-
Having less is the secret to living more. Whether you've been dreaming about a treehouse in the wilderness of Montana, or a remote eco-cabin in Patagonia or Australia; driving a campervan on the open roads of Quebec, or floating on a houseboat in Sweden - find escape, inspiration and a window into a freer, simpler, happier kind of life. In this visual manifesto for the tiny house lifestyle, discover over 250 awe-inspiring images of the world's most creative small homes, alongside the stories, ideas and advice of those living in them. Curated by the founder of the #1 @tinyhouse Instagram feed. Sometimes you have to think small to live BIG ISBN 9781785039355 -
Show nature the kindness it deserves. Whether you long to see butterflies flit across your flowerbeds or hear birdsong all year round, there's something endlessly rewarding about playing host to wildlife. With practical projects and helpful tips for gardens big and small, this guide will help boost local biodiversity and benefit countless native species. Learn how to: Choose the best type of bird feeder and seed for your feathered friends. Build natural habitats and provide shelter for all manner of insects. Make sugaring recipes to attract butterflies and moths. Select the right pollinator plants for bees in every season. Wherever you do it - on a balcony, in a garden or across acres of land - you too can create the perfect sanctuary for an abundance of creatures. ISBN 9781787836679 -
Arthur Parkinson's town garden is like a path of pots, a tiny, exposed stage on bricks. Despite its small size, a flower-filled jungle in Venetian tones is grown here each year, in defiance of urbanisation. The plants act like drapes, closing gently as their growth engulfs the front door, from either side of the path, to the buzz of precious bees. This is gardening done entirely in pots, yet on a grand scale that will inspire anyone who wants their doorstep or patio to be a glamorous and lively canvas that nurtures them visually and mentally. From jewel scatterings of crocus, flocks of parrot tulips and scented sweet peas to galaxies of single dahlias, towering giraffes of amaryllises grown inside for winter and endless vases of cut blooms through the seasons. With his bantam hens at his feet, Arthur shares his life, knowledge, flair and influences for planting creatively, all of which combine to create a space that's rich in ever-changing colour and life. ISBN 9780857839176 -
How can gardening relieve stress and help us look after our mental health? What lies behind the restorative power of the natural world? In a powerful combination of contemporary neuroscience, psychoanalysis and brilliant storytelling, The Well Gardened Mind investigates the magic that many gardeners have known for years - working with nature can radically transform our health, wellbeing and confidence. ISBN 9780008100735 -
Ever wanted to show just how much you know about roses? Or see if you can remember the Latin name for Japanese Maple? RHS Gardener's Quiz & Puzzle Book is designed to test your horticultural and botanical knowledge with puzzles to delight and challenge. Featuring over 400 lavishly illustrated questions, from anagrams to garden history, from obscure tools to identifying plants based on their leaves - there are questions for every level of gardening knowledge. Including... - Solve anagrams to improve your knowledge of Latin names - Test your ability to identify plant anatomy with annotated diagrams- Feature pages contain quizzes on specific themes such as botany, vegetables, houseplants, pests and plant care...and much more. ISBN 9781784726324 -
Making, maintaining and mending our own homes is part of what makes us human. It is a skill that was alive and well until just two or three generations ago. Harrison Gardner is a man on a mission to help us rediscover the lost art of building our own while leaving a more harmonious mark on the environment. Build Your Own explores the principles of construction and outlines a multitude of practices and methods that enable you to build a home with the materials available to you. Practical techniques, such as plastering, moving earth, basic demolition, installing insulation, building internal walls and attaching cladding, are demystified and made easy. Whether you plan to build your own structure, are curious about the idea or are dealing with construction workers, Build Your Own is an essential tool that shows that anyone can learn to build - and perhaps everyone should. 'A revolutionary book ... within it is the knowledge to empower you to shape and craft your own living space.' Manchan Magan. ISBN 9780717192649 -
