THE 1-MINUTE GARDENER

By Fabian Capomolla & Mat Pember

RRP $49.99, large-format paperback.

Published by Macmillan

Reviewed by Dawn Forbes

This is the third book by these Melbourne-based enthusiastic and amusing gardeners.  All three are designed to help people grow their own food regardless of how much or how little space is available but this one is specifically for growing in small spaces.

Long-time gardeners will enjoy being reminded of how easy it is to create a good productive garden and perhaps learn a few new tips along the way. 

New gardeners will find the step-by-step photographic illustrations and guides helpful but may find it a challenge to absorb it all in the one-minute allocated for each skill.  The book will be a constant companion for the first year at least.

Some of the best advice is listed in the “Top 5” sections which include  easy growers, shade-lovers, climbers, small-space plants, money-savers, edible flowers, tomato varieties (they love the tomato season) and fast growers and others.

Gardeners with limited space are encouraged to plant vertically against a wall or in raised beds and there are good, easy-to- follow illustrations to set these up.  The raised bed has the advantage of being able to be placed on any surface and because they do not require digging are much easier on your back and knees.

   

It is a different style of gardening book, fun to delve into and easy to follow but I did find the extensive use of white text against coloured backgrounds sometimes difficult to read, especially when used for the smaller type of the instruction captions.

Footnote:
Dawn Forbes is a limited-space gardener and occasional reviewer on this blog of gardening and craft titles.