Book Description
With few exceptions-such as corn and pumpkins-everything edible that's grown in a traditional garden can be raised in a container. And with only one exception-watering-container gardening is a whole lot easier. Beginning with the down-to-earth basics of soil, sun and water, fertilizer, seeds and propagation, The Bountiful Container is an extraordinarily complete, plant-by-plant guide.
Written by two seasoned container gardeners and writers, The Bountiful Container covers Vegetables-not just tomatoes (17 varieties) and peppers (19 varieties), butharicots verts, fava beans, Thumbelina carrots, Chioggia beets, and sugarsnap peas. Herbs, from basil to thyme, and including bay leaves, fennel, and saffron crocus. Edible Flowers, such as begonias, calendula, pansies, violets, and roses. And perhaps most surprising, Fruits, including apples, peaches, Meyer lemons, blueberries, currants, and figs-yes, even in the colder parts of the country. (Another benefit of container gardening: You can bring the less hardy perennials in over the winter.) There are theme gardens (an Italian cook's garden, a Four Seasons garden), lists of sources, and dozens of sidebars on everything from how to be a human honeybee to seeds that are All America Selections.
Customer Reviews:
Well worth the price.......2007-07-18
There's an endless list of titles devoted to container gardening, but it turns out that not many are useful for growing vegetables. I borrowed several from the library, including Bountiful Container, and this is the only one I found useful. It's a valuable reference tool, so I'll be getting my own copy.
I have never gardened before; my parents and grandparents had gardens as I grew up, which convinced me that I don't have the patience to go out and dig a big plot, then spend hours weeding it. In addition, we live in a condo with a small yard, so containers seemed to be the way to go, if only I could figure out how to successfully coax veggies from a container. Still, nobody I knew had really done this, so I found the book invaluable.
A lot of it may be old news to experienced gardeners, but as a beginner, it was extremely helpful to read what conditions each type of plant liked. There are some notes on design, as well as some great suggestions for themed gardens - I particularly liked the idea of attracting hummingbirds with a vibrant red garden. The book is well organized, with several pages devoted to the planting, care, and harvesting of each plant.
I knocked the book down 1 star because I think a few things should really be added. First, some color photos or illustrations. A previous reviewer mentioned that the illustrations are charming but lacking, and I agree. Second, further information about crops that can be planted twice - I know several cool weather plants can be put in for both spring and fall, which the book also mentions. The book walks through the spring planting, but then doesn't discuss the timing of the fall planting. If I have limited space for growing veggies, I really want to plant as much as I can in cycles, and it'd be helpful to have that information! Finally, some sort of chart that groups together plants which like the same conditions would be an extremely helpful addition to this book. You can get by with notes, but a chart would be a great reference tool.
Best Father's Day Gift Ever!.......2007-07-09
My parents are beginning to feel the effects of the years. This spring, my Dad had serious surgery and he and Mom were both depressed that there could be no vegetable garden this year. What luck that I had stumbled onto the Bountiful Container while doing research for a garden class I was asked to teach this spring. I purchased the book and two self watering containers for them for Mothers and Fathers Days this year and they are having a ball with them! Their garden has always been in the back forty, and now, they are in an "intimate relationship" with their tomatoes, peppers, beans and cucumbers. This book is inspiring and hope building. It's the answer for all of us who don't have time, don't have space, don't have money, and simply don't need the overwhelming bounty of an in-ground vegetable garden. If you are such an expert gardener that you can't learn something new from every listing in this book, why didnt' you write this book? This book will ALWAYS be on my book shelf!
McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits and Edible Flowers.......2007-06-01
Will enjoy planting plants in containers of vegetables to eat.
Save your money; the best book around for beginners........2007-05-09
This is hands down the best book on container gardening out there. With the exception of the edible flowers section (unless you're into that sort of thing), it's full of excellent information, from back to front. If you're new to container gardening like I was, I'd suggest that you start here with this book. It's readable, organized exceptionally and just generally well-written and thorough.
