multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.

Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.

If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.

A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.

However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.

This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.

Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.

If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.

A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.

However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.

This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.

not a book for the more experienced, 22 Mar 2008
I bought this book at the end of last year when i aquired an allotment.
The book is written by an amatuer for amatuers, and although it has a few handy sections - like the month by month planner, it's very basic and more of a quirky comedy about a lady's toils in her allotment.
I would reccomend this book if you are very new to gardening and have a small plot or maybe a small veg plot in your garden, as it has some novel ideas ie: building a hedgehog shelter, but fruit and veg gardening bible it is NOT!

Great for beginners and old hats alike, 23 May 2007
Well, for anyone thinking of buying this book I HIGHLY recommend it. I've read my fair share of allotment books, many of which will tell you exactly what you've read elsewhere, but seeing as I'm such as avid visitor to Jane Perrone's blog I thought I'd treat myself. A great read for anyone, no matter how experienced they are at this allotmenting lark. I loved hearing about all the things that went wrong and how to either overcome them or live with them. Very readable, very personal, very useful and never far from my side.


Everything you could ever need!, 22 May 2007

I am new to allotments, having just got an overgrown plot in February. I bought this book after seeing it in the Guardian and it has now become my bible!

It is exactly what it says, a down to earth guide. The advice is informative, straightforward, clear and realistic in terms of making you realise you dont get it right every time and failures should be taken in your stride.

This book is never more than a couple of feet from me and I spend hours in the evening poring over it, after a long day on the plot.

And for info the plot is no longer overgrown, and is in great shape with a bumber harvest due, thanks in no small part to this book, so thanks Jane!

Would recommend without reservation.

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.

Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.

If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.

A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.

However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.

This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.

not a book for the more experienced, 22 Mar 2008
I bought this book at the end of last year when i aquired an allotment.
The book is written by an amatuer for amatuers, and although it has a few handy sections - like the month by month planner, it's very basic and more of a quirky comedy about a lady's toils in her allotment.
I would reccomend this book if you are very new to gardening and have a small plot or maybe a small veg plot in your garden, as it has some novel ideas ie: building a hedgehog shelter, but fruit and veg gardening bible it is NOT!

Great for beginners and old hats alike, 23 May 2007
Well, for anyone thinking of buying this book I HIGHLY recommend it. I've read my fair share of allotment books, many of which will tell you exactly what you've read elsewhere, but seeing as I'm such as avid visitor to Jane Perrone's blog I thought I'd treat myself. A great read for anyone, no matter how experienced they are at this allotmenting lark. I loved hearing about all the things that went wrong and how to either overcome them or live with them. Very readable, very personal, very useful and never far from my side.


Everything you could ever need!, 22 May 2007

I am new to allotments, having just got an overgrown plot in February. I bought this book after seeing it in the Guardian and it has now become my bible!

It is exactly what it says, a down to earth guide. The advice is informative, straightforward, clear and realistic in terms of making you realise you dont get it right every time and failures should be taken in your stride.

This book is never more than a couple of feet from me and I spend hours in the evening poring over it, after a long day on the plot.

And for info the plot is no longer overgrown, and is in great shape with a bumber harvest due, thanks in no small part to this book, so thanks Jane!

Would recommend without reservation.

Not great!, 27 Sep 2008
We were thinking of keeping 2 or 3 for the pleasure it would give us and our two children but this book has put us off the idea completely...

At times confusingly written with far too many negative aspects described in detail and not enough positives.

Some might say the writing is 'charming' but, as a beginner, I needed to know detail which either isn't in this book or is made confusing by the writing.


A charming introduction to keeping chickens, 15 Aug 2008
Although I kept chickens many years ago I found this book a mine of useful information. It is charmingly written, very easy to follow, I read it at one sitting. It covers all aspects (I found the cooking and storage sections a pleasant suprise) and although some things could have been covered in slightly more detail, this information is easily found in other sources.

Excellent book - highly recommended, 01 Nov 2007
If you are thinking about keeping chickens everything that you need to know is in this book. Absolutely excellent!!

