8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this book!, Feb 20 2012
By P. L. Stern "a real reader" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces (Paperback)
This is a great book; I've been gardening for years and found this to be full of useful information. Great photos really help identify plants! The author is very clear on what parts of each plant is edible, provides a lot of "how to" tips, and includes some fabulous recipes - pesto anyone? Full of ideas on how to choose the right varieties, grow an herb garden practically anywhere, shows you what to look for when you suspect garden pests, and provides harvesting info. Love this book!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Informative and inspiring, Feb 25 2012
By Carol E. - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces (Paperback)
Gayla Trail's newest book "Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces" is a pleasurable read, especially in the throes of Winter. I'll admit to being drawn to any good gardening book, but this one has a couple points in its favor to push it to the top of your "wish list."
First off, if you love edible flowers like I do, or just want to plant flowers that aren't poisonous to your children or pets, this book has great recommendations. It includes information on what to plant, how the different flowers (& herbs) taste and some recipes for how to use them. Besides all of this- I love that it's written from an American perspective since most books on edible flowers these days seem to come from Britain. Nothing against the Brits, but I want to know what grows well here (and I don't want to have to convert things from Metric.)
The second point in the books' favor relates to her rating system for projects. Approximately the first half of the book covers gardening basics. Chapters 4-7 include a variety of projects which are rated for difficulty. This is a boon to both beginner gardeners and experienced gardeners alike. Start with something simple.
Pictures throughout the book show what the plants should look like at maturity, and I am impressed that each recipe has an accompanying picture as well. Over all, the book is a good investment of your $20. This is not just another gardening book to fill your shelf, it's a beautiful handbook to use again and again.
You can learn more about Gayla Trail, and gardening, at her website: www.easy-growing.com
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Upbeat and informative, May 10 2012
By Joanne of Joanneunleashed website - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces (Paperback)
Anyone can begin growing herbs and edible flowers year-round by following the advice found in Easy Growing by Gayla Trail, a book filled with photographs and helpful hints from an experienced and passionate gardener. The book is divided into three sections:
Section One: Growing an Herb Garden. This section provides concise instructions on the basics of growing: preparing pots, soil requirements, growing in the ground, air flow, heat, water, sunlight, drainage, fertilizer, aesthetics, pests, diseases, choosing herbs, keeping weedy plants under control, seasonal maintenance, starting from seed, cloning, growing under lights, extending the season, and preparing for dormancy.
Section Two: The Plants. In this section Trail describes the uses and particular needs of 29 of her most indispensable plant families and some species within that family. For example, under the family moist soil umbellifers, she includes chervil, lovage, and parsley. Each plant description includes a legend indicating the plant's growing requirements and which part of the plant is edible.
Section Three: Keeping Stock: Gather, Preserve, Eat. So what do you do with all those herbs and flowers you've grown? This section discusses using and preserving the bounty and includes several recipes, such as sorrel and potato soup, chive blossom vinegar, and orange rosemary and honey ice cream. Yum!
Easy Growing is a great guide that will help you decide which herbs and edible flowers you want to grow within the space you have available and how to bring them successfully to harvest.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.