The minimalist gardener

This is low maintenance, year round, no dig gardening that provides your kitchen with delicious fresh food, whilst not breaking your back. Written by an acknowledged expert, this friendly guide will help you grow food in whatever space you have - large or small, rural or urban - with minimal bought in inputs, and maximum satisfaction. This collection of Patrick Whitfield's pioneering writings explores the cutting edge of permaculture gardening that is eminently practical and visionary all at the same time. Patrick describes an evolving system that is totally chemical free, requiring little input from outside the garden gate. His minimalist approach uses techniques like no dig, raised beds, perennial vegetables and self-seeding salads as ground cover, plus mulching when appropriate. This minimises work in the garden whilst producing an abundance of food. Patrick describes how to select plants based on what you like to eat and how to combine them in polycultures that confuse pests. He mixes annual hybrids, heritage varieties and perennial vegetables and has a pragmatic approach to selecting seeds and seed saving. There are also tips on selecting fruit varieties, from berries to fruit trees, including how to choose rootstocks and varieties.