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.

Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.

If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.

A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.

However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.

This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.

not a book for the more experienced, 22 Mar 2008
I bought this book at the end of last year when i aquired an allotment.
The book is written by an amatuer for amatuers, and although it has a few handy sections - like the month by month planner, it's very basic and more of a quirky comedy about a lady's toils in her allotment.
I would reccomend this book if you are very new to gardening and have a small plot or maybe a small veg plot in your garden, as it has some novel ideas ie: building a hedgehog shelter, but fruit and veg gardening bible it is NOT!

Great for beginners and old hats alike, 23 May 2007
Well, for anyone thinking of buying this book I HIGHLY recommend it. I've read my fair share of allotment books, many of which will tell you exactly what you've read elsewhere, but seeing as I'm such as avid visitor to Jane Perrone's blog I thought I'd treat myself. A great read for anyone, no matter how experienced they are at this allotmenting lark. I loved hearing about all the things that went wrong and how to either overcome them or live with them. Very readable, very personal, very useful and never far from my side.


Everything you could ever need!, 22 May 2007

I am new to allotments, having just got an overgrown plot in February. I bought this book after seeing it in the Guardian and it has now become my bible!

It is exactly what it says, a down to earth guide. The advice is informative, straightforward, clear and realistic in terms of making you realise you dont get it right every time and failures should be taken in your stride.

This book is never more than a couple of feet from me and I spend hours in the evening poring over it, after a long day on the plot.

And for info the plot is no longer overgrown, and is in great shape with a bumber harvest due, thanks in no small part to this book, so thanks Jane!

Would recommend without reservation.

Not great!, 27 Sep 2008
We were thinking of keeping 2 or 3 for the pleasure it would give us and our two children but this book has put us off the idea completely...

At times confusingly written with far too many negative aspects described in detail and not enough positives.

Some might say the writing is 'charming' but, as a beginner, I needed to know detail which either isn't in this book or is made confusing by the writing.


A charming introduction to keeping chickens, 15 Aug 2008
Although I kept chickens many years ago I found this book a mine of useful information. It is charmingly written, very easy to follow, I read it at one sitting. It covers all aspects (I found the cooking and storage sections a pleasant suprise) and although some things could have been covered in slightly more detail, this information is easily found in other sources.

Excellent book - highly recommended, 01 Nov 2007
If you are thinking about keeping chickens everything that you need to know is in this book. Absolutely excellent!!

A practical guide, 11 May 2008
This is an incredibly useful guide if you want to be more self-sufficient. It has sections on generating your own power, recycling, organic gardening, animal husbandry, brewing and preserving produce. The layout of the book is very clean-looking with simple, clear diagrams. I have looked at a number of different books on self-sufficiency and this is definitely one of the best.

A Great Starter How to Guide for Sustainable Living, 07 Aug 2007
As summer draws it damp way toward autumn and work once again raises its ugly head, dreams of stepping off the treadmill and opting for a simple life cross an increasing number of people's minds.

Downsizing, that most corporate sounding word, is becoming an oft talked about alternative to the ever increasing stress of modern urban living. Ditching the overpriced, and massively over mortgaged flat, throwing the Blackberry in the river and heading for the hills for a simpler life has never been so appealing. The idea buying or renting a small place in the country, whether in this country or another, and setting up a small holding or more ethical business looks very appealing on when your stuck in another traffic jam on the M5, late for a meeting, with a to do list that is eating half your laptop's memory.

The only problem is, of course, is that the decree in business and economics and a life of urban living means often that the skill set we have are tangential to a self sufficient life style. Even a complete DVD set of `The Good Life' will only give you the sense of humour necessary for a new beginning.

Luckily however the support, whether it be in advice found on the net, the neighbours, books and courses are extensive- and you are going to need all of them at one time or another. If you think you live a technology filled life now then think again, there is a huge difference between using sophisticated technology and building so called `low' technology, and at first sight it is the `low' technology which is much more complicated.

