Quantcast

Reviews

There are worms on my balcony, and it’s all Amy Stewart’s fault

by Fern on March 15, 2012

in Book Review,Reviews

Post image for There are worms on my balcony, and it’s all Amy Stewart’s fault

Have you ever heard of the book The Earth Moved by Amy Stewart? If you haven’t for some reason, it is a fascinating dip into the world of Oligochaeta and the oligochaetologists who study them. In other words, the book is all about earthworms and the…unique…people who have dedicated themselves to studying worms. You would think that earthworms would make a pretty boring subject matter for a book, but the book was so popular and got so much praise (from big shots like Anne Raver at the New York Times) that Amy’s publisher decided to re-release it. Hence the review copy I recently received.

Read the full article →

{ 21 comments }

Beginner’s Illustrated Guide to Gardening

by Fern on March 7, 2012

in Book Review,Reviews

Post image for Beginner’s Illustrated Guide to Gardening

This is a great time of year for gardening books. Publishers seem to know that we’re all hungry for spring and help us bide the time with book after book of delicious garden books. Beginners Illustrated Guide to Gardening by Katie Elzer-Peters definitely fits the bill. If you have decided that this is the year you will finally figure out this new fandangled gardening thing, Katie’s book is a great choice to help guide you.

Read the full article →

{ 3 comments }

Beautiful Baby Salad Greens

March 2, 2012
Thumbnail image for Beautiful Baby Salad Greens

Ornamental edibles are all the rage these days. Which is kind of funny, because the edibles haven’t changed at all, it’s just that we’re all noticing how beautiful (i.e. “ornamental) they are. Take mesclun salad mixes, for example. Did you ever take a moment to notice how beautiful baby lettuce leaves are? There are so [...]

12 comments Read the full article →

Get your DIY on with “Concrete Garden Projects”

October 24, 2011
Thumbnail image for Get your DIY on with “Concrete Garden Projects”

While emailing recently with my publisher (Timber Press), I discovered they had just published a new book called Concrete Garden Projects by Malin Nilsson and Camilla Arvidsson. The cover had such cute star-shaped containers planted with spring bulbs that I knew this was a book I wanted to read. Luckily Timber was willing to oblige my [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

Three ways iron planters can improve your small-space container garden

October 16, 2011
Thumbnail image for Three ways iron planters can improve your small-space container garden

I’m embarassed to admit that Outdoor Iron sent me this planter to review quite some time ago. As you can see from the photos, it’s a very cute planter. I used colorful pots and succulents to add a little interest to a small, narrow space in my parents’ side yard. It sits right under my [...]

4 comments Read the full article →

Great Book: Yes, You Can! And Freeze and Dry It, Too by Daniel Gasteiger

August 29, 2011
Thumbnail image for Great Book: Yes, You Can! And Freeze and Dry It, Too by Daniel Gasteiger

If you just want a recipe for refrigerator pickles, then skip this book and Google it. But if you want information about living a more sustainable, self-sufficient, home-grown lifestyle, then Daniel Gasteiger has written your bible: Yes You Can! And Freeze and Dry It, Too. This is the sort of book that makes you feel [...]

6 comments Read the full article →

Guest Post: Rooftop Adventures in the Wilds of London

July 7, 2011
Thumbnail image for Guest Post: Rooftop Adventures in the Wilds of London

Please welcome author Helen Babbs (My Garden, the City and Me) to Life on the Balcony as she gives us a tour of her London rooftop garden and some of the creatures that visit her from time to time. In case you needed any more convincing, Helen’s garden is proof that you can grow almost anything, regardless [...]

6 comments Read the full article →

Mushroom Growing Follow Up

May 23, 2011
Thumbnail image for Mushroom Growing Follow Up

When I first posted about the mushroom kit I was trying out, it didn’t really look like mushrooms. It looked like a box with a brick of…something. But it looks a lot more like mushrooms now!

18 comments Read the full article →

Here’s Something Even Those With NO Outdoor Space Can Grow!

May 10, 2011
Thumbnail image for Here’s Something Even Those With NO Outdoor Space Can Grow!

My kitchen sink has been turned into a mushroom kit soaking pool. It’s kind of a jerry-rigged setup right now, with the blue casserole dish waying down the mushroom pack so that it can soak in enough water. Yep. A company called Back to the Roots found me and sent me one of their mushroom [...]

9 comments Read the full article →

And The Winner of Garden Up! Is…

April 9, 2011

Crystal! I’ll send you an email to find out where I can send your copy of Garden Up! Thanks to everyone who entered. It’s an excellent book, so I hope you’ll get yourself a copy and send me fab pictures of your vertical gardens!

0 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries