Standing in the garden unable to decide what needs doing first is something I know only too well, particularly in spring when every corner seems to be screaming for attention. Feeling that the garden is getting away from you can take the joy out of the whole process but it needn’t be so, as The Five Minute Garden outlines.
The book was born of Laetitia Maklouf’s own experience. She found herself wondering “if I would ever have the time to stay on top of the garden, along with everything else that needed my attention”.
Like many of us, her gardening was mainly confined to weekends and single days, producing results that were fine for a short time only.
I was given a copy of the book in return for a fair review.
The answer is the old adage of ‘little and often’, breaking up the many tasks into manageable chunks that can be achieved with just five minutes a day.
The Five Minute Garden follows a year in the garden, suggesting things to be done under the headings of Spruce, Chop, Nurture, Fuss and Project. Each month opens with a quote that sets the scene for the weeks ahead and illustrations by Liane Payne bring it to life.
Some of the tasks are straightforward – putting out sun umbrellas and cushions every morning so it is possible to snatch a few minutes outside with a cuppa. Having somewhere ready to sit makes it much more likely that you actually will do it.
Other suggestions are more typical of gardening – choosing seeds, carrying out the ‘Chelsea Chop’, or bringing dahlias into growth.
If you don’t have a garden, there are ideas for houseplant care and instructions for growing herbs on windowsills.
Weeding – one of the most time-consuming activities in many gardens – is dealt with by the square metre method, doing just a small section at a time. It’s something I know works as keeping my vegetable garden weeded has been so much easier since it was divided into separate raised beds. The task seems more manageable and the results are obvious.
Woven into The Five Minute Garden is more detailed advice on things such as how to plant, maintaining tools and making leaf mould.
All the instructions are dispensed in a chatty, informal way that makes them more the advice of a favourite friend rather than the dictates of an expert. When sluicing out bins, we are told, “rubber gloves are essential, smug looks optional.”
Above all, this is a book for dipping into whenever you find yourself with five minutes to spare. Wasting those precious minutes in a flurry of indecision will no longer be a problem.
The Five Minute Garden by Laetitia Maklouf is published by National Trust Books, RRP £9.99. You can buy it here for £7.72 (Buying through this link gives me a small commission. The amount you pay is not affected.)
Enjoyed this? You can read more of my gardening and garden-related book reviews here.