THE VINTAGE FARMHOUSE GARDEN: Your Guide to Creating a Vintage-Inspired Outdoor Space, lovely AND practical!

THE VINTAGE FARMHOUSE GARDEN: Your Guide to Creating a Vintage-Inspired Outdoor Space
RHONDA KAISER
Cool Springs Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$30.00 all editions, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: The Vintage Farmhouse Gardenis the first garden design book to focus on the vintage-inspired farmhouse aesthetic and how to bring it to your outdoor space—no farm required. With the insight and inspiration found in The Vintage Farmhouse Garden, you’ll create a gorgeous, vintage-inspired outdoor space, overflowing with style and charm.

Garden and design influencer Rhonda Kaiser (@southernhomeandfarm) partners vintage-inspired design with the farmhouse aesthetic to make your outdoor space as beautiful and welcoming as possible. Whether it’s by creating a stunning tablescape, arranging a welcoming front porch, designing a peaceful outdoor garden oasis, or displaying a collection of seasonal plants and vintage accessories, Rhonda helps you bring all the classic comforts of a farm home into your garden, no matter where you live.

Inside, you’ll find inspiration on how to:

Turn your farmhouse garden vision into reality

Select and plant vibrant fruits, flowers, and shrubs for your farmhouse garden

Include vintage finds in your garden design

Shape a welcoming space, from your front porch to your back gate

Incorporate and decorate outbuildings like greenhouses and toolsheds to make them as beautiful as they are useful

Add pollinator-friendly plants to your garden

Celebrate the seasons by inviting and entertaining others in your space

Plus, favorite recipes using fresh flavors from the garden

Discover the joys of curating a collection of vintage accessories and showcasing it as part of a well-designed farmhouse garden, overflowing with a colorful collection of edible and ornamental plants. Welcome to The Vintage Farmhouse Garden.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: At last! I'm reviewing an aspirational book, like y'all love to ogle and drool over.

Well...yes, but in a curious way, no. This is not just a book of how to make a pretty garden in a certain old-fashioned model. It's a way to create a beautiful outdoor space to use and enjoy; it's also about getting that space to serve a very practical purpose, attracting pollinators and producing good things in the process.

There are many wonderful things about using plants to help increase the pollinators' food supply. You enjoy the flowers; they enjoy the buffet the flowers represent. A beautiful space to enjoy and live in that's also a haven for life, instead of a deadening array of hybridized-to-uselessness botanical tchotchkes, is a very good thing to create.

start with ideas

move to plans and procedures

The book is a beauty. It's got everything I'd say is important to have in this kind of book: aspiration, inspiration, and how to use your perspiration to make it come true. The price is, for this category of gift books, reasonable; tablet viewing worked very well. A tree book is always the most fun to have for us oldsters, but as a gift I don't know many who would kvetch at either form.

Wonderful self-gift, too!

ROOT VEGETABLES: A Grower’s Guide, part of the ongoing Market Gardener series

ROOT VEGETABLES: A Grower’s Guide (Market Gardener series)
JEAN-MARTIN FORTIER (edited by Pierre Nessmann; Illus. Flore Avram; tr. Laurie Bennett)
New Society Publishers (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$19.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 4.75* of five

The Publisher Says: Root Vegetables: A Grower's Guide offers an essential roadmap to cultivating Jean-Martin Fortier's 20 favorite varieties using biointensive techniques. Discover hidden gems for your garden, from staples to heirloom curiosities, with detailed guidance on growing, managing, and harvesting nutrient-packed root crops. Master the art of growing nutritious, versatile, and flavorful root vegetables with Jean-Martin Fortier's biointensive farming methods.

Root Vegetables: A Grower's Guide uncovers the secrets to cultivating a wide range of root crops, from familiar favorites like potatoes and carrots to lesser-known gems like oca and salsify. Jean-Martin Fortier's biointensive approach maximizes yield while nurturing soil health, making this guide invaluable to home gardeners and market farmers alike.