'Outside my work the thing I care most about is gardening - George Orwell' Inspired by her encounter with the surviving roses that Orwell is said to have planted in his cottage in Hertfordshire, Rebecca Solnit explores how his involvement with plants, particularly flowers, illuminates his other commitments as a writer and antifascist, and the intertwined politics of nature and power. Following his journey from the coal mines of England to taking up arms in the Spanish Civil War; from his prescient critique of Stalin to his analysis of the relationship between lies and authoritarianism, Solnit finds a more hopeful Orwell, whose love of nature pulses through his work and actions. And in her dialogue with the author, she makes fascinating forays into colonial legacies in the flower garden, discovers photographer Tina Modotti's roses, reveals Stalin's obsession with growing lemons in impossibly cold conditions, and exposes the brutal rose industry in Colombia. A fresh reading of a towering figure of the 20th century which finds solace and solutions for the political and environmental challenges we face today, Orwell's Roses is a remarkable reflection on pleasure, beauty, and joy as acts of resistance. 'A genuinely extraordinary mind, whose curiosity, intelligence and willingness to learn seem unbounded' Irish Times. ISBN 9781783785520 -
From the authors of This Is Happiness and Her Name Is Rose, a warm-hearted and uplifting memoir of life in rural Ireland. Thirty-five years ago, when they were in their twenties, Niall Williams and Christine Breen made the impulsive decision to leave their lives in New York City and move to Christine's ancestral home in the town of Kiltumper in rural Ireland. In the decades that followed, the pair dedicated themselves to writing, gardening and living a life that followed the rhythms of the earth. In 2019, with Christine in the final stages of recovery from cancer and the land itself threatened by the arrival of turbines just one farm over, Niall and Christine decided to document a year of living in their garden and in their small corner of a rapidly changing world. Proceeding month-by-month through the year, this is the story of a garden in all its many splendours and a couple who have made their life observing its wonders. ISBN 9781526632678 -
The earliest record of an enclosed space around a homestead come from 10,000 BC and since then gardens of varying types and ambition have been popular throughout the ages. Whether ornamental patches surrounding wild cottages, container gardens blooming over unforgiving concrete or those turned over for growing produce, gardens exist in all shapes and sizes, in all manner of styles. Today we benefit from centuries of development, be it in the cultivation of desirable blossom or larger fruits, in the technology to keep weeds and lawn at bay or even in the visionaries who tore up rulebooks and cultivated pure creativity in their green spaces. George Drower takes fifty objects that have helped create the gardening scene we know today and explores the history outside spaces in a truly unique fashion. With stunning botanical and archive images, this lavish volume is essential for garden lovers. ISBN 9780750996853 -
The perfect book for any gardener looking to get back in touch with their wild side. The rewilding of public spaces and farmland is vitally important to conservation, but how can we support native species and provide rich habitats on our own doorsteps? In this practical, beautifully illustrated guide horticulturalist and Gardener's World presenter Frances Tophill shows you how to plan and maintain a beautiful garden that will attract bees and birds as well as a throng of unsung garden heroes. Whether you have a small balcony or a large open space, discover the joys of welcoming natural ecosystems back into your garden - along with a host of new visitors. ISBN 9781529410259 -
'One of the most thrilling moments occurred ten years ago when I found a single wild flower growing on a grassy bank. It was not particularly rare - a common spotted orchid - but it was like discovering a pot of gold - or perhaps, more accurately, the promise of gold. It was a sign that recovery was possible from even the most inauspicious situation.' Spend a year in the garden with Monty Don - the UK's favourite gardener, writer and broadcaster - accompanied by his beloved dogs, Nigel and Nellie. A breath of fresh country air. Each season has something different to delight in - from the primroses and bluebells of spring, to butterflies that colour summer skies and the crowds of migrating swallows that herald the coming of autumn - all have a place alongside the yearly cycle of growth and renewal. My Garden World is an ode to the ever-surprising and comforting presence of nature. In exquisitely written prose, reflecting the best of nature writing, this book offers an opportunity to walk alongside Monty, month by month, and experience the commonplace miracles and rhythms of nature through his eyes. ISBN 9781473666580 -
Cut the clutter, live better with less, give yourself headspace, and enjoy life more. Create Space shows you how taking steps to clear and simplify your living space can also clear your mind, improve your relationships, and enhance your wellbeing. This room-by-room guide to organising and decluttering your home is packed with ideas, advice, tips and techniques that are practical and functional as well as beautiful. Turn chaos into calm with step-by-step methods that you can adapt and sustain for your own needs. When you stop allowing your life to revolve around things that don't matter, you instantly gain energy to focus on the things that do. Reclaim your space, your time, and your mind right now, to reorganise your living space into a place of sanctuary. ISBN 9780241479285 -
