What stops people growing their own fruit and veg? A lack of time, shortage of space or not knowing where to start? The Productive Garden aims to “light a spark” and get us all growing even a little of our own food.
(Ad. Sent review copy. Not paid.)
Author Stephanie Hafferty’s journey to near self-sufficiency was driven as much by necessity as by an interest that started as a teenager. As a single mother, she grew food to help with a tight budget while her research into how to make natural cleaning and body care products was because she is allergic to the ingredients in many modern products.
Today, she has a homestead in rural Wales, used as a basis for articles on growing and where she teaches workshops and courses.
The Productive Garden distills these years of experience into a guide to growing and using produce that Stephanie hopes will be more than just a book on a shelf: “I hope it becomes dog-eared, marked by soil-stained fingers and recipes splashed from preserving your own harvests.”
She’s also quick to point out that complete self-sufficiency is unrealistic for most but that even a few pots of herbs on a balcony is worth doing. In many ways, this is a book about a self-sufficient lifestyle rather than just a growing guide as seen in her explanation of permaculture and its three ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Shares.
The book is comprehensive. We are guided through how to ‘create a productive garden’ starting with planning the space, deciding how much time you have and where to grow. There are detailed explanations of the pros and cons of mini greenhouses and polytunnels, and a guide to the various ways of making a new growing bed.
Water collecting, tool choice, composting, seed sowing and mulches are just some of the gardening tasks that are explained with images by Jason Ingram adding useful illustrations. Throughout there’s an emphasis on recycling and growing without spending a lot.
The Productive Garden moves on to what to grow with detailed advice on obvious crops, including strawberries and tomatoes, through the more unusual, such as mangelwurzel.
Finally, there’s a whole section on using your produce be it in the kitchen or turning it into natural remedies, cleaners and body products.
There’s always something new to learn in gardening, even if you’ve been growing for years. I discovered there may be a use for my horsetail and soapwort foes, and I’d never thought of catching rainfall from a fence.
This is a chunky book with a small typeface and a text to images balance tilting towards words. It is as packed with information as it appears Stephanie’s borders are packed with produce.
The Productive Garden by Stephanie Hafferty with photos by Jason Ingram is published by Frances Lincoln with an RRP of £25. #Ad You can buy it here for £19.25. (If you buy via this link, I receive a small commission. The price you pay is not affected.) Alternatively, you may wish to buy from an independent bookseller here. All prices correct at time of publication of this post.
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