There's a saying in architecture that the most serious mistakes are made right at the beginning. This is very true about downsizing, the choices you make right at the beginning, whether it be choosing the property, or if starting business, your partners, will determine the ultimate success of the move. This I think is the crux of why some people's dreams turn to dust, their primary motivation is to get away from the situation they are in rather than knowingly embracing where they going.

The Self-Sufficiency Handbook by veteran small holders and writers Alan and Gill Bridgewater is a whistle stop tour of the wide range of skills and knowledge that you may need, from picking the right property to smoking cheese.

The explanations are straight forward and well illustrated. The breadth of the coverage is superb with chapters on creating the self-sufficient house, an organic food gardening section, keeping animals and a pantry section. The book serves as a very useful introduction to the concepts and practises of self-sufficiency, in and of itself it is not the definitive guide to every subject, and much more detailed study would be needed, for example if you wanted to keep sheep or bees. However what the book does do is de-mystify many of the challenges of setting up your own sustainable home and garden. It points you in the right direction in a clean, no nonsense practical way, and shows very clearly that every problem you will come across has an answer.

From my own experience I know that the sheer mass of challenges you face when deciding to go along a more sustainable way of living can be overwhelming- what comes first the roof, the plumbing, the electricity? The obstacles, while all been manageable individually, seem insurmountable when seen as a whole. This book helps you break each task down to it component parts so that you can start to resolve each one, and in doings o raise your level of experience and confidence to tackle the most complex ones.

Anyone thinking of `downsizing' to a more sustainable lifestyle should have a copy of The Self-Sufficiency Handbook. It is now my first port of call when planning a project, with its help I can outline the work needed, and the further studying, training or advice I need before setting off.

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.

Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.

If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.

A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.

However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.

This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.

not a book for the more experienced, 22 Mar 2008
I bought this book at the end of last year when i aquired an allotment.
The book is written by an amatuer for amatuers, and although it has a few handy sections - like the month by month planner, it's very basic and more of a quirky comedy about a lady's toils in her allotment.
I would reccomend this book if you are very new to gardening and have a small plot or maybe a small veg plot in your garden, as it has some novel ideas ie: building a hedgehog shelter, but fruit and veg gardening bible it is NOT!

Great for beginners and old hats alike, 23 May 2007
Well, for anyone thinking of buying this book I HIGHLY recommend it. I've read my fair share of allotment books, many of which will tell you exactly what you've read elsewhere, but seeing as I'm such as avid visitor to Jane Perrone's blog I thought I'd treat myself. A great read for anyone, no matter how experienced they are at this allotmenting lark. I loved hearing about all the things that went wrong and how to either overcome them or live with them. Very readable, very personal, very useful and never far from my side.


Everything you could ever need!, 22 May 2007

I am new to allotments, having just got an overgrown plot in February. I bought this book after seeing it in the Guardian and it has now become my bible!

It is exactly what it says, a down to earth guide. The advice is informative, straightforward, clear and realistic in terms of making you realise you dont get it right every time and failures should be taken in your stride.

This book is never more than a couple of feet from me and I spend hours in the evening poring over it, after a long day on the plot.

And for info the plot is no longer overgrown, and is in great shape with a bumber harvest due, thanks in no small part to this book, so thanks Jane!

Would recommend without reservation.

Not great!, 27 Sep 2008
We were thinking of keeping 2 or 3 for the pleasure it would give us and our two children but this book has put us off the idea completely...

At times confusingly written with far too many negative aspects described in detail and not enough positives.

Some might say the writing is 'charming' but, as a beginner, I needed to know detail which either isn't in this book or is made confusing by the writing.


A charming introduction to keeping chickens, 15 Aug 2008
Although I kept chickens many years ago I found this book a mine of useful information. It is charmingly written, very easy to follow, I read it at one sitting. It covers all aspects (I found the cooking and storage sections a pleasant suprise) and although some things could have been covered in slightly more detail, this information is easily found in other sources.

Excellent book - highly recommended, 01 Nov 2007
If you are thinking about keeping chickens everything that you need to know is in this book. Absolutely excellent!!

