Books & Literature

Book Review: Complete Book of Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit in Australia

A hardcover reference of more than 700 pages for gardeners, cooks, crafts persons & those who understand the benefits of natural remedies in today’s busy world.

The authors of this book, Matthew Biggs, Jekka McVicar and Bob Flowerdew have done an amazing job, producing a reference for gardeners, cooks, crafts persons and those who understand the benefits of natural remedies in today’s busy world.

In this volume you find not only growing instructions but uses for and recipes to cook for over 100 different herbs and fruits as well as more than 70 vegetables set out in a format this is easy to read and navigate, accompanied by beautiful photographic illustrations.

complete-book-of-vegetables200Plants are divided into sections for Vegetables (A-Z), Herbs (A-Z), and individual chapters on Fruits covering Orchard Fruits, Soft, Bush and Cane Fruits, Tender Fruits, Tropical and Sub-Tropical Fruits, Shrub and Flower Garden Fruits and Nuts. Plants have information provided under the following headings: Varieties, Cultivation, Container Growing, Companion Planting (where applicable), Pests and Diseases, Medicinal, Culinary and Warning. The culinary sections may have several recipes which show the diversity of flavours a plant can have.

The Practical Gardening Section is just that, giving advice on when, what and how to plan and plant. It even includes information on which plants to use in natural dyes.

I am pleased to recommend this book. It is a hardcover, total reference tool for any household that has a garden. It would make a fabulous gift for anyone with an interest in cooking, plants or gardening. It is Australian-based, using the names we know and a calendar that matches our seasons. The thoroughness of each entry provides all the information one could be looking for at a glance.

The recommended retail price is a bargain!

Reviewed by Leanne Caune

Rating out of 10:  9.5

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Released Date: September 2016
RRP: $49.99 hardcover

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