This richly illustrated, full-color guide includes:

A step-by-step introduction to "The Fortier Method" for sustainable, high-yield microfarming

Botanical insights into root vegetables, from ancient wild varieties to modern cultivars

Detailed profiles of 20 nutritious and versatile crops, with practical advice on growing each

Techniques for soil preparation, sowing, transplanting, fertilizing, and irrigation

Organic practices for managing pests, diseases, and crop rotations

Tips for optimizing harvest and storage to preserve flavor and nutrition.

Root Vegetables is part of the Grower's Guides from the Market Gardener series. It's designed to provide novice to expert growers with practical knowledge to succeed using the principles of biointensive, regenerative agriculture on a human scale.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: As with LIVING SOIL: A Grower’s Guide, this book is part of the ongoing Market Gardener series.

The series is meant to inform as well as inspire the people who love growing things to apply ecologically sound methods of doing so, most especially to food production. It is the use of land that matters the most...a house and flower garden matter very little to someone who's constantly hungry, or worse, starving. As our climate uncertainty shifts from "can we stop the looming disaster" to "how best can we mitigate the inevitable disaster" it behooves every privileged one of us to learn all we can about growing some of our own food to reduce the stress on a system that's going to be more stressed soon.

Start with foods you want to eat, like:

The entire series is currently available, and could be a literal lifesaver.

Well worth your time and treasure.

LIVING SOIL: A Grower’s Guide, part of the ongoing Market Gardener series

LIVING SOIL: A Grower’s Guide (Market Gardener series)
JEAN-MARTIN FORTIER (edited by Pierre Nessmann; Illus. Flore Avram; tr. Laurie Bennett)
New Society Publishers (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$19.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 4.75* of five

The Publisher Says: Living Soil: A Grower's Guide offers an illustrated, accessible resource on nurturing resilient crops and ecosystems through fertile, healthy soil. Jean-Martin Fortier shares his proven biointensive methods to help growers understand soil biology, improve fertility, and cultivate lasting abundance. Build and sustain fertile, living soil—the essential foundation for thriving crops—with Jean-Martin Fortier's biointensive techniques.

Living Soil: A Grower's Guide reveals the secrets to creating fertile, healthy soil—an essential foundation for abundant, nutrient-rich harvests. With Jean-Martin Fortier's biointensive methods, gardeners and farmers alike can improve soil health while supporting thriving ecosystems.

This richly illustrated, full-color guide includes:

An overview of "The Market Gardener Method"—a proven formula for small-scale, high-yield farming

A deep dive into soil composition, including humus, microbes, and mineral content

Simple DIY assessments and advanced tests for understanding soil biology and structure

Low and no-till techniques to enhance soil fertility, including composting, mulching, crop rotation, and green manures

Strategies for regenerating and sustaining soil over time.

Living Soil is part of the Grower's Guides from the Market Gardener series, offering practical knowledge for all growers. From beginner gardeners to seasoned farmers, these guides equip you with the tools and insights needed to grow sustainably using principles of biointensive, regenerative agriculture on a human scale.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Author Fortier is the founder of the Market Gardener Institute (www.themarketgardener.com) deidcated to the expansion of sustainable agriculture in all levels of farming and gardening. The entry into the Institute's Market Gardener series is very thorough indeed:

...just to orient you as to what we're going to be reading about. Of course, it always helps to have a face to put with the voice, and a milieu for both:

Where we go from here is down. Into the soil, the basic material of all food production. It is something much more important than ever, as our planetary climate shifts in as-yet unpredictable conditions. How much more warming we're going to experience is a large determining factor in how we're going to feed everybody.

Soil is what we're using to feed them, so learning about it is key. It's also key if you're going to do your own bit to help feed your own near and dear. Here are some examples of what you'll see in this book:

I'd rate this book five stars for anyone seriously wondering how to move into a market-gardening lifestyle. I think the home gardener will derive a lot of benefit from the read; but I found it overwhelming to take in all this detailed and carefully thought out information. I think most who read my reviews will likely feel the same way. I have to, in that case, take just a fraction off my rating; not from dissatisfaction but from overload of good information.

Read slowly, you'll get more out of it!

