Book Review: How Does Your Garden Grow

If you are familiar with the author Chris Beardshaw from his television work, you will appreciate when I say that his voice resounds through the words on each page of this, his latest book. His pure passion for plants and gardening is prevalent throughout the book and really does help to keep the reader interested in the subject matter.

'How Does Your Garden Grow' essentially walks through the basics of botany without straying from the gardener's viewpoint. Whether starting plants fresh from seed or creating new plants from old through cuttings, the processes are explained concisely and without becoming overly complex.

The book systematically takes you from the inner workings of seed germination and the role and workings of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits to nature's way of designing plants for any situation, how to understand and work with the soil, pest and disease defence and good gardening practice to help acheive a healthy, thriving garden.

The level of botanical information appears to be aimed at an audience with very little prior knowledge of the subject but are without doubt avid gardeners with a keen interest in plants. Simple sketch diagrams and clear photographic images provide a useful visual aid to help digest the scientific facts and a useful A-Z glossary at the back covers the main botanical terms used in the book. A clear layout and beautful plant photography gives the book an almost coffee table book feel whilst remaining an informative reference source.

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who has struggled to digest the volume of botanical facts present in the RHS Certificate in Horticulture course as I have. Reading this book before tackling the course content would be very beneficial and hopefully make the dry presentation of the botanical facts and information in the RHS course material much more bearable and much less daunting.

Reading 'How Does Your Garden Grow' would help any keen gardener to fully appreciate how their garden works and in turn help them to get the most out of their garden. I would definitely recommend this book for an informative, yet interesting read and as a useful reference source for any keen gardener's bookshelf.




RRP: £20 (Published by Dorling Kindersley - ISBN 9781405316675)