step-by-step instructions explain topics such as pruning, pest and diseases, weed removal and caring for lawns. Expert gardeners explain the underlying principles in plain English, while clear diagrams and beautiful photographs inspire and inform. This revised edition will have a fresh new look with new illustrations and photographs and an easy-to-navigate layout making it an ideal handbook for the new gardener. Become a better, smarter, more productive gardener with this complete guide to horticulture in one handy book.

Get to grips with pruning in your garden with this handy little guidebook from an experienced National Trust head gardener. It's packed with useful, easy-to-follow advice on pruning all the plants that need it, from individual roses to the hedge that encircles your garden, including shrubs, climbers and fruit trees along the way. The author discusses the best equipment for pruning, from simple secateurs and loppers to pruning saws and powerful chainsaws (though you'll need professional training for those). He includes an invaluable seasonal guide to pruning - find out why you should prune roses and lavender in autumn but keep your secateurs away from trees, and why spring is the best time to tackle buddleia to ensure a butterfly-filled summer. There is a useful section on the legislation around pruning, including dealing with potentially problematic plants such as leylandii, and fascinating practices such as coppicing, pollarding, pleaching and decorative topiary are also covered. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this practical guide contains all the advice you need to keep on top of your pruning and make your garden even more beautiful.

Learn how to keep your lawn in perfect condition all year round with this handy little guidebook from an experienced National Trust head gardener. It's packed with invaluable advice on all aspects of lawn design, creation and maintenance, whether you want an immaculate striped formal lawn or a more hardwearing surface for your children to play on, or even a romantic chamomile lawn or one strewn with colourful spring flowers. It includes incredibly useful troubleshooting tips for the typical problems your lawn might experience, including invasive weeds, pests and diseases and the effects of the weather. The author discusses which types of mower work best for different lawns, when and how to water and feed, and how to bring a neglected lawn back to life. He even dabbles in artificial turf and how best to use it, and offers creative ideas for decorative elements such as stepping stones, edgings and winding paths. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this practical guide contains everything you need to keep your lawn in tip-top condition, every day of the year.