September 2023 MBR The Gardening Shelf

The Gardening Shelf

The Seasoned Gardener
Liz Zorab
Permanent Publications
c/o Chelsea Green Publishing Company
www.chelseagreen.com
9781856232647, $27.95, PB, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Seasoned-Gardener-Exploring-rhythm-gardening/dp/1856232646

Synopsis: "The Seasoned Gardener: Exploring the rhythm of the gardening year" is a personal and profusely illustrated gardening journey, in which Liz Zorab explores seasonal harvests and how the vegetable garden sits within the wider context of the gardening landscape -- including weather, microclimates, water cycles, light levels, seasons and the gardener's personal tastes.

Liz takes a salt of the earth approach to life and to the garden and her gentle humor makes "The Seasoned Gardener" an easily digestible and informative read as she provides hundreds of practical tips, including how-to guides, observations and inspiration for both the beginner and practiced gardener alike.

Unlike many gardening books that run from January to December, "The Seasoned Gardener" starts in the autumn, when harvesting is at its peak. Most of the fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers highlighted are grouped according to when we enjoy them most -- at the point of harvest.

"The Seasoned Gardener" shows you how to: Enjoy the abundance of each month of the year; Decide which plants are best to grow in your garden; Find pleasure in your growing space year-round; Avoid the pitfalls of doing too much at once; Be creative with your garden resources; Make the most of your time and energy; Celebrate nature's productivity as much as your own.

"The Seasoned Gardener" is a journey of experimentation and learning that will inspire you to grow tastier food and savor the experience.

Critique: A joy and inspiration to browse through one fascinating and motivating page at a time, "The Seasoned Gardener: Exploring the rhythm of the gardening year" is an ideal read for the aspiring and novice gardener, while has immense value and interest for even the more experienced gardeners. Enhanced with the profuse inclusion of color photography throughout, "The Seasoned Gardener" will prove an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library DIY gardening instructional reference collections. It should be noted that "The Seasoned Gardener" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Liz Zorab (https://bytherfarm.com) is also the author of "Grounded: A Gardener's Journey to Abundance and Self-Sufficiency". An award-winning gardener, she gained an RHS Silver Medal for a community-led garden featured on BBC's 'Gardeners World Live' in 2002. A health crisis led Liz to turn to her life-long passion for gardening and growing food as a career. Liz spent several years transforming her 0.8-acre plot in Monmouthshire into an abundant smallholding. She is now regenerating a tired, over-grazed 4.5-acre site using permaculture practices. On less than an acre, she grows most of the food and drink her family enjoys each year, giving them food security, resilience and increased self-reliance. Liz regularly writes for Permaculture Magazine, teaches gardening and self-sufficiency skills and encourages thousands of people to take up their trowels and live their dreams through a vibrant YouTube Channel,

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