A practical guide, 11 May 2008
This is an incredibly useful guide if you want to be more self-sufficient. It has sections on generating your own power, recycling, organic gardening, animal husbandry, brewing and preserving produce. The layout of the book is very clean-looking with simple, clear diagrams. I have looked at a number of different books on self-sufficiency and this is definitely one of the best.

A Great Starter How to Guide for Sustainable Living, 07 Aug 2007
As summer draws it damp way toward autumn and work once again raises its ugly head, dreams of stepping off the treadmill and opting for a simple life cross an increasing number of people's minds.

Downsizing, that most corporate sounding word, is becoming an oft talked about alternative to the ever increasing stress of modern urban living. Ditching the overpriced, and massively over mortgaged flat, throwing the Blackberry in the river and heading for the hills for a simpler life has never been so appealing. The idea buying or renting a small place in the country, whether in this country or another, and setting up a small holding or more ethical business looks very appealing on when your stuck in another traffic jam on the M5, late for a meeting, with a to do list that is eating half your laptop's memory.

The only problem is, of course, is that the decree in business and economics and a life of urban living means often that the skill set we have are tangential to a self sufficient life style. Even a complete DVD set of `The Good Life' will only give you the sense of humour necessary for a new beginning.

Luckily however the support, whether it be in advice found on the net, the neighbours, books and courses are extensive- and you are going to need all of them at one time or another. If you think you live a technology filled life now then think again, there is a huge difference between using sophisticated technology and building so called `low' technology, and at first sight it is the `low' technology which is much more complicated.

There's a saying in architecture that the most serious mistakes are made right at the beginning. This is very true about downsizing, the choices you make right at the beginning, whether it be choosing the property, or if starting business, your partners, will determine the ultimate success of the move. This I think is the crux of why some people's dreams turn to dust, their primary motivation is to get away from the situation they are in rather than knowingly embracing where they going.

The Self-Sufficiency Handbook by veteran small holders and writers Alan and Gill Bridgewater is a whistle stop tour of the wide range of skills and knowledge that you may need, from picking the right property to smoking cheese.

The explanations are straight forward and well illustrated. The breadth of the coverage is superb with chapters on creating the self-sufficient house, an organic food gardening section, keeping animals and a pantry section. The book serves as a very useful introduction to the concepts and practises of self-sufficiency, in and of itself it is not the definitive guide to every subject, and much more detailed study would be needed, for example if you wanted to keep sheep or bees. However what the book does do is de-mystify many of the challenges of setting up your own sustainable home and garden. It points you in the right direction in a clean, no nonsense practical way, and shows very clearly that every problem you will come across has an answer.

From my own experience I know that the sheer mass of challenges you face when deciding to go along a more sustainable way of living can be overwhelming- what comes first the roof, the plumbing, the electricity? The obstacles, while all been manageable individually, seem insurmountable when seen as a whole. This book helps you break each task down to it component parts so that you can start to resolve each one, and in doings o raise your level of experience and confidence to tackle the most complex ones.

Anyone thinking of `downsizing' to a more sustainable lifestyle should have a copy of The Self-Sufficiency Handbook. It is now my first port of call when planning a project, with its help I can outline the work needed, and the further studying, training or advice I need before setting off.



Colouful, clear and helpful , 10 Mar 2008
This is a beautiful book, full of colour photos and illustrations. Maria Thun sounds great - wish she was my grandmother. Everything she says is backed up by her own empirical research - masses of it! Anyone who trashes biodynamics should read this and feel ashamed. Her farm is like a scientific laboratory, and all her advice is backed up by solid research.

Best of all, though, this is a great 'how to' book that takes you through the seasons. Practical and good on the coffee table too!

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.

Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.

If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.

A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.

However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.

