RHS The Winter Garden: Celebrating the Forgotten Season

by Naomi Slade

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 7, 2023

About the author

Naomi Slade is the author of Dahlias (Pavilion in the UK, Gibbs SMith in the US, 2018), An Orchard Odyssey (Green Books, 2016) and The Plant Lover’s Guide to Snowdrops (Timber Press 2014).

A lifelong natural historian, graduate biologist, former rock band manager and serial entrepreneur, she has won awards for designing both carnival floats and show gardens.

Her award-winning writing has featured in a wide range of newspapers and magazines including The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Financial Times, House and Garden, The Garden, The English Garden and Saga Magazine. She has covered gardens in France as well as the UK and contributed editorial on both sides of the Atlantic.

Interests include plants, people, botany, environment and design; science, social history and architecture. A good day off would involve swimming, skiing, climbing mountains, exploring new horizons or reading a really good book (someone else’s).

Reviews

[Jess Goddard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is worth it for the pictures alone but the text will make you reflect on and fall in love with the underdog plants that shine through winter.

[Vanya Prodanova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Снимките в книгата са за десет звездички. Ако цялата книги беше в снимки на градини по време на зимата със съвсем малко текст, не пет звезди, ами не знам колко трябваше да ѝ дам. Нямаше грозна снимка, но книгата е за напреднали в градинарството. Ако човек нищо не разбира от градини, да почнеш да мислиш за градината си през зимата е доста далечна мисъл и много трудна за осъществяване, тъй като ти още базовите неща не знаеш и ако объркаш нещо, което е толкова постоянно като елементите, които държат градината през зимата, няма да ти е лесно после да поправиш грешките си.

Текстът си признавам, че почти не си го спомням, а тъкмо завърших книгата. Много поетичен беше, няма спор. На моменти пък беше пълен с латинските имена на различни растения, храсти и дървета, което е чудесно за всеки, който би използвал за вдъхновение написаното. Като цяло обаче, макар разпределението на главите да звучеше също логично и всяка една тема наистина да има значение за създаването на красива зимна градина, то повечето го чувствах като пълнеж.

Абе, книжката трябваше да бъде арт албум със снимки на зимни градина плюс малко текст да ти даде идеи и толкоз. :)

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly beautiful book. Lots of inspiration to keep in mind. Will be in Winter Gardening section of my Library.

Favorite Quotes
"Winter time gardening is among the dark arts. It is a place that exists on the edge of comprehension: a mysterious and gloomy realm of empty space and quiet enchantments; a slow gray season of waiting until life and plants return."


"Hopes and dreams sold by the 6 pack or seductive, and it is easy to get over excited by the color and the freshness."

[Andreia Pereira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures glorifying the winter garden. It has suggestions on how to make the most of the garden in the winter with some suggestions of plants. The only down side for me is that it focuses mostly on RHS gardens that are massive, making it a little challenging to adapt to a conventional small home garden…

[Jack Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderfully poetic book explores the possibilities and beauty of what can be created in the winter garden. It makes for an inspiring structure for an all year round garden, although it will especially provide a lift to the soul and senses during the slow, dormant winter season. A must have as a part of any flourishing garden library.

[Rev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was hoping for more on gardening for food in winter... it does have a chapter in this book but I was hoping for something more than what was provided. The pictures are really pretty, though, and there's a bunch of other information for other types of plants that would do well in a winter garden.

[Mrs Reddy Mallender-Katzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS 📚