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20 reviews for:
The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs: The Art and Science to Grow Your Own Herbs
Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Holly Farrell
4.17 AVERAGE
20 reviews for:
The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs: The Art and Science to Grow Your Own Herbs
Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Holly Farrell
4.17 AVERAGE
I really liked the inclusion of carnivorous plants in houseplants, especially some outside of the usual venus fly trap. The information given for each plant was informative, and I liked some of the trivia knowledge about the plants that was included. Some of the pet toxicity warnings were lacking, and I'd advise pet owners to double check before going simply on the advice of this book. Some warning are included, but not everything I know to be non-pet safe, and probably some I don't. The entries on peperomias didn't really include what a varied family it is, and people may miss some truly interesting plants if they don't like the blander selection chosen for the book. I liked the various projects included in the book, especially again the inclusion of a variety of carnivorous plants. This is a good handbook to keep next to your plants, or to browse through to see if you see a new favourite, but the entries are short, and miss out on including more pictures of interesting specimens. This is a good starting point, but more research is probably needed if you choose a plant from here about toxicity or anything beyond basic care.
The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Herbs by Holly Farrell is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in early April.
Projects detailed toward how you intend to use your herbs (seasoning, their flowers or seeds, drying, cocktails, a lawn, or wreath), gathering the plants and tools you need, preparing the soil, attractive design options. It's super resourceful with outlines of each herb, their usage, height/spread, level of hardiness, harvest, and how they should be maintained.
Projects detailed toward how you intend to use your herbs (seasoning, their flowers or seeds, drying, cocktails, a lawn, or wreath), gathering the plants and tools you need, preparing the soil, attractive design options. It's super resourceful with outlines of each herb, their usage, height/spread, level of hardiness, harvest, and how they should be maintained.
The Kew Royal Botanic Gardens are world famous and, with large portions of their gardens indoors, there isn’t a better authority to guide a reader on how to get house plants growing. This book is easy-to-follow and easy-to-implement, jampacked with great ideas of how to create green spaces in the home as well as keep them alive. I found the index of plants that clean the air particularly helpful! Several of the plants recommended for the indoors are ones that I would have been hesitant to try but look forward to welcoming in. My only disappointment was it ended too soon, I wish they had carried onto some of the more exotic plants and elaborate executions which they implement merely for interest’s sake.
If you are looking to bring the outside in, I highly recommend you pick up a copy! It’s a four out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale!
If you are looking to bring the outside in, I highly recommend you pick up a copy! It’s a four out of five on the en-JOY-ment scale!
This book was not available for request on NetGalley, so I added it to my wishlist and magically, it was granted! I received a digital edition of this book in exchange for an honest read and review. I love reading about plants and gardening; a few of my other books I have reviewed here and for NetGalley have been based on similar topics. I love plants; my house is covered in plants. I have so many bottles sitting everywhere–even in my bathroom– that have plant cuttings in them. Not to brag, but I do have a green thumb and part of that means I enjoy reading about ways to grow things and help what I already have, thrive.
Firstly, this book is gorgeous! Every photo included is beautiful and it makes me just want more and more plants. I love books that include a healthy dose of photographs that both illustrate the points given in the text, but also just make things look good. I love just flipping through these sorts of books to get ideas about what types of plants I like and would like to procure, but also different ways to display and group plants.
Second, this book includes an easy-to-follow section about propagation and goes through several different ways to make new plant babies from older ones! I have tried several times in the past to get some straight answers about how to grow new plants from the internet and usually always end up getting confused or just losing interest and energy because there are so many different ideas and ways of doing things. I like that this book offers a fairly concise section on the subject and doesn’t get weighed down by terminology. It even gives lists of plants that do well for each type of propagation; something that I have needed for a while!
And third, this book also goes over specific plant types. Usually, they are more well-known and easy to find plants versus exotic ones that require money and time. I really appreciate this because nothing is more discouraging than finding a lovely plant and then trying to find it only to learn that it isn’t available in your area. Sort of on the same lines, this book also categorizes plants into 6 different types. I have never thought of this before and it makes so much sense to me now.
Overall, I loved reading this book and stopping at specific plants that I have or grow now. I actually needed to consult this book for a couple of problems I was having with a few of my plants. This book also has a little tip or trivia fact for each plant and I loved that. I am easily giving this one four stars, mainly because of the ending and how abrupt it felt. I would have liked a little conclusion or just a page to tie everything up at the end. Otherwise, I loved it!
Firstly, this book is gorgeous! Every photo included is beautiful and it makes me just want more and more plants. I love books that include a healthy dose of photographs that both illustrate the points given in the text, but also just make things look good. I love just flipping through these sorts of books to get ideas about what types of plants I like and would like to procure, but also different ways to display and group plants.