Full of Joy and Information.......2007-04-12
I love this book and I will be pulling it out often this growing season. It's packed with very specific information on how to grow every imaginable edible plant --from flowers through vegetables and fruit trees--in containers. You will learn when to plant, which varities do best in containers, whether to start with seed or transplants, how to combine plants in a container for beauty and/or successive harvesting, what size container to use, how often to fertilize and with what, when to harvest...the list goes on and on. The writing itself is delightful, from the descriptions and planting instructions for theme gardens (Victorian Splendor, Tea Time, Childrens' Garden just to name a few) to the history of many of the plants and unusual recipes using the bounty of your containers (Begonia Sorbet, Strawberries with Scented
Geraniums and Creme Fraiche, Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Fresh Tomato Sauce)! The Bountiful Container is a joy to read and really makes you want to get out into your garden and start planting. It's both a feel good book and a very informative book--IMO a rare combination in a reference book. I can't say enough, I'm so glad I bought this book.
Customer Reviews:
For The Person Who Wants to Cook with Herbs.......2004-09-21
There are many books available to spend time on all the varying uses for herbs (gardens, medicine, etc.) and nothing wrong with that. But for those of us who are into herbs for the sole purpose of the culinary zest they so wonderfully provide, this is significant resource in a small, well done fashion.
Color photos, herb by herb info, as well as recipes and aids with sources, insect and disease problems, this is valuable aid to us herb growers for the table.
From planning to preparing to planting to cultivating to problem cures to harvesting to recipe utilization, this is solid 105 pages of herb wisdom.
Lots of pretty photos.............2004-09-04
What's not to like about Rosalind Creasy's garden books? Creasy is an advocate of eating your garden. For years, I went back and forth - Do I grow flowers? Do I grow vegetables? Creasy says you can grow both and she shows you how. Her books are not filled with pages and pages of tedious text on preparing soil, planting, watering weeding harvesting. Instead, she includes several photos of her hired hands doing all that tiresome stuff while she takes pages of photos of plants (a small "encyclopedia") and receipes (a small cook book).
I was inspired by Creasy to try peppers in pots this past summer, and the Goddess must have smiled because all the plants behaved well and furnished a bumper crop of hot peppers for my pepper-loving Senegal parrot. So, for the first time ever - inspired by Creasy - I tried lavender in a clay pot and it worked well. Usually, my lavender plants mold from underneath because although the summers in the Washington DC area are usually hot, they are not dry like those in Provence where lavender excells. Clay pots are a good idea because the lavender plant sits above the ground away from the damp and any moisture falling from a watering can or the sky wicks away quickly. I have grown other herbs in pots - parsley, scented geraniums, basil, but never tried lavender until this year. I also grew several kinds of mint plants in both clay pots and the kind with a water well underneath, which is the only way to grow them as they are so invasive.
I love Creasy's EDIBLE HERB GARDEN because in my estimation a picture is worth a thousand words, and as an experienced gardener, I don't need a lot of instruction. Creasy includes plenty of pictures that are useful to me because they give me design ideas. I can look at a garden photo, recognize plants and judge how much work is involved in realizing the scene depicted. Creasy doesn't really advise you concerning the amount of work involved to maintain a scene. She also grown herbs in a California climate.
I've used other sources to help me learn how to grow herbs (Rodale in particular), and I've used Creasy's book to discover new and beautiful ideas for displaying culinary herbs in the perennial garden, as bedding plants or in pots.
Creasy offers nifty vinegar, oil, and tea recipes using culinary herbs as well as items such as barbecued veggies on Rosemary skewers. Collect her series, but be warned, you will need a good "how to" book or your own personal gardener to achieve her results.
The Edible Herb Garden.......1999-12-04
As a beginner to herb gardening, this book is exactly what I needed to get me started, and motivated! It is a valuable reference book as it provides the essentials to a successful garden in a format that is consistent and easy to read. It includes a complete encyclopedia of culinary herbs with beautifully detailed photos that are good enough to eat! The photos make it easy for the beginner to learn the names of herbs and to easily identify all varieties. This book also contains sections on Planting and Maintenance, and Pest and Disease Control. It's an all-in-one tool. I highly recommend the entire Edible Garden series.
