Barbara Segall

Basically a collection of Victorian to Edwardian images, mostly Christmas cards and vintage advertisements, with brief text on the basic elements of Christmas but mainly focusing on holly and ivy, per the title. Small and less than 80 ages, it might be cute as a bedside amusement in a guest room over the holidays. The nostalgia flash is pleasant enough if you’re English or Anglo-American, but be aware there’s not much mention of other countries. Cute, but forgettable.

The Secret Gardens of the South East by Barbara Segall is an enchanting look at twenty gardens in the counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey, highlighting the diversity as well as the similarities.

I have read one other book in the Secret Gardens series (of Somerset by Abigail Willis) and both books offer such a wide range of information. The photography in this volume is wonderful and we learn about the locations as well as the people. Along the way we learn about what goes into deciding what show more to plant, which often serves as tips for the reader.

I don't remember where I first learned about the ways in which wild or natural gardens have come into a certain popularity, but the gardens (or parts of some) that fit this description appeal quite a bit to me. While the manicured gardens are certainly beautiful, their beauty, visually, is fairly simple. For those with more horticultural knowledge the beauty is likely far deeper. But the natural gardens, while initially a little less eye-catching, take on a beauty of their own. We have to more actively engage with the plant life and the contours of the land, but once you find your bearings, they are very beautiful.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in gardens for their beauty or those interested in the horticulture behind a well-kept garden.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

Excellent book for those of us with small gardens who still want to try to grow our own food. examines how to grow in small spaces, on rooftops and balconies, in containers and on patios.

Divided into six main chapters:

Getting started - soil, sowing & growing, pests & diseases
Garden layouts - traditional, raised beds, decorative planting, paths & walkways
Growing in containers - aesthetics, considerations, solutions
Growing veg - cultivation & harvesting grouped by family (e.g. leafy veg, show more fruiting veg etc)
Fruit - choosing varieties and cultivation
Garden plans - presents 5 possible garden designs with planting plans.

illustrated throughout with lovely photos though the text can look a bit dense and heavy - not a lot of white space used on the pages! show less

Beautiful photos throughout the whole book. I'm big on good illustrations and photos in books like these.:)