BUILDING SOIL: A Down-to-Earth Approach: Natural Solutions for Better Gardens & Yards, quality informational book

BUILDING SOIL: A Down-to-Earth Approach: Natural Solutions for Better Gardens & Yards
ELIZABETH MURPHY
Cool Springs Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$26.99 paperback, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Learn what it takes to improve your soil with simple and down-to-earth methods that won’t hurt the environment. It's the ecological solution to a garden of any size! This is your down-to-earth, complete manual for achieving great gardening results with your own rich, organic soil.

How do you recognize healthy soil? How much can your existing soil be improved? What are the best amendments to use for your soil? Let Building Soil answer your questions and be your guide on gardening from the ground up. Fertilizing, tilling, weed management, and irrigation all affect the quality of your soil. Using author Elizabeth Murphy’s detailed instructions, anyone can become a successful soil-based gardener, whether you want to start a garden from scratch or improve an existing garden.

If you want methods that won’t break your back, are good for the environment, and create high-yielding and beautiful gardens of all shapes and sizes, this is the book for you! Create classic landscape gardens, grow a high-yielding orchard, nurture naturally beautiful lawns, raise your household veggies, or run a profitable farm.

A soil-based approach allows you to see not just the plants, but the living system that grows them. Soil-building practices promote more ecologically friendly gardening by:

Reducing fertilizer and pesticide use

Sequestering greenhouse gases

Increasing overall garden productivity

With a detailed discussion and comparison tables on a range of organic fertilizer choices, Building Soil is a simple book full of practical, up-to-date information about building healthy soils. Simple methods perfect for the home gardener’s use put healthy, organic soil within everyone’s reach. You don’t need a degree in soil management to understand this book; you only need a yard or garden and the desire to improve it at the most basic level.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Very practical, brimful of information the novice can use; some information is couched simply so as not to scare the newbies, but could easily prove very helpful to the serious gardener with a soil issue they can't address.

No need to beat around the bush (!) then, is there. Look at the graphic presentation to see if you can work with it. We'll start simple:

Now the more information-laden bits:

It's straightforward, but not made cartoonishly oversimplified. Don't plan on an ebook. The tree book can be carried around in a garden setting, worry-free...who care if you drop a working book? A tablet, now...so tree book all the way.

As gardening books go, this is a very reasonably priced one. A strong value proposition indeed.

VIBRANT HARVEST: Cultivating a Kaleidoscope of Colors in Your Vegetable Garden with Heirlooms, Modern Hybrids, and More

VIBRANT HARVEST: Cultivating a Kaleidoscope of Colors in Your Vegetable Garden with Heirlooms, Modern Hybrids, and More
SANDRA MAO
Cool Springs Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$26.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Vibrant Harvest is the ultimate guide to bringing more color and diversity into your veggie garden (and your diet!) by growing the most colorful veggies on the planet. Fill your garden and plate with a rainbow of flavorful produce with this engaging and visually stunning guide to a Vibrant Harvest.

It’s easy to “eat the rainbow” when you’re growing one right in your own backyard! In Vibrant Harvest, you’ll meet some of the most colorful veggies on the planet and learn how to grow, harvest, and enjoy them. Author Sandra Mao (@sandra.urbangarden) and her color-infused garden hand you all the insight you need to grow a kaleidoscope of heirloom, hybrid, and ancestral vegetables that are not only a feast for the eyes but also nutritional powerhouses.

With this inspiring guide, bringing bright colors and rich flavors into your kitchen has never been simpler or more dynamic. From purple tomatoes, pink beans, yellow carrots, magenta potatoes, and black radishes, to speckled lettuces and orange cucumbers, you’ll find handy advice for growing them all. Plus, learn the best varieties to seek out.

The book is organized into four parts:

Choose Your Plants: First, meet these multihued dynamos via detailed plant profiles organized by both the growing season and the edible portion of each plant—stem, leaf, bud, fruit, pod, or root.

Plan & Start Your Garden: Next, gain insight into planning and installing your garden, from site selection and soil prep, to seed starting and transplanting.

Care for Your Garden: Then, learn the ins and outs of caring for your polychromatic garden and all the plants living in it, including watering, feeding, staking, pruning, and trellising.

Pick, Preserve & Prepare Your Harvest: Finally, discover how to harvest and enjoy your rainbow-hued garden through recipes and easy preservation techniques.