Second, this book includes an easy-to-follow section about propagation and goes through several different ways to make new plant babies from older ones! I have tried several times in the past to get some straight answers about how to grow new plants from the internet and usually always end up getting confused or just losing interest and energy because there are so many different ideas and ways of doing things. I like that this book offers a fairly concise section on the subject and doesn’t get weighed down by terminology. It even gives lists of plants that do well for each type of propagation; something that I have needed for a while!
And third, this book also goes over specific plant types. Usually, they are more well-known and easy to find plants versus exotic ones that require money and time. I really appreciate this because nothing is more discouraging than finding a lovely plant and then trying to find it only to learn that it isn’t available in your area. Sort of on the same lines, this book also categorizes plants into 6 different types. I have never thought of this before and it makes so much sense to me now.
Overall, I loved reading this book and stopping at specific plants that I have or grow now. I actually needed to consult this book for a couple of problems I was having with a few of my plants. This book also has a little tip or trivia fact for each plant and I loved that. I am easily giving this one four stars, mainly because of the ending and how abrupt it felt. I would have liked a little conclusion or just a page to tie everything up at the end. Otherwise, I loved it!
I received a free digital copy of this book for an honest review after I put it on my wishlist for books on NetGalley. Luckily, the company came through and this gem was on my NetGalley shelf!
I love plants; I mentioned this a few times in the previous book review. As someone who does has this affection and is pretty good and growing things, I have always loved growing herbs. I feel like I always have some sort of herb growing around. My favorite is rosemary because, for some reason, growing rosemary just gives me such a sense of fulfillment.
The first thing that I noticed about this book is that it is aimed for someone who does either love herbs and wants to grow them for real. I appreciated the little lists of necessary herbs for five different sets of people or subjects, including bakers and drinks and places like windowsills or large containers. It's nice because if you get kinda lost about herbs and what you may need or want to get started, these lists have stuff that is pretty easy to find either as plants, seeds, or seedlings.
I also love how helpful this book is when it comes to buying plants and selecting them from the store or nursery you buy them at. If you've been plant shopping, it can be a little intimidating when you are faced with a huge selection of plants and you see other people carefully selecting which plants they want and you have no idea! Regardless, this book is a nice one to read beforehand to get ready. Along with this, this book gives instruction on keeping plants in shape and doing maintenance. With herbs, especially if you are going to harvest herbs and use them regularly, you have to also take special care of them to encourage certain types of growth.
Once again, the photography for this book is gorgeous! I love how bright they illustrate the topics perfectly. So many of these would be perfect for prints and art. It makes me so jealous and inspires me to plan some outdoor planting when I have space and maybe up my own photography game!
Like the houseplant book, this book also goes through several different types of herbs that are either really beneficial and/or easy to grow or find. And, it includes peppers! I also like how for certain varieties of herbs that grow well, it provides different types of garden styles, such as a vertical garden for chives and green roofs. Along with this, it goes over different ways to use herbs such as in oils and alcohol and as tisanes. Also, with the basics about herbs, this book also goes over when to plant herbs and how to care for them through the seasons, dealing with pests and infestations, and even how herbs are named. I really appreciate non-fiction books that go into depth for their subject and seem to try to teach their readers something.
A small problem I had with this book specifically is that the types of herbs are not alphabetically arranged. I am sure that the author had some sort of ulterior motive for the arrangement, but I feel like as a reference book it would have been easier to use if it was alphabetical. But, it does have a well-done index to help with that. Overall, I am going to give this one four stars, mainly because of the issue or order and because the ending feels really abrupt. Otherwise, this was a fantastic book for a beginner or even a seasoned herb grower.
I love plants; I mentioned this a few times in the previous book review. As someone who does has this affection and is pretty good and growing things, I have always loved growing herbs. I feel like I always have some sort of herb growing around. My favorite is rosemary because, for some reason, growing rosemary just gives me such a sense of fulfillment.
The first thing that I noticed about this book is that it is aimed for someone who does either love herbs and wants to grow them for real. I appreciated the little lists of necessary herbs for five different sets of people or subjects, including bakers and drinks and places like windowsills or large containers. It's nice because if you get kinda lost about herbs and what you may need or want to get started, these lists have stuff that is pretty easy to find either as plants, seeds, or seedlings.
I also love how helpful this book is when it comes to buying plants and selecting them from the store or nursery you buy them at. If you've been plant shopping, it can be a little intimidating when you are faced with a huge selection of plants and you see other people carefully selecting which plants they want and you have no idea! Regardless, this book is a nice one to read beforehand to get ready. Along with this, this book gives instruction on keeping plants in shape and doing maintenance. With herbs, especially if you are going to harvest herbs and use them regularly, you have to also take special care of them to encourage certain types of growth.
