Pages of ideas in gardeners’ gifts (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Pages of ideas in gardeners’ gifts

9:36am Monday 19th December 2011 in Gardening By Hannah Stephenson

If you’re already huddled up by the fire with some mince pies and a glass of mulled wine, it’s a great time to plan new garden designs, beds, borders and patio plantings from the comfort of your armchair.

Whether you fancy making a last-minute addition to your Christmas list or need a gift idea for a green-fingered loved one, here’s just a few ideas from a plethora of great gardening titles that have come out this year.

The Curious Gardener, by Anna Pavord (Bloomsbury, paperback £9.99)
This is the perfect book to guide you through the gardening year. Anna Pavord brings together in 12 chapters – one from each month of the year – 72 pieces on all aspects of gardening.

Great Gardens Of Italy, by Monty Don and Derry Moore (Quadrille, £25)
Escape to more than 30 magnificent Italian gardens featured within these pages. Each garden is placed in the context of its surrounding landscape and the lives of those who made it and who tend it today.

Our Plot, by Cleve West (Frances Lincoln, £20)
If you want some no-nonsense allotment inspiration from one who knows, six times Chelsea gold medal winner and allotment holder Cleve West has produced his first book which is full of practical tips.

Gardens Of The National Trust, by Stephen Lacey (National Trust Books, £30)
Stephen Lacey paints a vivid historical and horticultural picture of the National Trust’s many gardens. The book serves as a practical guide as well as a source of inspiration, with each entry detailing soil type and climate.

The RHS Complete Gardener's Manual: How To Dig, Sow, Plant And Grow (Dorling Kindersley, £20)
New, extensive guide for both beginners and more experienced gardeners, containing all the practical techniques, inspirational ideas and problem-solving advice that you need to maintain a garden of any size.

Keep Calm And Pot On, by Liz Dodds (Quadrille, £4.99)
Have you ever thought how useful it would be to have a pocket-sized book of gardening advice to take outside with you into the garden? Then this is the book for you, crammed with practical advice, tips and techniques.

The Thrifty Forager, by Alys Fowler (Kyle Books, £16.99)
Where others see weeds, Alys Fowler sees supper. In this book, she looks at everything from the edible ornamentals in your garden to the ‘weeds’ by canals and along local riverbanks. Keep your eyes peeled because food is all around.

Growing To A Ripe Old Age: 50 Years In The Garden, by Edward Enfield (Summersdale, £9.99)
Half a century of gardening has given Edward Enfield, father of comedian Harry, plenty to write about in this delightful witty autobiography focusing on his horticultural pursuits.

Sarah Raven’s Wild Flowers, by Sarah Raven (Bloomsbury, £50)
Inspired by childhood excursions with her botanist father, Sarah Raven offers this lavishly-illustrated guide to 500 of our most beautiful wild flowers, divided by season and habitat.