Book Description
Putting delicious food on the table doesn't get more fulfilling-or fresher-than this!Whether you have a tiny rooftop plot or a serious chunk of dirt, The Edible Garden is packed with practical advice for designing a horticultural haven that's as tasty as it is beautiful-just think of it as art you can eat! This appealing text covers tried-and-true methods as well as more avant garde approaches to growing herb gardens, vegetable plots, fruit trees, edible flowers, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book!.......2007-02-22
I am gardener in South Louisiana and though some of the cultivars mentioned in this book are difficult to grow here there are many that will work in the south.
This book is full of projects, information on cultivars, diseases, and things to plant in different seasons. Great photos too!
RH
An excellent addition to any gardening library.......2006-07-09
Whether you are a master gardener or a beginner, this book would make a fine addition to your library. It is an excellent "how-to", with many color photos (distant and close-up for detail) and nicely-done illustrations.
No, this is not a "hoity-toity" book that is out of most working peoples' price range - it covers the spectrum of gardeners out there, from the most independent "do-it-yourselfer" to those who want to give ideas to their contractor or hired gardener.
The topics cover not only traditional "in ground" gardening but also touch on urban gardening, raised bed and container gardening, not to mention cold frames and overwintering non-zoned plants. Speaking of traditional gardening, this book also covers innovations for traditional beds; my favorite being
a grid-shaped trellis for keeping the Asparagus bed neat.
The book also touches on:
* Making a "formal" garden with edibles;
* Edible flowers and scented edibles;
* Beneficial insects;
* How to make chidrens' garden spaces (and how to get the kids involved);
* Making attractive but still very functional critter-proof fencing (deer and groundhogs, to name a few); and
* How to overwinter non-hardy plants and trees, especially in regards to growing container citrus trees.
If you're just starting out into gardening, this would be a "must-have" book for you. If you've some gardening experience under your belt, this is still an excellent book to have as it has innovative but still very useful and functional ideas for your garden and yard.
All in all, five stars for the book. I just wish it was longer - 192 pages was just a teaser.
The best food gardening book I've seen.......2006-06-06
I've looked at a lot of gardening books in my day, and this one is the best I've seen for growing herbs, fruits and vegetables. It's thin and not a page is wasted.
The bulk of the book is profiles for different types of fruits/herbs/veggies, telling you when to plant, how to plant, how to maintain, and how to use in cooking. It also includes useful tips on everything from extending your growing season and getting rid of pests, to how to arrange plants and espalier your apple trees.
Fascinating and easy to use with beautiful pictures! I read the whole thing in one sitting!
A practical, easy guide to growing fresh fruits & vegetables.......2005-06-10
The Edible Garden is a practical, easy guide to growing fresh fruits and vegetables. There are a host of unusual ideas here, from kid-friendly projects to different techniques, streamlining gardening processes, and handling diseases, crop rotation needs, and special care. A fine beginner's guide.
Amazon.com
Author Rosalind Creasy has written extensively on edible gardens: The Edible Herb Garden and The Edible French Garden are some of her past titles. The Edible Flower Garden focuses on plants that not only enhance recipes, but also turn the plate into a painting--a visual as well as gastronomic enterprise. For the reader who thinks such things are only for true gourmets or Metropolitan Home magazine aesthetes, one look at the photographs in this book will seduce you. The images are so beautiful and unusual as to be hypnotic: rose petals served as a bowl of ice cream (Rose Petal Sorbet); salads that look like wildflower meadows.
Creasy interviews Alice Waters of Chez Panisse about her use of flowers in meals at her famous Berkeley restaurant; Waters recounts the curious effect cooking with flowers has on diners. "The flowers are a fascination. People really focus on them and are curious." This curiosity stems from a cluster of superstitions: that all flowers are somehow poisonous, that beautiful things should not be touched or consumed, that vegetables are the sturdy, useful plants while flowers are "for show." Reading The Edible Flower Garden, I remembered the summer I forgot to pick my artichokes, and they basked in the sun long after they were ripe. One day I looked out and it was as if a spell had been cast: the ugly green artichoke scales were gone, transformed into blinding purple flowers. Color is always hiding somewhere, and it is wonderful to allow it to flourish, like Creasy does, in places where it is not expected. --Emily White
Customer Reviews:
A Splash of Edible Color.......2006-05-18
The genre of edible flowers and their strictly culinary use has not received a tremendous amount of literary attention. Many similar books hail from Great Britain authors and exhibit a decidedly British tilt in taste.