Once again, the photography for this book is gorgeous! I love how bright they illustrate the topics perfectly. So many of these would be perfect for prints and art. It makes me so jealous and inspires me to plan some outdoor planting when I have space and maybe up my own photography game!
Like the houseplant book, this book also goes through several different types of herbs that are either really beneficial and/or easy to grow or find. And, it includes peppers! I also like how for certain varieties of herbs that grow well, it provides different types of garden styles, such as a vertical garden for chives and green roofs. Along with this, it goes over different ways to use herbs such as in oils and alcohol and as tisanes. Also, with the basics about herbs, this book also goes over when to plant herbs and how to care for them through the seasons, dealing with pests and infestations, and even how herbs are named. I really appreciate non-fiction books that go into depth for their subject and seem to try to teach their readers something.
A small problem I had with this book specifically is that the types of herbs are not alphabetically arranged. I am sure that the author had some sort of ulterior motive for the arrangement, but I feel like as a reference book it would have been easier to use if it was alphabetical. But, it does have a well-done index to help with that. Overall, I am going to give this one four stars, mainly because of the issue or order and because the ending feels really abrupt. Otherwise, this was a fantastic book for a beginner or even a seasoned herb grower.
What a lovely comprehensive guide to house plants., from the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew.
This book is packed with information and advice about growing a myriad of different plants in your home, giving you loads of guidance about where to grow each plant, and how to care for them correctly.
I particularly like the way the sections are broken up with projects about how to display some of the plants in attractive and distinctive ways. I will certainly be trying some of these.
This book is packed with information and advice about growing a myriad of different plants in your home, giving you loads of guidance about where to grow each plant, and how to care for them correctly.
I particularly like the way the sections are broken up with projects about how to display some of the plants in attractive and distinctive ways. I will certainly be trying some of these.
Another winning guide from the experts at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew.
This one covers growing herbs and is a very comprehensive guide to getting the best out of the plants that you grow. Comprehensive and packed with useful information.
This one covers growing herbs and is a very comprehensive guide to getting the best out of the plants that you grow. Comprehensive and packed with useful information.
informative
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
Really good for beginner-intermediate level gardeners. Concise, to the point, with short descriptions centered on actually useful knowledge, and some light-hearted garden and kitchen ideas peppered in. I loved it, will use it to plan some of my new flowerbeds.
This book has a lot of great information about not only how to grow house plants but what each type of house plant needs. It breaks everything down plant by plant and has pictures. I love it, so helpful!!
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Kew Gardener’s Guide to Growing Herbs is a new tutorial guide to growing and using herbs in the garden by Holly Farrell. Released 21st March 2019 by Quarto on their White Lion imprint, it's 144 pages and available in ebook and paperback format.
Whenever gardeners think about inspiration and knowledge on a worldwide scale, the Kew gardens are at the very top of a very short list. They've been going strong for almost 260 years at this point. This book includes an herbal compendium of culture and care info for more than 70 individual herbs along with several attractive plantings arranged as projects.
Worth noting. This guide is written primarily with gardeners in the British Isles in mind. The hardiness zones listed in the individual herbal listings are the ones given by the RHS (not the my link textUSDA ones). Also, the ebook version has an interactive table of contents which is very handy.
Much of the photography is from stock photos, but all of the project photos are purpose made for this edition. The culture information is straightforward and peppered with good tips and tricks for encouraging the best performance from all of your plants (and taming the 'beasts' like mint and comfrey).
Four stars. Well written and full of attractive photography.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
The Kew Gardener’s Guide to Growing Herbs is a new tutorial guide to growing and using herbs in the garden by Holly Farrell. Released 21st March 2019 by Quarto on their White Lion imprint, it's 144 pages and available in ebook and paperback format.
Whenever gardeners think about inspiration and knowledge on a worldwide scale, the Kew gardens are at the very top of a very short list. They've been going strong for almost 260 years at this point. This book includes an herbal compendium of culture and care info for more than 70 individual herbs along with several attractive plantings arranged as projects.
Worth noting. This guide is written primarily with gardeners in the British Isles in mind. The hardiness zones listed in the individual herbal listings are the ones given by the RHS (not the my link textUSDA ones). Also, the ebook version has an interactive table of contents which is very handy.
Much of the photography is from stock photos, but all of the project photos are purpose made for this edition. The culture information is straightforward and peppered with good tips and tricks for encouraging the best performance from all of your plants (and taming the 'beasts' like mint and comfrey).
Four stars. Well written and full of attractive photography.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes