Ideas for Christmas Presents

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Permalink Reply by elaine rickett on December 4, 2011 at 10:53

I have a few gardening books on my wish list this year (well gardening related)

The Thrifty Forager by Alys Fowler

Creating a Forest Garden by Martin Crawford

Our Plot by Cleve West

The Living Garden by Jane Powers

As we all know there is always something new to learn and I look to gardening books for inspiration and trying something new or in a different way.  I just hope Father Christmas is kind to me this year.

Permalink Reply by VP on December 4, 2011 at 10:59

That's a great list Elaine - I hope Santa grants your wishes :)

Our Plot's on my wishlist too - so I hope Santa is reading this thread ;)

elaine rickett said:

I have a few gardening books on my wish list this year (well gardening related)

The Thrifty Forager by Alys Fowler

Creating a Forest Garden by Martin Crawford

Our Plot by Cleve West

The Living Garden by Jane Powers

As we all know there is always something new to learn and I look to gardening books for inspiration and trying something new or in a different way.  I just hope Father Christmas is kind to me this year.

Permalink Reply by Petra Hoyer Millar on December 4, 2011 at 11:45

Definitely the Cleve West one!

Permalink Reply by Trish le Gal on December 4, 2011 at 12:09

Hi all

If any members of  UK Veg Gardeners want to buy a copy of my book Grow Your Own for the Hungry Gap for Christmas ( see http://www.growyourownbooks.co.uk/page2.htm) then they can have it for £10. Send a cheque in the post to Trish le Gal, 12 Northfield Avenue, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1 LL and I'll pay the postage to anywhere in the UK. It'll be back to the usual price £14.99 in the new year.

Happy Christmas all, and all the best for gardening in 2012

Permalink Reply by Colin Robinson on December 4, 2011 at 12:37

For my birthday the other day I received a copy of Alys Fowler's Thrifty Forager. I've been a forager all my life since going collecting mushrooms and wild fruit with my grandparents so I'm pretty clued up on what to eat and what not to but this book is quite different. Not only does it cover the usual wild plants but those commonly in cultivation that are also edible. I now know that I can eat the berries of Berberis Darwinii or the seeds of Himalayan Balsam. Fantastic. If I learn one useful thing from a book I consider it money well spent.

Permalink Reply by VP on December 4, 2011 at 12:42

Colin - it's surprising how many of our garden plants are edible. Have you tried Fuchsia berries?

Thanks for telling us about this aspect of Alys' book - sounds like a good addition to my groaning bookshelf :)

Colin Robinson said:

For my birthday the other day I received a copy of Alys Fowler's Thrifty Forager. I've been a forager all my life since going collecting mushrooms and wild fruit with my grandparents so I'm pretty clued up on what to eat and what not to but this book is quite different. Not only does it cover the usual wild plants but those commonly in cultivation that are also edible. I now know that I can eat the berries of Berberis Darwinii or the seeds of Himalayan Balsam. Fantastic. If I learn one useful thing from a book I consider it money well spent.

Permalink Reply by elaine rickett on December 4, 2011 at 14:22

I suppose our cavemen forefathers  must have tried all these things prior to Alys Fowler - just a shame they couldn't write it all down for future generations/

Permalink Reply by Shena Cooper on December 4, 2011 at 16:11

Stuck for a gift to get children gardening,cooking and eating? Special offer on Secret Seed Society bundle of all 4 of our story'n'seed packs in gift box outers, now 15% off enter code 'i love peter parsnip' at checkout.

Books are ideal for kids up to 7 years old, and often loved by older children and grown-ups. Apart from a beautifully illustrated and amusing adventure from Seed City they contain seeds and a recipe!

As for me I would like the foraging book as well.......just planted a honeysuckle with edible berries! apparently a superfood! However i have not dared to pick the fungi that I have seen everywhere this mild Autumn.