It’s a KALEidoscope of possibilities out there for modern gardeners! Meet dozens of vivid varieties and gain the expertise you need to plant and tend your own super-colorful garden in Vibrant Harvest.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A book I thought I'd mildly snort at...colors matter! faugh!...when I got it, but it's about useful gardening as opposed to ornamental gardening, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

"Eat the rainbow" is actual, serious food science; adding color to your diet has measurable health benefits. If you're going to garden,I say do it to enjoy really fresh foods you wouldn't otherwise have access to; adding the color factor also adds a certain pleasurable frisson to the work as well as the harvest.

two of my favorite veggies in a row!

It's a serious book, about a serious subject...food security, health and lifespan improvement...that people my age need to consider seriously because we didn't when we were younger. If you're under 40, first of all hello! how on earth did you get here of all places?, please learn from my mistake: eat carefully and intentionally as a habit. Go wild on holidays, take the occasional extra cookie, but as your baseline, be very intentional in your eating habits. It pays off in the medium and the long run.

Growing your own is a solid habit to form, as well. No ordinary grocery store will have anything as beautiful as these:

...and there's no sense looking at the pretties unless you know the problems you'll likely face in growing them:

All said and done, this is a great gift to the aspiring gardener, the new homeowner, and the flagging, bored plant butler. And/or yourself.

THE PRESERVER'S GARDEN: How to Grow a Garden for Fermenting, Canning, Pickling, Dehydrating, Freeze Drying, and more

THE PRESERVER'S GARDEN: How to Grow a Garden for Fermenting, Canning, Pickling, Dehydrating, Freeze Drying, and more
STACI HILL & JEREMY HILL
Cool Springs Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$30.00 any edition, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: The Preserver’s Garden is an essential guide to planning and planting a garden specifically for the preservation and long-term storage of the harvest. Discover how to plan, plant, and grow a garden with food preservation and long-term storage in mind—plus, meet seven different preservation techniques.

Growing a garden with the intent to preserve the harvest and improve your self-sufficiency is an entirely different world than growing food for fresh consumption. When growing for preservation, your efforts need to be focused on the promotion of uniform ripening, high yields, and flavor that remains stable through the preservation process. Since the end goal is to have plenty of food to eat for months to come, how do you know how much to plant, which varieties are best, and which preservation method is ideal for each different vegetable and fruit? In The Preserver’s Garden, you’ll learn all that and so much more from a modern farming family with a pantry lined with jar after jar of preserved homegrown treasures, a fully stocked freezer, and endless bags of dehydrated and freeze-dried goodies!

In addition to taking a deep dive into seven different methods of food preservation—including freezing, drying/dehydration, pressure canning, water bath canning, salting, freeze drying, and fermenting—authors Staci and Jeremy Hill of @goosberrybridgefarm teach you how to:

Plan your garden around the veggies your family eats the most.

Figure out how much to grow to meet your preservation goals.

Decide which preservation methods are best for your harvest and your home.

Safely prepare your harvest for processing and preservation.

Achieve success in growing a lot of food organically, with less time and less work.

Also included are 22 in-depth produce profiles—from tomatoes and squash to onions and berries—where you’ll learn specifics about everything from growing requirements and harvesting tips to the best preservation methods and plant care techniques to increase the harvest. It’s time to plan for your family’s future with help from The Preserver’s Garden.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I long for a garden when I read books like this...they're much more aspirational than flower gardens, herbaceous borders, topiary and fountains...fine if you're a king or queen but I'm just your basic queer.

contents page explaining the way we're going

This clear, concise...no wasted words...handsomely designed book is packed with basic concepts, ideas for fillips, and overall inspiration for you to think realistically about your garden plans. It can't be a bad thing to devote some space to planting and nurturing tings that can nourish you in their turn.

Samples of the look follow:

There are chapters on key concepts:

...and key crops everyone always wants to grow:

everyone loves home-grown tomatoes

...and ways to use them:

It was not a bad experience reading the book on a tablet, but what a beautiful thing to see glossy and present on a page!

No matter the format you choose, this is a useful way to spend gifting money on your gardening buddy, on your first-time homebuyer, or yourself.