This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.

not a book for the more experienced, 22 Mar 2008
I bought this book at the end of last year when i aquired an allotment.
The book is written by an amatuer for amatuers, and although it has a few handy sections - like the month by month planner, it's very basic and more of a quirky comedy about a lady's toils in her allotment.
I would reccomend this book if you are very new to gardening and have a small plot or maybe a small veg plot in your garden, as it has some novel ideas ie: building a hedgehog shelter, but fruit and veg gardening bible it is NOT!

Great for beginners and old hats alike, 23 May 2007
Well, for anyone thinking of buying this book I HIGHLY recommend it. I've read my fair share of allotment books, many of which will tell you exactly what you've read elsewhere, but seeing as I'm such as avid visitor to Jane Perrone's blog I thought I'd treat myself. A great read for anyone, no matter how experienced they are at this allotmenting lark. I loved hearing about all the things that went wrong and how to either overcome them or live with them. Very readable, very personal, very useful and never far from my side.


Everything you could ever need!, 22 May 2007

I am new to allotments, having just got an overgrown plot in February. I bought this book after seeing it in the Guardian and it has now become my bible!

It is exactly what it says, a down to earth guide. The advice is informative, straightforward, clear and realistic in terms of making you realise you dont get it right every time and failures should be taken in your stride.

This book is never more than a couple of feet from me and I spend hours in the evening poring over it, after a long day on the plot.

And for info the plot is no longer overgrown, and is in great shape with a bumber harvest due, thanks in no small part to this book, so thanks Jane!

Would recommend without reservation.

Not great!, 27 Sep 2008
We were thinking of keeping 2 or 3 for the pleasure it would give us and our two children but this book has put us off the idea completely...

At times confusingly written with far too many negative aspects described in detail and not enough positives.

Some might say the writing is 'charming' but, as a beginner, I needed to know detail which either isn't in this book or is made confusing by the writing.


A charming introduction to keeping chickens, 15 Aug 2008
Although I kept chickens many years ago I found this book a mine of useful information. It is charmingly written, very easy to follow, I read it at one sitting. It covers all aspects (I found the cooking and storage sections a pleasant suprise) and although some things could have been covered in slightly more detail, this information is easily found in other sources.

Excellent book - highly recommended, 01 Nov 2007
If you are thinking about keeping chickens everything that you need to know is in this book. Absolutely excellent!!

A practical guide, 11 May 2008
This is an incredibly useful guide if you want to be more self-sufficient. It has sections on generating your own power, recycling, organic gardening, animal husbandry, brewing and preserving produce. The layout of the book is very clean-looking with simple, clear diagrams. I have looked at a number of different books on self-sufficiency and this is definitely one of the best.

A Great Starter How to Guide for Sustainable Living, 07 Aug 2007
As summer draws it damp way toward autumn and work once again raises its ugly head, dreams of stepping off the treadmill and opting for a simple life cross an increasing number of people's minds.

Downsizing, that most corporate sounding word, is becoming an oft talked about alternative to the ever increasing stress of modern urban living. Ditching the overpriced, and massively over mortgaged flat, throwing the Blackberry in the river and heading for the hills for a simpler life has never been so appealing. The idea buying or renting a small place in the country, whether in this country or another, and setting up a small holding or more ethical business looks very appealing on when your stuck in another traffic jam on the M5, late for a meeting, with a to do list that is eating half your laptop's memory.

The only problem is, of course, is that the decree in business and economics and a life of urban living means often that the skill set we have are tangential to a self sufficient life style. Even a complete DVD set of `The Good Life' will only give you the sense of humour necessary for a new beginning.

Luckily however the support, whether it be in advice found on the net, the neighbours, books and courses are extensive- and you are going to need all of them at one time or another. If you think you live a technology filled life now then think again, there is a huge difference between using sophisticated technology and building so called `low' technology, and at first sight it is the `low' technology which is much more complicated.

There's a saying in architecture that the most serious mistakes are made right at the beginning. This is very true about downsizing, the choices you make right at the beginning, whether it be choosing the property, or if starting business, your partners, will determine the ultimate success of the move. This I think is the crux of why some people's dreams turn to dust, their primary motivation is to get away from the situation they are in rather than knowingly embracing where they going.

