From medieval France to contemporary Tasmania, two remarkable women discover their strengths, passions and loves. Travelling between lush gardens in France, windswept coastlines of Tasmania, to Tuscan hillsides and beyond, The Midsummer Garden lures the reader on an unforgettable culinary and botanical journey. 1487 Artemisia is young to be in charge of the kitchens at Chateau de Boschaud but, having been taught the herbalists' lore, her knowledge of how food can delight the senses is unsurpassed. All of her concentration and flair is needed as she oversees the final preparations for the sumptuous wedding feast of Lord Boschaud and his bride while concealing her own secret dream. For after the celebrations are over, she dares to believe that her future lies outside the chateau. But who will she trust? 2014 Pip Arnet is an expert in predicting threats to healthy ecosystems. Trouble is, she doesn't seem to recognise these signs in her own life. What Pip holds dearest right now is her potential to make a real difference in the marine biology of her beloved Tasmanian coastline. She'd thought that her fiance Jack understood this, believed that he knew she couldn't make any plans until her studies were complete. But lately, since she's finally moved in with him, Jack appears to have forgotten everything they'd discussed. When a gift of several dusty, beautiful old copper pots arrives in Pip's kitchen, the two stories come together in a rich and sensuous celebration of family and love, passion and sacrifice. Praise for Kirsty Manning: 'This mouth-watering debut novel – meticulously researched and crafted – raises the bar in contemporary and historical fiction our heroines are compelling, passionate and admirable.' – Australian Women's Weekly 'Given the passion of Kirsty Manning, the ease at which she slips into the quintessential lifestyle of the author, and with another novel in the works, there is no doubt The Midsummer Garden will not be the last we see of her.' – Herald Sun 'An evocative, lyrical tale of the search for identity by two unforgettable women, separated by history. It's a journey of passion through food, the natural world – and love – towards personal fulfilment. Manning displays her knowledge of gardening, ancient herbs and food as the two storylines intersect and move towards their powerful conclusion A fictional Eat Pray Love that all lovers of food and wine will devour.' – Sally Hepworth 'An enchanting read. Kirsty Manning, who is a gardener herself, displays her love of plants and gardens with its beautiful cover, it is a story that will keep you turning the pages long after you should have turned out the lights.' – Elise McCune

One of our finest writers on one of her greatest loves. Jamaica Kincaid's first garden in Vermont was a plot in the middle of her front lawn. There, to the consternation of more experienced friends, she planted only seeds of the flowers she liked best. In My Garden (Book) she gathers all she loves about gardening and plants, and examines it generously, passionately, and with sharp, idiosyncratic discrimination. Kincaid's affections are matched in intensity only by her dislikes. She loves spring and summer but cannot bring herself to love winter, for it hides the garden. She adores the rhododendron Jane Grant, and appreciates ordinary Blue Lake string beans, but abhors the Asiatic lily. The sources of her inspiration -- seed catalogues, the gardener Gertrude Jekyll, gardens like Monet's at Giverny -- are subjected to intense scrutiny. She also examines the idea of the garden on Antigua, where she grew up. My Garden (Book) is an intimate, playful, and penetrating book on gardens, the plants that fill them, and the persons who tend them.

With literally hundreds of choices, it can be overwhelming to decide which perennials to plant in your garden. Nancy J. Ondra takes the stressful guesswork out of perennial garden planning by offering 52 vibrant designs, each made up of only five plants. Ondra tailors each simple design to a specific set of growing conditions, with plenty of tips to help your planting mature. Enjoy gardens full of sun-drenched blooming flowers and shade-loving greenery for years to come.

'No dig' gardening saves time and work. In this book, no dig experts Charles Dowding and Stephanie Hafferty explain how to set up a no dig garden. They describe how to make compost, enrich soil, harvest and prepare food and make natural beauty and cleaning products. These approaches work as well in small spaces as in large gardens

Revive your senses and achieve a renowned sense of serenity through gardening. Our five senses — sight, touch, hear, smell and taste — are what connect us with the world around us. It’s also what distinguishes our humanity in many ways. This inspirational gardening guide is a celebration of these senses and how they rejuvenate our very being through the act of gardening. Find out how this heartening gardening book can show you that by simply being outside you can be grounded and calm. You’ll learn which plants to grow to nourish both your mental and physical well-being and more: • Separate sections on each of the senses, as they walk the reader through customizing their outdoor space for the best sensory experience. • Inspiring and evocative pull-out quotes and phrases help to heighten the understanding of each sense. • The clear and engaging text explains how each aspect stimulates a particular sense. • Beautiful and atmospheric photography brings the subjects to life. Immersing yourself in nature, whether it is smelling the scent of fresh flowers or strolling through a garden, has been known to be very effective in improving one’s mood and energy. This enlightening guide walks you through all the different senses so you can tailor your garden to your specific needs and personal preferences. Sensory gardening is for everyone! Be inspired with fresh new ideas on planting and maintaining your garden, which you can put into practice quickly and easily. This guide to gardening shows you how you can improve the sensory enjoyment of your outside space no matter where you live and plot size. Garden For The Senses makes the perfect gift for gardeners, growers, cooks, designers and nature lovers. It is also appealing to those gardeners seeking a more sensory and mindful approach to gardening and who want to understand why being outside is so vital for wellbeing.

