A new books turns Frank’s ideas on turf fertility upside down. Could now be the time to rethink his plans on how to breathe life back into his neglected borders?
You get a slightly worthy book for Christmas and, because you are obliged to, read it, eventually. It is not well written, but it is from your youngest and most earnest brother, so scrupulous attention has to be paid for the review that must follow. Then, just as you are despairing that you might find anything positive to say, you perceive, through the fog of the prose, a meaningful idea: one that is not only worth knowing, but might change the way you are doing things.
The book, called Grass-Fed Nation, is an attack on modern farming methods, describing how they are destroying the soil. So far, so much preaching to the converted there. I have long avoided footpaths that cross arable land, because I get so depressed by the lifeless gunk that passes for earth where crops are grown. Assuming that the attack was about to turn on us meat-eaters, as most ecological arguments seem to, I braced myself for annoyance.
Bu hikaye Gardens Illustrated dergisinin September 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Gardens Illustrated dergisinin September 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Field of Dreams - The naturalistic gem Hans Gieszen has created in former meadowlands near Utrecht in the Netherlands is the culmination of a lifelong passion
Ever since his mother gave him seeds as a small boy, gardening has been a passion for Hans Gieszen. He is completely self-taught, relying on garden visits and books for instruction, with one book in particular, Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Henk Gerritsen and Piet Oudolf, influencing his style. “It was fascinating,” says Hans, remembering his first encounter with the book. “All those photos – pictures with mists and these tall and low plants and grasses. I realised I couldn’t do it in my small garden, but I kept dreaming and reading about it.”
WORLD OF POSSIBILITY
This superb tour of the world's botanical gardens highlights their vital role in saving the planet's flora, says Claire Masset
THE FEMININE TOUCH?
Does your garden have masculine or feminine style, and does it even matter? Head gardener Benjamin Pope unpicks gardening's gender stereotypes
'If you emulate nature, you're on to a winner'
Gardener, television presenter and author Carol Klein talks about her new book, the books she loves, her current challenges and what she's up to next
FRIENDLY ADVICE
When tasked with creating a garden for her friends, designer Neive Tierney found the project came with challenges - not least the need to include a wheelchair ramp and squeeze in a saltwater swimming pool
Passing the baton
The celebrated nursery and garden at Marchants Hardy Plants in East Sussex is now being managed by a new team, who continue to inspire visitors with innovative planting
My sweet gourd
Clark Lawrence, an American living in the heart of Italy's pumpkin province, loves growing different cultivars of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for their sweet flavours and fabulous looks
ANDY JASPER
The new CEO of the Eden Project on his excitement about a new chapter, the legacy he's left at the National Trust and his joy at heading home to Cornwall
Bedding in
In just under nine years, the owners of Arvensis Nursery in Wiltshire have created a mature garden that displays their high-quality perennials
Late summer dreams
From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates three stylish container combinations for autumn