Author Rosalind Creasy has written extensively on edible gardens and her books are somewhat formulaic in nature. She repeats much of the same materials such as the section on compost is duplicated in each of her companion titles. This is at times an annoyance and waste of money to buyers of multi titles.
She interviews Alice Waters of Chez Panisse about her use of flowers and fortunately, for the reader, Creasy's recipes are a bit more obliging on the palate than Water's occasional unseemly combinations.
The photography is stunning. The information is basic.
Stunning book.......2003-03-30
The photography in this book is stunning. The information in the book is extremely well done. I love the way the book is set up. The recipes come last and make you want all of the flowers necessary to make them. I make organic rose petal jelly, so I am always on the look out for rose recipes, the rose petal sorbet is great. It can be made as a sorbet or as an ice cream with a bit of tweaking. I have enjoyed chive flower butter, but the first batch I made was a tad potent. The chive flower imparts a much stronger taste in much less volume. The photos are full of great ideas to decorate with the flowers. I often put flowers in pasta and salad, but had certianly never thought of serving my rose butter in roses! Great book all the way around.
Edible Flower Garden by Rosalind Cresy.......2002-05-02
I found the book beautifully illustrated and for the most part interesting and informative. I also found the book a bit vague and by no means comprehensive. I am a chef trying to acquire a colorful palate for my presentation but I did not find enough variety. I wondered why at least a list of more flowers wasn't included somewhere. Overall a very enjoyable book, especially the recepies...
Edible Flower Garden by Rosalind Cresy.......2002-05-02
I found the book beautifully illustrated and for the most part interesting and informative. I also found the book a bit vague and by no means comprehensive. I am a chef trying to acquire a colorful palate for my presentation but I did not find enough variety. I wondered why at least a list of more flowers wasn't included somewhere. Overall a very enjoyable book, especially the recepies.
Create a Garden full of Edible Flowers.......2001-01-24
Use what is fresh. In this case, that means the flowers too! In The Edible Flower Garden, Rosalind Creasy shares and explains the beautiful world of cooking with colorful and tasty flowers.
Emphasis is given to creating gardens that will supply those flowers. It takes a lot of flowers for most recipes, so it is good to know how many of each to plant and when to harvest. While traditional herbal flowers like lavender and borage are included, there are also selections on vegetable flowers, as well as, some more unusual flowers like lilacs, apple blossoms and begonias.
I particularly enjoyed Ms. Creasy's experiences with Alice Waters of Chez Panisse and the edible flower gardens they create to supply fresh flowers for their world renowned restaurant.
Of course, the beautiful photos of the Edible Flower Canapes, the Pineapple Sage Salsa and the Rose Petal Sorbet weren't bad either.
Average customer rating:
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Edible Gardening
Daria Bowman , and
Carl A Price
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Garden Design
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Herbs
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Vegetables
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0028644115 |
Average customer rating:
- GREAT Descriptions, Pictures, Gardening Advice...
- A rose by any other name.... is LUNCH.
- Great frosting.... no cake!!!
- Best book of edible flower recipies
|
Edible Flowers: From Garden to Palate
Cathy Wilkinson Barash
Manufacturer: Fulcrum Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Baking
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Flowers
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1555911641 |
Customer Reviews:
GREAT Descriptions, Pictures, Gardening Advice..........2004-03-20
Well worth having as a reference book. There are numerous tasteful ways to prepare the flowers As well as ways to grow them. The Pictures are very good for descriptions of Plants and What the prepared foods will look like (providing you have the right skills) In the back is a list of some of the plants to look out for that are not to be eaten and she has her list of "rules" when looking into eating the flowers. 250 pages of great Information!
A rose by any other name.... is LUNCH........2001-09-03
What can one say about an author who thinks that Sappho was a man?
