In his book, The 30-Minute Gardener, author Greg Loades shows readers how 30 minutes a day can be used to produce and maintain a garden. With a focus on enjoying and connecting with a garden, Loades shares his thoughts and experience as he developed a “30-minutes-a day-in-the-garden-habit’. He considers his approach to gardening as a new way of life and gives directions for a large variety of activities, from simple daily maintenance tasks to complex building projects.
The opening sections of the book work on “attitude adjustment” and new ways to look at gardening in the quest for developing a gardening habit. Loades shares his personal journey and offers down to earth advice like “just take it step by step” when facing the challenge of clearing an overgrown garden. Especially enchanting is the suggestion of choosing just one kind of weed to remove for the day when feeling overwhelmed. He emphasizes the importance of developing an enriching routine and finding a comfortable place in the garden where you can reflect and recharge.
Loades eases into the nits and grits of gardening by describing various tasks and then pointing out how a sense of well-being develops. He suggests a garden diary to record the beauty of seeing results and notes that doing so will inspire dreams and plans. He shows that cracks can be planted to advantage, painting a wall can emphasize a color scheme, and that a potted blueberry bush can bring pleasure when it bursts into color in autumn. To Loades, a half finished garden path is a gradually unfolding process that mirrors the growth of the plants around it. He gives directions for building raised beds but reminds readers that “Nature will help you if you miss a day.”
With the same approach, Loades considers the opportunities of each season. He points out the beautiful features of each and gives suggestions for appropriate activities. We learn about time-saving ways to prepare flowerbeds, how to plant container gardens, and tips for effective watering. Do you want to have a colorful floral display in the fall? encourage wildlife? or create the perfect patio? Loades can help you with recommendations he gleaned from creating his own garden.
The 30-Minute Gardener is not your usual gardening book. While it covers gardening basics its unique feature is its approach to gardening; developing a gardening habit and appreciating the connection with Nature that evolves as you work. The book is written in a conversational style and includes many personal anecdotes from the author’s own experience which makes the possibility of a fabulous garden very real. One note of caution; Loades is British and gardens in England so some of his information may not be applicable to gardening in the US. His good common sense and approach to gardening, however, are always appropriate and helpful.
To buy The 30-Minute Gardener from Amazon click here.