The Self-Sufficiency Handbook by veteran small holders and writers Alan and Gill Bridgewater is a whistle stop tour of the wide range of skills and knowledge that you may need, from picking the right property to smoking cheese.

The explanations are straight forward and well illustrated. The breadth of the coverage is superb with chapters on creating the self-sufficient house, an organic food gardening section, keeping animals and a pantry section. The book serves as a very useful introduction to the concepts and practises of self-sufficiency, in and of itself it is not the definitive guide to every subject, and much more detailed study would be needed, for example if you wanted to keep sheep or bees. However what the book does do is de-mystify many of the challenges of setting up your own sustainable home and garden. It points you in the right direction in a clean, no nonsense practical way, and shows very clearly that every problem you will come across has an answer.

From my own experience I know that the sheer mass of challenges you face when deciding to go along a more sustainable way of living can be overwhelming- what comes first the roof, the plumbing, the electricity? The obstacles, while all been manageable individually, seem insurmountable when seen as a whole. This book helps you break each task down to it component parts so that you can start to resolve each one, and in doings o raise your level of experience and confidence to tackle the most complex ones.

Anyone thinking of `downsizing' to a more sustainable lifestyle should have a copy of The Self-Sufficiency Handbook. It is now my first port of call when planning a project, with its help I can outline the work needed, and the further studying, training or advice I need before setting off.



Colouful, clear and helpful , 10 Mar 2008
This is a beautiful book, full of colour photos and illustrations. Maria Thun sounds great - wish she was my grandmother. Everything she says is backed up by her own empirical research - masses of it! Anyone who trashes biodynamics should read this and feel ashamed. Her farm is like a scientific laboratory, and all her advice is backed up by solid research.

Best of all, though, this is a great 'how to' book that takes you through the seasons. Practical and good on the coffee table too!

Simply the Best, 03 Nov 2008
Without a doubt this is simply the best gardening book I have read. I am an experienced gardener and received this book as a present from my daughter. She knows little about gardening but she found a gem. Good to dip into for specifics and also great to just pick up and read at length on a rainy day. Written in a way that is not at all patronising, so the beginner to gardening can enjoy and understand, and the experienced gardener can enjoy with equal relish. The book covers everything from garden layout ideas to flowers, vegetables and fruit. Not too much detail but enough to understand and enjoy, and then, if necessary, purchase a book specialising in any specific area of interest. Only slight negative is the global warming/organic necessity aspect, but even that doesn't take away from the quality of information and general writing style. It doesn't matter whether you are into organic gardening or not, this is a book that will provide many hours of enjoyment, providing inspiration and information in abundance, but with a realism gained from experience. In over 30 years of practical gardening and reading gardening books, this book stands hands and shoulders above the rest in providing an overview of gardening; structure, plants, flowers and food, from seeding to planting and harvesting. A must have for anyone interested in gardening, from novice to experienced.

Looks great but confuses The Good Life with real life, 23 Apr 2007
I like this book. It looks good, it's interesting to read and seems to have all the "buy me" boxes ticked, but I wonder how much of it could really apply to the average back garden or allotment. I say this because Don uses his own garden as his example - his garden being a vast swathe of English countryside divided into various areas that themselves are larger than most people's gardens. With quotes such as, "the houses in my area are mainly built of oak" (page 14), and page after page of photographs showing Don in one of his many extensive gardens, he makes no effort to identify with his potential readers.

To expand on this a little, Don's Lime Walk (a leafy avenue of lime trees) is so large that he uses a gantry on a trailer to tend the trees (see photos on page 108). How many readers really have room for a lime walk or can afford more than a ladder? Then there's Sarah's meadow (yes, a meadow). What possible relevance can that have for anyone doing their back garden? (see page 189). For good manure he absurdly recommends keeping some livestock (page 46). In his meanderings on planting an orchard, he talks about buying fifty trees to start it off in a two acre field (see page 376). Again this is no more than a dream for most readers, so what's the point of mentioning it?

