Vegetable gardening is big again. Here's a book that takes readers by the hand and shows them how to go from backyard bombsite to organic Garden of Eden in one year. Author Xanthe White, New Zealand landscape-design star, documents a year in the garden she built from scratch in a rundown inner-city backyard, inspiring readers to realise that they can do it too. With a chapter for each month of the year, Xanthe's monthly diary inspires and confides, and her guides to sowing, planting, pests and diseases, making compost, mulching and more make it so easy for beginners to follow-and get fabulous results and great crops. There's plenty for experienced gardeners here, too. Xanthe's tips, techniques and infectious enthusiasm will get even the most seasoned gardeners wanting to try some new ideas. Most of all, she demystifies organics and makes it so easy to agree that this is the only way you should garden. Studded with great informational photographs, this book carves out new and unique territory that sets it apart from other gardening books. It is an inspirational and practical guide.

Author Biography

Xanthe White is a well-known Auckland landscape designer who has had many major commissions during her career to date. She is the mother of two young children, who feature in some of the photos throughout the book.Xanthe White is one of New Zealand's most highly regarded landscape designers. Her many awards include a Silver Gilt award at the Chelsea Flower Show, and gold and silver medals and People's Choice awards at the at the Ellerslie Flower Show. Her work ranges from private commissions to major urban projects. She appears frequently on radio and television. Xanthe runs her company Xanthe White Design from Auckland, where she lives with her husband and two young children.