Plants

Growing vegetables can be a tricky business, and even the most experienced of gardeners will occasionally need to turn to a trusted tome for some handy advice. The Veg Grower’s Almanac is just such a book – a compendium of month-by-month tips, advice and items of interest.

With sage advice from old Gardeners’ World hands coupled with tips on the best varieties to grow and timely advice on how best to look after your plot, this attractive collection blends practical advice with evocative writing and fascinating facts. Illustrated throughout with charming drawings and sketches, The Veg Grower’s Almanac is a welcome additional to any gardener’s shelf – from hands-on instructions for preparing a seed bed or trying new varieties of tomato to fascinating little-known facts about our favourite crops.

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It really is a start-to-finish coverage. It begins with early planning that, in itself, does much to smooth out problems of glut. The objective has been to plan to produce fresh food to eat and build in the correct storing for everything so that nothing goes to waste. The book points up varieties that have proved themselves to have the best qualities for storing surplus. The book explains that waste is most often caused by growing too much at the wrong time. It lays plans to resolve this issue, to co-operate with other gardeners to dovetail activities, swap produce and store for the winter. It is a complete source – vegetable by vegetable, fruit by fruit.

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Written by RHS experts with more than 50 years of combined growing experience, RHS Grow Your Own Veg & Fruit Year Planner provides the life-changing advice that gardeners need to grow a year-round supply of healthy fruit and vegetables for their table. The book starts with planning what to grow and where to grow it, whether that’s an allotment, a series of containers, raised bed or veg patch, then how to get the best from your soil, and how to get started. Next, in season-by-season chapters, the book takes the reader from sowing to harvesting with simple, clear instructions that will help them stay on top of the challenges and joys of a productive garden. From apples to asparagus, raspberries to radishes, this book will show how to apply age-old techniques to get the most from your plot.

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Learn how to grow big veg with Gerald Stratford, the gardening grandad loved by over a quarter of a million fans on Twitter.

“I am very grateful for all the interest my wonderful friends and followers have taken in my gardening. Now, I hope this book gives you the motivation you need to get out in the garden. Cheers!”
– GERALD

Gerald’s book is packed with decades of gardening know-how and fully illustrated with photos from his Cotswolds garden. It includes a helpful month-by-month guide to sowing, planting and harvesting veg, as well as tips on how to grow Gerald’s speciality: really big veg.

Full of encouragement and Gerald’s infectious enthusiasm, Big Veg makes an ideal companion for anyone keen to grow-your-own.

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This sumptuous book showcases the work of one of today’ s most highly regarded floral designers. Paula Pryke leads you through every decision, from the choice of a theme to the selection of individual flower varieties, offering a wealth of ideas along the way.

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Lyra and Pantalaimon have journeyed north, in search of the missing children and Lord Asriel. But the frozen wilds are harsh and unhospitable, and fearsome enemies are waiting at every turn. If Lyra is to succeed in her quest, she must enlist the help of unexpected allies: an armoured bear and a witch queen. The path ahead will lead to dark truths and grave danger . . .

The second book in a stunning three-volume graphic novel adaptation of Northern Lights, the first of which won the Prix Jeunesse du Festival d’Angoulême.

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A fresh approach to gardening by bestselling author and the nation’s favourite gardener Monty Don.

‘Think of your garden like a meal. When you select a recipe, you’re choosing it based on inclination, experience and circumstance. Making a garden, big or small, uses exactly the same process.’

If you are new to gardening, it can seem daunting – with Latin names, various soil types and seasonal requirements, it feels like a lot to learn. But with Monty Don’s new book as a guide you will discover just how joyful and rewarding gardening can be.

Whether you want to grow your own veg, create a child-friendly garden, connect with nature, or make the most of houseplants, Monty will help you unlock your space’s potential, showing you what, where and when to plant. The Gardening Book gives you the basics to grow over 100 popular flowers, foods, shrubs, houseplants and more – each one has a clear, concise, format: what you need, timing, method, and step-by-step photos, all on one spread. It’s a refreshingly accessible approach that will help you build a garden which best serves your needs and enhances your lifestyle.

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‘He writes so engagingly that it’s hard to imagine that actual foraging can be more attractive than reading his accounts of it. …[This book] is a treasure. It is beautifully produced, designed and illustrated.’ – John Carey, The Sunday Times

WINNER OF THE GUILD OF FOOD WRITERS AWARD FOR FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020
WINNER OF WOODLANDS AWARDS BEST WOODLAND BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020

Look out of your window, walk down a country path or go to the beach in Great Britain, and you are sure to see many wild species that you can take home and eat. From dandelions in spring to sloe berries in autumn, via wild garlic, samphire, chanterelles and even grasshoppers, our countryside is full of edible delights in any season.

John Wright is the country’s foremost expert in foraging and brings decades of experience, including as forager at the River Cottage, to this seasonal guide. Month by month, he shows us what species can be found and where, how to identify them, and how to store, use and cook them. You’ll learn the stories behind the Latin names, the best way to tap a Birch tree, and how to fry an ant, make rosehip syrup and cook a hop omelette.

Fully illustrated throughout, with tips on kit, conservation advice and what to avoid, this is an indispensable guide for everyone interested in wild food, whether you want to explore the great outdoors, or are happiest foraging from your armchair.

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Information, inspiration, tips and trivia to help you make the most of your gardening year

This guide to how to look after and enjoy your garden month by month is the ideal thoughtful gift for any gardener. It’s packed with inspiring writing and National Trust know-how that will help beginners and old hands alike.

For each month, you’ll find:

Something to prune
Something to savour
A task to start; a task to finish
A thrifty project
Head gardener’s job of the month – advice from an NT expert
Plant focus – spotlight on plants in season
Wildlife – what to look for, how to help
Weather charts – sunrise and sunset, average temperatures
Trivia – Facts too good to keep to yourself
Quotations – Wit and wisdom from famous gardeners, past and present

There’s information on enjoying other gardens too – with dates for garden events around the country, including from the National Trust and RHS.

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