Is the garden a consumption site where identities are constructed? Do gardeners make aesthetic choices according to how they are positioned by class and gender? This book presents the first scholarly analysis of the relationship between media interest in gardening and cultural identities. With an examination of aesthetic dispositions as a symbolic mode of communication closely aligned to peoples' identities and drawing on ethnographic data gathered from encounters with gardeners, this book maps a typology of gardening taste, revealing that gardening - how plants are chosen, planted and cared for - is a classed and gendered practice manifested in specific types of visual aesthetics. This timely and original book develops a new area within cultural studies while contributing to debates about lifestyle and lifestyle media, consumption, class and methodology. A must read for anybody concerned with or intrigued by the cultural construction of identification practices.

Think of this book as your herb-seasoning master class, filled with simple secrets for capturing the power of flavor from your herb garden. Herbs are easy to grow anywhere, indoors or out, but do you know which ones do what in your foods and beverages...or how flavors play off of each other? This book shows you how to become an herbal tastemaster, whether you're a home cook or a gourmet foodie. It all starts in the garden with fresh-picked herbs. Let dedicated herb lover Sue Goetz guide you into the delicious world of 20 essential, flavor-rich herbs and the pleasures they offer. With over 100 kitchen-tested herb recipes and full-color photographs throughout, you'll discover how to: grow and harvest the best flavor cultivars for culinary use preserve and package complement herbal flavors with spices, edible flowers, garlic, citrus, and other botanicals prepare easy recipes for mixes, salts, rubs, pestos, oils, vinegars, butters, sugars, dressings, teas, herb-infused beverages...and much more!

From the "Galloping Gourmet" of the garden world comes a guide to perennials to fit every gardener's needs. 300 color photos. 7 color garden layouts.

The Study of Plants in a Whole New Light “Matt Candeias succeeds in evoking the wonder of plants with wit and wisdom.” ―James T. Costa, PhD, executive director, Highlands Biological Station and author of Darwin's Backyard #1 New Release in Nature & Ecology, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Trees, Biological Sciences, and Nature Writing & Essays In his debut book, internationally-recognized blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias celebrates the nature of plants and the extraordinary world of plant organisms. A botanist’s defense. Since his early days of plant restoration, this amateur plant scientist has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection. Using gardening, houseplants, and examples of plants around you, In Defense of Plants changes your relationship with the world from the comfort of your windowsill. The ruthless, horny, and wonderful nature of plants. Understand how plants evolve and live on Earth with a never-before-seen look into their daily drama. Inside, Candeias explores the incredible ways plants live, fight, have sex, and conquer new territory. Whether a blossoming botanist or a professional plant scientist, In Defense of Plants is for anyone who sees plants as more than just static backdrops to more charismatic life forms. In this easily accessible introduction to the incredible world of plants, you’ll find: • Fantastic botanical histories and plant symbolism • Passionate stories of flora diversity and scientific names of plant organisms • Personal tales of plantsman discovery through the study of plants If you enjoyed books like The Botany of Desire, What a Plant Knows, or The Soul of an Octopus, then you’ll love In Defense of Plants.

How to be a Gardener Book One, available at long last in paperback, is the fastest-selling gardening book of all time with sales in excess of 600,000 copies. In How to be a Gardener Book One, Alan Titchmarsh draws on his knowledge and passion for gardening, and his many years of experience, to give you a comprehensive guide that explores every aspect of your garden and how it works. In this, the first of two volumes, Alan starts with the basics that every gardener needs to know. He includes information on how plants work and what they need to survive, as well as advice on where to begin if youre a first-time gardener. Released to coincide with How to be a Gardener Revisited, a reversioned series of HTBAG 1 & 2 featuring new footage with Alan Titchmarsh in January 2005. In setting out the basic gardening principles and explaining the hows and whys, Alan gives the novice confidence and increases the skills and understanding of more experienced gardeners, too.

Helps prospective foragers identify 72 edible plants and then provides more than 80 recipes for utilizing them, including Cardamine Cress With Fennel and Orange Vinaigrette; Braised Beef With Onions and Dandelion; Violets, Strawberries, and Créme Fraiche; and more.

Savor your best tomato harvest ever! Craig LeHoullier provides everything a tomato enthusiast needs to know about growing more than 200 varieties of tomatoes, from planting to cultivating and collecting seeds at the end of the season. He also offers a comprehensive guide to various pests and tomato diseases, explaining how best to avoid them. With beautiful photographs and intriguing tomato profiles throughout, Epic Tomatoes celebrates one of the most versatile and delicious crops in your garden.