I never enjoyed science lessons and so I admit to a bit of reluctance when it came to starting The Science of Gardening. How wrong I was. Far from some dreary textbook with baffling terms, this is an enjoyable read that explains the why rather than the how of gardening.
Touching on every aspect of growing from lawns and houseplants to compost and pests, award-winning author Dr Stuart Farrimond sets out in clear terms the science behind the things that many gardeners do without fully understanding why.
(I was given a copy in return for a fair review.)
The book’s set out as a series of questions, the sort of things those new to gardening might ask: How often should I water my plants?; Is it best to sow outdoors or under cover?; Why do I need to let manure rot down?
Starting with the basics of whether gardening is good for you and can it help save the planet, it goes on to cover every aspect of growing from the way plants are made up to what tools to use.
Every part is backed up by science, explained in easy terms with numerous infographics and illustrations helping to make the points clear.
Along the way, The Science of Gardening refutes some commonly held gardening beliefs: “Claims that copper tools enrich the soil and don’t disrupt the earth’s magnetic fields are make-believe.” Likewise, “Believing that plants can hear our comforting words is sadly wishful thinking.” There is even a section debunking ‘Gardening Myths’ as well as one dealing with gardening jargon.
While this isn’t primarily a ‘how to’ book, there is a lot of useful advice from how to prune, what reversion is and how to deal with it, and what you should add to a compost heap.
“It has taken me forty years to discover the joy of gardening,” the author tells us. Perhaps I’ve now discovered some of the joy of science.
The Science of Gardening by Dr Stuart Farrimond is published by DK on March 2 with an RRP of £20. You can buy it here for £17.60. (If you buy via this link, I receive a small commission. The price you pay is not affected.)
You can read more of my gardening and garden-related book reviews here.
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