A captivating, beautifully illustrated, one-of-a-kind color compendium of the flowers, fruits, herbs, trees, seeds, and grasses cited in the works of the world’s greatest playwright, William Shakespeare, accompanied by their companion quotes from all of his plays and poems. With a foreword by Dame Helen Mirren—the first foreword she has ever contributed. In this striking compilation, Shakespeare historian Gerit Quealy and respected Japanese artist Sumié Hasegawa combine their knowledge and skill in this first and only book that examines every plant that appears in the works of Shakespeare. Botanical Shakespeare opens with a brief look at the Bard’s relationship to the plants mentioned in his works—a diversity that illuminates his knowledge of the science of botany, as well as the colloquy, revealing his unmatched skill for creating metaphorical connections and interweaving substantive philosophy. At the heart of the book are "portraits" of the over 170 flowers, fruits, grains, grasses, trees, herbs, seeds and vegetables that Shakespeare mentions in his plays and poems. Botanical Shakespeare features a gorgeous color illustration of each, giving a "face" to the name, alongside the specific text in which it appears and the character(s) who utter the lines in which it is mentioned. This fascinating visual compendium also includes a dictionary describing each plant—such as Eglantine, a wild rose with a slight prickle, cherished for its singular scent, superior to any other rose; and the difference between apples and apple-john—along with indices listing the botanical by play/poem, by character, and genus for easy reference, ideal for gardeners and thoughtful birthday gift-giving. This breathtaking, incomparable collection of exquisite artwork and companion quotes offers unique depth and insight into Shakespeare and his timeless work through the unusual perspective of the plants themselves.

Provides information about how to use straw bales as planting containers for vegetable gardening.

The idea of mixing tropical plants with perennials and hardy annuals has been around since Victorian times. It is now enjoying a newfound popularity because tropical plants are more widely available. Gardeners who want to bring the lush beauty of tropicals to an existing garden, or who want to create an authentic vintage garden, will delight in The Exotic Garden. Although tropicals are novelties in temperate climates, they can successfully be grown anywhere. Iversen shows how tropicals can easily be used as annuals to perk up a garden with color during non-blooming seasons. The author's expert advice shows how to grow tropicals in beds, borders, and containers, select and combine plants, and use the tools of color, texture, and form. Plus, there are special overwintering tips and a full color glossary of more than 100 plants.

National Sylvan Theatre, Washington Monument grounds, The Community Center and Playgrounds Department and the Office of National Capital Parks present the ninth summer festival program of the 1941 season, the Washington Players in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," produced by Bess Davis Schreiner, directed by Denis E. Connell, the music by Mendelssohn is played by the Washington Civic Orchestra conducted by Jean Manganaro, the setting and lights Harold Snyder, costumes Mary Davis.

Beyond Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme is a unique book that is, beautifully photographed and well written that encompasses seventy interesting and uncommon herbs. Some of the included plants are cat's whiskers, cape mallow, caracalla, jasmine star, pepiche, porterweed, scented geraniums, and more. Each herb is outlined with history, a description, culture and growing, propagation and uses. You will find herbs easy to use in the kitchen, herbs to grow in the landscape, and many herbs to plant in containers for the deck or patio. It's about fragrance and it is in the leaves or the beautiful flowers. There is practical advice and tips on how to propagate the herbs whether it by seed or cuttings. The book has many tasty recipes and how-to directions for herbal projects! What sets this book apart from others are the interesting plant stories written by the person who discovered the herb, or who is a specialist about the plant. Discoveries were made around the globe and some of these stories haven't been told like this before. Whether you use this book for the recipes or growing tips or to learn more about these unusual plants, you are treated to Theresa Mieseler's passion and experience on every page. There are 200 plus pages with beautiful photographs for each plant.Beyond Rosemary, Basil, and Thyme will be sold through Shady Acres Herb Farm website - www.shadyacres.com, Amazon, and local bookstores.