Don is clearly unacquainted with the average person's realities of budget, scale, time and council regulations (for example, prohibiting the keeping of livestock) and seems to have confused The Good Life with real life.

Don's text is charming but often preachy. His environmental beliefs pepper many pages, mostly with well-meaning but vacuous pap such as "By nurturing [...] tree seedlings that emerge in the garden, you are meaningfully countering the predations of the rain forests."

I said at the start that I like this book. I do like it - it's a great feel-good read, a very nice coffee table book with glimpses of Don's lovely grounds and pretty black and white Tudor mansion, set among rolling acres of fine words. Its problem is that its fanciful veneer overwhelms its practical allusions.

Another Monty Don favourite, 27 Jan 2006
I just adore Sarah and Monty Don's books - not the least for the wonderful glimspes they give us into their house and garden. Monty Don's The Complete Gardener is probably my favourite (although it has to compete with Fork to Fork). I am an experienced gardener (currently restoring an old Victorian agrden), but I still throughly enjoyed this book which covers many aspects of gardening from composting to eating: partly it is the prose (clean, helpful, non-condescending); partly it is the wonderful photographs; and very partly it is the information. For a novice gardener it will be extremely helpful ... for the experienced gardener it is just a delightful wander (once again) into the Don's garden.

My only quibble, and one which keeps me from giving this a 5-star rating, is the mention of global warming on every third page. I found that a little tedious. I'm well aware of the effects of global warming (in Tasmania, how can I not be?) but I didn't need to have it rammed down my throat quite so often. A point made less is a point made most.

Only a minor quibble, though, and it won't stop me rushing out to buy the next Monty Don book.

Inspiring and Practical, 09 Jan 2006
This is genuinely a good read. Although it is handy to dip in and out of, it also works well when read straight through. Monty writes really well - his written voice sounds exactly like his presenting voice, and he manages to fit a lot of useful information in simply and elegantly.
Perhaps best of all, however, is the fact that the whole book is firmly grounded in his own experience. Lots of gardening books give you masses of practical information, but Monty tells you how it all fits together, and how he organises his own garden and schedules his tasks. He also tells you about mistakes that he has made. This is useful not just because it means he can offer some useful advice, but also because it reassures the novice gardener (me) that even the experts get it wrong sometimes.

A Complete Pleasure!, 05 Jan 2006
Whether you want a book to inspire you, a book to dip into when the mood takes you, or a quick general reference to guide you on your way - this is the book for you. It is an utter pleasure to browse through. Well presented, thoroughly illustrated and articulately written, The Complete Gardener is a tremendous edition to my gardening library.

multi-purpose calender, 06 Sep 2008
not only will this help you to grow healthier, tastier and stonger fruit, veg and house plants, but once you get the hang of it you can generally predict the weather better than the BBC. Its been spot on for my last 2 holidays in Cornwall and it gets Glastonbury festival right every year.

Totally inspirational, 19 Nov 2008
A completely invaluable book for anyone who likes to grow food. The thing about salad is that even the tiniest spot can be made to produce something (look at Dowding's discussion of microleaves for windowsills...) But the big advantage of this book is the brilliant month by month sections containing detailed suggestions and growing instructions for salads that will flourish at different times of year. Forget sowing the same thing over and over again, says Dowding. Instead, choose seasonal plants - mustards and rockets in winter, soft watery leaves in summer - which will flourish, needing less care and getting less pests, because they are growing at just the right time for them.

This book made me get out the seed catalogues and start ordering more unusual varieties - this winter I've grown red mustard and lambs lettuce which are both really sharp and tasty, and which I probably wouldn't have been brave enough to try without Dowding's ever-encouraging book. Really, at the price of three supermarket mixed bags of leaves, it's a book that we should ALL have a copy of!

Not concise enough, 02 Jun 2008
This book is neither one thing nor t'other. It is not a hand-holding guide to setting up your allotment step-by-step, and it is certainly not a reference book. It has helped give me a few ideas, and most vegetables are covered, but it's infuriatingly difficult to find what you need, and leaves you guessing in vital areas. The tone is nice, and friendly, and soft, and unintimidating for a beginner, but the information is something of a damp squib.