Cleanliness is next to enlightenment. In this Japanese bestseller a Buddhist monk explains the traditional meditative techniques that will help cleanse not only your house - but your soul. Live clean. Feel calm. Be happy. We remove dust to sweep away our worldly cares. ISBN 9781846149696 -
The Toronto Ink Company was founded in 2014 by designer and artist Jason Logan as a citizen science experiment to make eco-friendly, urban ink from street-harvested pigments. In Make Ink, Logan delves into the history of inkmaking and the science of distilling pigment from the natural world. Readers will learn how to forage for materials such as soot, rust, cigarette butts, peach pits, and black walnut, then how to mix, test, and transform these ingredients into rich, vibrant inks that are sensitive to both place and environment. Organized by color, and featuring lovely minimalist photography throughout, Make Ink combines science, art, and craft to instill the basics of ink making and demonstrate the beauty and necessity of engaging with one of mankind's oldest tools of communication. ISBN 9781419732430 -
Cleaning - aka hinching - doesn't have to be that job you dread, not when Mrs Hinch is here to show you her sparkly ways. At over 3 million followers and counting, she has taken the nation by storm with her infectiously addictive charm, clever tidying tips and passionate belief in cleaning. Mrs Hinch invites you into her home and while inside you'll discover how a spot of cleaning is the perfect way to cleanse the soul. She'll even share the story of Mr and Mrs Hinch and their 'dorgeous' boy, Henry. Inside you'll find out: - How cleaning can soothe anxiety and stress - Mrs Hinch's must-haves - Step-by-step guides to hinching your home - And so much more! With the help of her cloth family, Mrs Hinch will help you turn your house into a home. Whether you're a daily duster or looking for a monthly makeover, Hinch Yourself Happy shows you how to create not only a cleaner house, but a calmer you. If you want your kitchen to sparkle like Meghan Markle, then this is the book for you. ISBN 9780241399750 -
Saving money doesn't have to cost the earth. How can you remove even the toughest stains? How can you make the best use of your microwave and keep meals healthy and tasty? How can you remove mould safely? Sunday Times bestselling author Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle is here to answer all of these questions and more, featuring 101 thoughtful, cheap and time-saving tips and tricks on how to run a budget home - all while protecting the environment. Born in post-war Hull in the 1950s, and formerly a single working mum to two kids, Nancy is no stranger to frugality. Building on her astonishing 12p laundry detergent and wildly popular recipe, 'Pure Magic', The Green Budget Guide includes more of the inspired, sustainable and budget friendly hacks that have made Nancy so loved by readers and followers on social media, as well as tips and tricks from a lifetime spent learning how to run a household efficiently by saving time and money. 'Previous generations were very good at being "budget-friendly" long before "eco-friendly" became an everyday word, so by combining the two we can begin to meet these difficult challenges and actually feel empowered, resilient and resourceful.' Nancy x Published 4th January 2024 - Order Now. -
Step-by-step crafting guide with over 70 projects to make throughout the year. This easy-to-follow crafting guide from the queen of crafting Sara Davies will help you and your family craft throughout the year, with projects for beginner, intermediate and advanced crafters. Packed full of ideas, tips and tricks to help you grow in confidence and creativity, as well as useful lists of tools, must-have items and a glossary explaining the key crafting terms and phrases you'll hear time and again as you craft. This practical book includes photographs and step-by-step instructions to help you make everything need throughout the year, from a Valentine's Day gift in spring to a macrame flower hanger in summer, from Halloween treat bags in autumn to a Christmas wreath in winter and everything in-between. -
Laura de Barra, queen of the home hack, is here to help you shop for, care for and repair your clothes. New or vintage, online or high street - Laura has the tips that will ensure you buy right to begin with and maintain well for longevity. Delving into delights such as fabric composition and manufacturing techniques, as well as how to assess if garments are right for your wants and needs this practical book will teach you all you need to ensure your shopping, storage and laundry habits are enhancing and not hampering the life of your clothing. In a world of fast fashion and dwindling quality, this book will help you contribute positively to an industry impacted by overconsumption. Published 22nd February 2024 - Order Now. ISBN 9780717198788
