Girls Guide to Growing Her Own

A Girls Guide to Growing Your Own is written by Alex Mitchell. She also wrote the successful The Edible Balcony: growing fresh produce in the heart of the city.  Alex Mitchell studied at the Chelsea Physic Garden.  Chelsea Physic Garden was founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries. It is one of Europe's oldest botanical gardens. Its a place I would like to visit one day.

As someone who enjoys trying to grow her own, as well as having very little growing space, I am always interested in books that encourage home gardeners to make the most of the space they have, so a flick through the odd gardening and growing book doesn't go amiss.

The Girls Guide to Growing Your Own is as the title suggests aimed at women, namely those in their early twenties to mid thirties.  Its a very easy and light read that is accompanied with photographs, as well as some quirky matchstick glamour girl illustrations that will appeal to some women.  I like the simplicity of its presentation, focusing on the seasons, as well as weekend projects - to ease the newcomer into the daunting task, as well as the pleasures of growing your own.  The book also has a number of tips that the novice gardener will appreciate such as how to rid of slimey slugs and snails with both familiar (beer cans) and new methods (such melon skins).  There is also a section on how to rid, or at least reduce the harm done by garden pests. I like the inclusion of the jargon buster too - it took me a while to understand the meaning of chitting potatoes and mulching.

This book will appeal to women who are quite or completely new to gardening and has a small space such as a patio; balcony; or even a window box; or given to someone as a gift. Its a great way to encourage newbies to get growing and get dirty with the soil. The book also has a number of recipes that leap out with names such as Riot Ratatouille and a mojito to banish a day at the office.

The Girls Guide to Growing our Own is retailed in the U.K at £12.99, but the publishers New Holland Publishers are offering A2K readers an impressive 40% discount. Just enter the discount code A2K at the checkout to receive your discount and free postage and packaging. This offer is valid until the 1st September 2011 to United Kingdom residents only (sorry overseas readers). 

Please also check out Harvest Vegetarian that is also offered to A2K reader too at a super discounted price.

Soil Mates for my tiny plot

Before even flicking through the pages, I was impressed by the format of this book Soil Mates written by Sara Alway.

It is a handbag size book with a jute sack background. The hard cover shows a soft-rockers tattoo heart embraced lovingly by green lush leaves. I do like the design and bold colours, but besides these pretty illustrations its actually quite a useful garden book.
This little book is actually a guide to companion planting for your vegetables, also dubbed as 'horticultural matchmaking'. Its actually an American book that translates relatively well for those of us living in the U.K.

Some of you may know that I lost my allotment plot in a fire early last year, so now grow vegetable in my tiny garden plot and trying to make the most of that limited space. Whilst flicking through this book, I did pick a number of good ideas in relation to making the most of what I have, for example planting potatoes and beans together. I think I may just do that this year with a dwarf variety, so that I have produce growing below as well as above.
I found her approach to writing quite quirky, fun and light, but I am aware that some people may not appreciate this. She introduces the reader to vegetables as if they were at a dating agency:

just watch out for celery! Leggy and leafy, she is notoriously easygoing and will happily settle down with just about anyone.

My impression is that the intended; or targeted audience for this book are women. Its a little book that serves as a gentle prompt to encourage the 'garden goddess' in you to come out. There is nothing wrong with that at all. Many of us will know that the traditional face of allotments in the U.K is changing as more and more women and families are choosing to grow their own vegetables.
Also I don’t know how Sara Alway has done it, but alongside the companion gardening, she has managed to include 20 creative recipes. The ones that leaped out to me to try were courgette custard with nasturtiums, spinach and pepper couscous loaf, minty beetroot ice-cream and summer squash and borage fritters.

I think this would be a wonderful book to give a virgin gardener, rather than an established one, but saying that, if I had found it under the Christmas tree I would not have been disappointed. This is the kind of book you'd expect to find not only in bookshops, but also independent music store and trendy cafés. It oozes coolness whilst encouraging you to get your hands dirty. For such a compact book, it is direct, informative whilst being colourful and amusing. I like it.

A2K Blogiversary

Today my blog A2K turns one year old. I have been fortunate enough to be able to write almost every day last year. Initially I set up the blog primarily to keep a record of the vegetables I grew at my plot and my culinary adventures, but months later when the comments started to come from all over the world, I was really overwhelmed. So first of all, I really want to sincerely say Thank you to you all, especially my readers, followers and those of you who come by and have taken the time to comment - Thank you so much for making this blog a personal achievement for me.
I have never really been one to celebrate or mark occasions. However, I have thought about how to mark my Blogiversary for awhile. I have noted how fellow bloggers review and reflect on their past year(s). I have noted how those celebrating normally choose to give a gift away to fellow bloggers. Bucking this trend I have decided not to, at least, not yet (until I can think of a suitable theme!). Instead I have chosen to continue in the same spirit that took me when I begun my blog, by sharing with you some more of my most thumbed cookbooks which have inspired me over the years (and this past year). Alongside the cookbooks, I will also share five books that are related to growing vegetables either in a garden, plot or pots. I hope that is okay.

Vegetarian and Vegan Cookbooks

#1 Rose Elliot's Vegetarian Cookery

#2 Pure Vegetarian by Paul Gayler
#3 Leith's Vegetarian Bible by Polly Tyrer
#4 Veg by Catherine Mason
#5 Cranks Bible by Nadine Abensur
#6 The Cafe Paradiso Cookbook by Denis Cotter
#7 Country Seasons Cookbook by Gail Duff
#8 Neither Fish Nor Fowl by Sarah Beattie
#9 Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
#10 Vegan with A Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Growing Vegetable books

#1 Complete book of Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit by Matthew Bigg et al

#2 Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening by HDRA

#3 Fork to Fork by Monty and Sarah Don

#4 Organic Gardening by Geoff Hamilton

#5 Christopher Lloyd Gardener Cook

Please note these Cookbooks are not in order of preference.