All the basics in one book, 24 Mar 2008
I've had a very productive and quite big allotment for 2 and a half years now. This is the first allotment guide I ever bought and still the one I use the most. All of the basics are there in a clear and concise format. I've got no idea what the one-star reviewers are on about: I agree that it is not an exhaustive guide, but note that it is for BEGINNERS! An excellent choice if you're just starting out.

Really useful starters guide, 23 Jun 2007
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now as I've found this book to be a really useful guide to starting up my allotment which has been up and running just over a year now. I think it contains just the right level of information to get the beginner up and running and not put them off by overwhelming them with complex and superfluous gardening jargon. I felt as well that it had just the right balance between ideas on how to get the allotment up and running, soil improvement, crop rotation, seed suppliers etc.. and information on various veggies, herbs, companion plants and common pests. The recipes were a nice touch as well.

Overall, once you've got started and know what you want to grow you'll probably want to search out more detailed information but if you want help reaching that stage in the first place, you can't really go wrong with this book.

Praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes. Its indexing and cross references are invaluable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for eyars to come.

praise from Oxford, 07 Apr 2006
This book is an allotment holder's dream -- a thoroughly researched, attractive, clear, well-written and commonsense guide to good and effective practice. Each page is packed with advice and suggestions, excellent tips and even recipes! Its indexing and cross-references are invaulable, as are its listing of organic seed merchants and of flowers which are both beautiful and promote vegetable growth. An essential handbook for years to come.

A Must For Any Vegetable Grower, 29 Jul 2008
This is a gardening book of the old school, one that is based on proven, tested experience and not the ususal unsubstantiated platitudes so easy to find in most books on the subject published these days.

Light on pictures and full of accurate information this is now my most valued book on vegetable growing, and would be useful to any allotment or home grower of food. In fact the book's title sells it short, as much of the book would be helpful to an organic 'digger' or even a non-organic grower.

If you grow vegetables, fruit or herbs than you should read this book.

A superb guide to intensive organic vegetable growing, 30 Apr 2007
A highly productive vegetable garden that involves no digging, written by a man with no formal horticultural training, and organic to boot? You may be permitted a certain cynicism.

However if that cynicism stops you from reading this book then you will have missed out on a treasure.

This book is now my first port of call when I am looking for a gardening solution. As a beginner and non-scientist, I found his style easy to understand packed with useful tips and coherent in that it took me from an uninformed start to considering quite complicated seasonal planning without loosing the plot or throwing my hands up in confused despair. The results at the Domaine de Montrouch are looking promising- if the wild boar don't decide they fancy a salad dinner one night.

not a book for the more experienced, 22 Mar 2008
I bought this book at the end of last year when i aquired an allotment.
The book is written by an amatuer for amatuers, and although it has a few handy sections - like the month by month planner, it's very basic and more of a quirky comedy about a lady's toils in her allotment.
I would reccomend this book if you are very new to gardening and have a small plot or maybe a small veg plot in your garden, as it has some novel ideas ie: building a hedgehog shelter, but fruit and veg gardening bible it is NOT!

Great for beginners and old hats alike, 23 May 2007
Well, for anyone thinking of buying this book I HIGHLY recommend it. I've read my fair share of allotment books, many of which will tell you exactly what you've read elsewhere, but seeing as I'm such as avid visitor to Jane Perrone's blog I thought I'd treat myself. A great read for anyone, no matter how experienced they are at this allotmenting lark. I loved hearing about all the things that went wrong and how to either overcome them or live with them. Very readable, very personal, very useful and never far from my side.


Everything you could ever need!, 22 May 2007

I am new to allotments, having just got an overgrown plot in February. I bought this book after seeing it in the Guardian and it has now become my bible!

It is exactly what it says, a down to earth guide. The advice is informative, straightforward, clear and realistic in terms of making you realise you dont get it right every time and failures should be taken in your stride.

This book is