New old book!

A little while ago, I was chatting with a mate about grand garden plans:

"Our place isn't really big enough for a dedicated 'veg patch'. Besides, I don't really like that regimented veg look. I'd prefer flower beds with veg in, like Alys Fowler does."

"You want a copy of Geoff Hamilton's 'Ornamental Kitchen Garden' you do."

"New book, you say? Well, if I must..."

Yeah, I want our garden to look just like that

Dealing with the devil

So off to Amazon. Yeah, I know. I'm weak. I've got a problem. But I can handle it! I can't handle it...

I've started using the Marketplace sellers a whole lot more since the tax dodging news broke. It feels like having the advantage if Amazon but whilst supporting small businesses. I'm probably fooling myself. I'm weaning myself off as I'm not strong enough to go cold turkey. Marketplace - methadone for Amazon junkies.

The seller I chose was Better World Books. They sell second-hand books to fund literacy projects. Cool, eh?

At 1st flick through, the book looks great: a bit if history; some design & construction (never say never on building your own rose arbour); a jobs-each-month section with double photo pages showing seasonal stars; plant-specific care & propagation. It's all good :)

I love the drawing bit too

Feature plants by season

About the author

For anyone too young to remember, Geoff Hamilton used to present Gardeners' World, before Monty Don. Before Toby Buckland, Before Monty Don's 1st stint. Before Alan Titchmarsh... yep, bloody ages ago.

To be honest, I didn't really like him back then. He was a bit old school. A bit blokey. A bit safe in his aesthetic.

But looking back I can see why others remember him fondly.

He tended to assume the audience was on a tight budget so there was none of this buying 100 new tulip bulbs every year bollox.

He was a DIY diva, but broke the projects down to basic enough steps, without being patronising, so you had a fighting chance of finishing the job without having to call in Ground force.

And he was pretty swift off the blocks on the eco-gardening route - in the book he is so apologetic for having to recommend a heavy duty weedkiller when facing a plot full of systemic nasties, & he provides non-chemical alternatives too.

He had a humility about his knowledge that Monty Don will never master.

Time to adjourn to the sofa with the book, coffee & biscuits. Cheers for the tip-off, Mrs Fuzzy Felt :)