Page 12 - ALG Issue 2 2022

book reviews
Garden Apothecary: Transform Flowers, Weeds and Plants into Healing Remedies
Becky Cole (Author) Paperback (31 March 2022) ISBN: 9781784884376
The Garden Apothecary
shows us how to harvest
and use commonly found
plants, weeds and herbs
to create our own healing
home apothecaries. With
tasty recipes, wild skincare,
in-depth plant spotlights
and a back-to-roots ethos,
The Garden Apothecary will
encourage the reader to
become more connected to the natural world through learning the art of herbalism from plants growing in our gardens. Focusing on 20 herbs and plants, learn how to identify, grow and pick them from your garden or forage them, as well as discovering their medicinal properties.
Each plant and herb spotlight includes at least two recipes to create a tincture, oil, infusion, skin balms or other beauty bits. The Garden Apothecary is a safe and mindful approach to the often overwhelming world of foraging and herbalism.
The
Seasonal
Baker:
Baking All
Year Round
Michelle Evans-Fecci (Author) Hardback (19 May 2022) ISBN: 9781472146625
Former Great British Bake Off
contestant MICHELLE EVANS-FECCI was known on the show for her flavoursome, colourful bakes and for championing seasonal, locally sourced and homegrown produce. Whether it’s a simple loaf for breakfast or a striking cake, she loves using seasonal food to create tasty recipes for the whole family to enjoy.
In THE SEASONAL BAKER, Michelle brings her favourite recipes straight from her kitchen to yours; from quick-and-easy bakes to stunning showstoppers perfect for special events such as Easter, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Halloween and Christmas.
These inspiring, versatile creations will keep you baking through the year with the best produce each season has to offer.
snippets
Mulching your plot
Even if you do not follow no-dig principles, mulching your plot in spring with a layer
of organic material is still good practice. From mid-spring onwards, the soil should be warm and wet enough to cover with a 2-to-3-inch layer that will help to suppress weeds, improve soil texture, retain moisture in the summer and release nutrients into the soil. Compost companies offer a vast choice of ready-made products containing bark, seaweed, bracken etc. or alternatively you can use your own allotment compost or materials such as leaf mould, spent mushroom compost, bark or grass clippings. Remember not to pile the mulch up against plant stems as this may cause them to rot and never mulch on cold or dry soil. A layer of black plastic or landscaping fabric over the soil in early spring can help your soil warm up for those early seed sowings.
Looking for creative
plotholders to share
their allotment art!
Perhaps you...
• Have an artistic flair when it comes to decorating your
shed
• Reuse everyday items to decorate your plot
• Create art using the resources your allotment provides
• Use your plot or garden for inspiration
• Or, maybe your plot doubles as your art studio
YOU are a creative plotholder, and we want to hear from you!
Please tell us a bit about your allotment or garden creativity – and send over a few images for your fellow plotholders to see. You don’t have to write much! 200 – 500 words plus 3-4 large jpg images is perfect.
Email to jodie@crestpublications.com
RESPONSIBLE SOURCING SCHEME
A new Responsible Sourcing of Growing Media Scheme has been launched so that customers can make more informed choices about the eco-friendliness of the compost they buy. The peat-free E-learning QR code and on-pack labelling will go live at garden centres this month. The e-learning will help garden retailers provide the best advice on peat-free products, while the on-pack Responsible Sourcing Scheme will enable consumers to quickly and easily check the rating of growing media products.
12 Allotment and Leisure Gardener