When I saw this book had been published 14 years ago, I couldn't believe it. The information is timely, the recipes are wonderful, and Rosalind Creasy's pragmatic style is incredibly friendly and helpful. I love this cooking and gardening book that helps me integrate these 2 passions.

Whether your passion is gardening or cooking, it will be both by the time you're finished with this excellent book. I enjoyed it cover to cover and now would like to own a copy of it to use as a reference manual. From mexican cooking to which flowers can be eaten and how to prepare them, this is an all encompasing book about what to grow and what to do with it when it's grown

This book was obviously written "from the heart" I am sure the author sampled most of the recipes in the book because his descriptions of the results persuade you to get into the kitchen and ''go to work" I was doubtful, in the beginning, about how well he did his research before writing the book. I had an old handed down recepe for Italian Sausage that I wanted to compare in his book. Lo, his recipe matched mine down to the grated orange peel. I trust that his book will make all sausage lovers very happy.

This book covers many topics related to the traditional English cottage garden without alienating the modern gardener. There are a great many color photographs which include overall garden shots and pictures of individual traditional cottage garden favorites, many of which are easily available in the U.S. There are also many color drawings with various cottage garden designs (aerial views) including the traditional cottage garden with primarily vegetables, a garden with fruits and vegetables and flowers, and flowers only and flowers and vines.

The book is well organized and is both charming and useful. If you are very visual you won't be disappointed with the combination of pictures and drawings.

The end of the book contains information on what garden tasks can and should be completed during the four seasons, and how to accomplish them, including a brief section on pruning. There is also a section included in this part of the book which gives traditional recipes and ideas about how to use the bounty from your garden, including dandelion wine, and mead. This book is a good read and there is plenty to return to again and again.

It's not often I review older books but once in a while the quality is such that I break my own rule. (I'm not sure whether that makes me flexible, whimsical or inconsistent. Whatever.) Anne Scott-James writes such lovely smooth prose. It's not at all pretentious; it's easy to read and her words envelop her topic like a comfortable blanket.

She is knowledgeable. She has a lifetime of cottage gardening to draw on and understands the topic right through to her bones. She has also done a generous amount of research into the history of the cottage garden and these together give the book a depth that is seldom found.

So this book, that so easily could be cloyingly sentimental, is actually a historical record of the development of the cottage garden in England. Starting with medieval times the writer shows how a "garden" of a few herbs used for medicinal purposes, together with a few fruit trees grew to become, by Victorian times, a corner of the most idyllic land in all the world. The Victorian cottage garden was unabashedly sentimentalized by poets and artists who would have you believe that the flowers were always blooming and the family was always content. This disguises the truth that a labourers plot of land had to supply vegetables and fruit enough to feed his family, with perhaps a few left over for sale, as well as producing flowers. But the flowers could help the family budget too. As one old man put it "We sold so many bunches of snowdrops in spring that they paid the rates". ("Rates" are local taxes.)

I found this a delightful read and it added a lot to my knowledge of cottage gardening. This book will be appreciated by anyone who is interested in the English cottage style of gardening or in the history of gardens in England.

THIS EXCELLENT BRITISH BOOK LISTS OLD-FASHIONED ANNUALS FROM A TO Z. IT OFFERS THE READER INTERESTING HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON EACH PLANT AND DISCUSSES GROWTH HABITS AND PLANTING SUGGESTIONS. THE BOOK SERVES AS A GREAT PLANTING GUIDE AND A MARVELOUS PICTORIAL REFERENCE. I KNOW OF NO OTHER BOOK OF ITS KIND.

My wife and I are greatly impressed by the historical tidbits offered throughout the book on each plant, such as "Napoleon always gave a bunch of violets to Josephine on their wedding anniversary,and after he died a few dried violet flowers were found in his locket along with a lock of her hair. In folklore the violet is the symbol of fidelity." I have been looking for plants than can extend our growing and flowering season in Denver, Colorado throughout the winter and in a protected area we were able to see our first blooms in mid-January with the help of this book. Also helpful are the listing of latin names and common names for each plant and a listing of "Sources of Plants" in case your local garden center doesn't stock them. This book is fun reading-almost like a novel.

Folk Art, crochet, patchwork, stencil, tin, painting, sewing, stitching. For kids, baby, seasonal, decorations. This little book has it all. There are unusal combinations like small cross-stitched christmas ornaments with a crochet border. Being Bazaar Crafts, most projects are small and finishable. If you sell on fairs and bazaars, this book is for you! Great for gift giving and decorating your own home. 80 pages, hardcover.

This is a wonderful book for someone who's a beginner or a veteran in crafts. The book tells you everything: from how to make the dough to the templates for the beautiful designs to what materials you need. The projects vary in difficulty but the authors give you a host of suggestions as to how to do them, step by step and with clear and precise instructions. The photographs are also very helpful. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys crafts and is tired of books with corny projects!

Picking up this book is like opening a door to the sun shining rainbows of color. It is almost possible to smell the flowers and feel the rustling of the hummingbird wings.

A tremendous book to have on your coffee table. You'll love the mini-vacations you'll have when you open these pages.

Superb pictures and very well written.