One of gardening’s classics gets a revamp
The Salad Garden by Joy Larkcom is one of the gardening world’s classic books – and it’s recently been revamped and revised to make it even more relevant. Tagged as ‘the book of the century’ by horticulturist Michael Michaud, it was first published in 1984 and was hailed as a game-changer by professionals and keen amateur gardeners alike.
The original book was inspired by Joy’s year-long ‘Grand Vegetable Tour’ around Europe with her family and later trials with oriental vegetables. Read more about preserving crops in my book review of Fermented Foods at Every Meal. You may enjoy the Urban Flowers book review.
The Salad Garden – all sorts of veg
The name is a slight misnomer. There are more than 200 vegetables, wild plants, herbs, etc, covered at length in its nearly 300 pages – not just salad ‘leaves’ but everything you could put in a salad. However, a lot has changed since then, particularly with the growing emphasis on organic and environmentally friendly gardening.
The new version takes into account new gardeners who have little space. There’s more emphasis on techniques and varieties suited to patios, window boxes, containers, and small raised beds.
Emphasis on small spaces
Also new in The Salad Garden is a vastly improved selection of plants. Added are newer varieties such as cucamelon, salsola, salad rocket and kale. That’s the tip of the Iceberg lettuce. This is a one-stop shop of knowledge for veg growers, whether beginners or experienced.
A look at the latest developments in growing under glass. Covered are polytunnels, frames, cloches, low tunnels, plus organic methods of pest control. The updated recipes have a more contemporary feel, in line with changes in eating habits. However, the classics, like basic mayonnaise and a host of dressings, remain too. Proof that salad can never be boring.
The Salad Garden – an invaluable aid
Published by Frances Lincoln and retailing at £16.99, this is an invaluable reference book for 21st-century growing for all gardeners. The gardening author and broadcaster Alys Fowler says on the cover quote: “The minute I finished reading this book, I went outside and sowed some lettuce.”
Read more about sowing winter salad crops sowing winter salad crops. Use these veg to make the classic Nelly Yeoman’s pickle – find the recipe for Nelly Yeoman’s pickle.