Great frosting.... no cake!!!.......2001-08-30
"Edible Flowers from Garden to Palate" is a feel good book written for people who are already experts on the subject. How else can you explain that less than 1/3 of one page of this 250 page book is dedicated to "What part of the Flower to Eat" and much of that paltry 16 lines of text is either confusing or inconsistent with other key portions of the book? Although there are specific warnings about flower parts including stamens, styles, pistils and sepals -- there are not any pictures or diagrams illustrating what they look like on the various flower types or how best to remove them. Infact, they are not even listed in the index! Even within these three short paragraphs Ms. Barash apparently contradicts herself. At the bottom of paragraph 1 she states "Remove the sepals of all flowers except violas, Johnny Jump-ups and pansies." Then at the bottom of paragraph 2 she states, "Others, including Johnny jump-ups, violets, runner bean, honeysuckle and clover can be eaten in their entirety." Does "eaten in their entirety" include the sepal or the stamens, the styles and the pistils? For that matter, why is the term pistil used in The Ten Rules of Edible Flowers and not refered to in the section on what parts of the flower are edible? Furthermore, Ms. Barash appears to consistently violate her own "rules". For example, prior to the Introduction she lists The Ten Rules of Edible Flowers which includes number 7, "Remove pistils and stamens from flowers before eating. Eat only the petals." Then on page 231 she states, "If they are on the plate, they should be edible." Both seem like good consistent advise until you read the sections on the individual plants. Page 17 shows a whole Calendula on a plate. Is all of it edible? Page 28 shows a whole Daylily on a plate. Is all of it edible? Page 43 shows a whole nasturtian on a plate. Page 59 shows a whole stem of sage including leaves and flowers on a plate. Page 75 shows a whole stem of anise hyssop including leaves and flowers on a pizza. This raises the question, which flowers do you really have to follow the rules and only eat the petals? A rule is not a rule if almost everything is an exception. This seeming lack of consistency is continued throughout the book. On page 173 both the recipe and the photo call for a whole pineapple guava flower. Is all of the flower edible? Even the dreaded stamens, styles, pistils, and sepals? Which rule if any is being violated by these examples, rule 7 or the prohibiltion on page 231?
Unfortunately, readers who don't already know the answers to these questions will have to find the answers from another source. From my perspective, this book is yet another example of a very disturbing trend in books and magazines related to organic gardeing. It seems at an ever increasing rate that "essential facts" are being replaced by glossy paper and beautiful photos. Why authors and publishers seem to think the two are mutually exclusive is beyond me.
Best book of edible flower recipies.......1999-11-11
This is the best book of edible flower recipes I have found. It is packed with delicious recipes using over 60 different flowers. Conveniently, about half are accompanied by small color photos of the dish.
The book starts out with essential information on cooking with flowers including preserving & drying them. General recipes such as flower butter, honey, sugar, syrup & jelly for each flower follow.
There are also facts on each flower including the scientific name, a brief history, physical characteristics, description of flavor & ideal growing conditions. Great basic information on organic gardening in included as well.
Most of the recipes I've tried, including soups, salads, desserts, drinks & main dishes have been easy to make. My favorite is the herb & flower cheese terrine. It makes a tasty & impressive party appetizer.
Book Description
Both the Taylor's Guides to individual plant groups and the Taylor's Weekend Guides on basic techniques and popular gardening styles are highly acclaimed and well established. We now enthusiastically add a quick-reference series for readers who don't have the time or the experience to do their own research. Taylor's 50 Best books highlight the most attractive foolproof plants and include detailed information that every gardener needs in order to grow them. Color photos, full-color drawings, and growing tips make each plant entry useful and complete. Six books introduce the series and cover the most popular plants for backyard gardeners: perennials for sun, perennials for shade, herbs and edible flowers, roses, shrubs, and trees.
Customer Reviews:
This is an extremely informative book for beginners........1999-06-21
I decided to start an indoor herbal garden, and this was one of the first books I picked up. Not only was it informative about plant care, it also provided some very interesting recipes, concoctions, folklore, and tips on storing and processing the herbs.
Books:
- McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers
- McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Edible Flowers
- Memories of a Lifetime: Vintage Labels from a Lady's Dressing Room: Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fabric-Transfer Crafts (Memories of a Lifetime)
- Mountains in the Sea: The Vietnamese Miniature Landscape Art of Hon Non Bo
- National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region (Eastern)
- Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)
- Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)
- Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)
- Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration For Harmony With Nature (Schiffer Design Book)
- New Complete Guide to Landscaping: Design, Plant, Build (Better Homes and Gardens(R))
Books Index
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