An Orchard Odyssey - reviews and media

Reviews and Praise

Listed by The Guardian among The Best Gardening Books of 2016, "Fruit trees offer the least work for the greatest return...Let this book be your starting point."
Jane Perrone, The Guardian, December 2016. Read more here.

"Inspiring"
Constance Craig-Smith, Daily Mail, December 2016

"A horticultural fairytale, it also provides a roadmap to getting started – even in the tiny modern garden."

James Wong, ethnobotanist, TV presenter, garden designer and writer

" The sumptuous nostalgic images in the book inspire the gardener to incorporate fruit wherever possible either as part of a mixed planting, hedge or orchard setting. More so, the book encourages the reader to delight in the harvest whether owned or foraged."
Sarah Morgan, The Garden Design Journal, Autumn 2016

“For over 30 years I have grown ornamentals with never a thought for planting fruit trees, until now. Naomi combines a dream of yore with a challenge for the future. Count me in.”

Roy Lancaster, broadcaster, plantsman, gardener and author

"An ambitious book...Her zeal comes across on every page and the inclusion of numerous case-studies make this a fun and engaging read throughout."
The English Garden, October 2016

"Naomi Slade offers fresh thoughts on growing fruit in the smaller gardens of many modern grow your own gardeners... It is, as the title suggests, an endless journey with helpful nuggets of information and anecdotes that mark the way."
Barbara Segall, 'Herbs' - The Journal of the Herb Society, Spring 2017

"Naomi Slade's new book is worthy of a place on everyone's coffee table or bookshelf, providing readers with the tools 'for the job'"
Malcolm Withnall, The Horticulturist, Winter 2017

"This delightful book takes us on a sensual stroll through the orchard landscape, conveying both the romance and the practicalities of growing fruit trees."

Ben Pike, author of The Fruit Tree Handbook

"A brilliant resource book for fruit lovers and growers, no matter how novice or experienced or how constrained or lavish the planting opportunities."
The Optimistic Gardener blog, December 2016. Read more here.

"A sumptuous mix of history, interesting anecdotes, and a practical guide to having your own orchard. The official definition is a mere 5 trees, so with a careful choice of rootstock even the smallest of gardens can have one!"
West Green House website, December 2016. Read more here.

Articles

How green are my valley apples

Jane Powers, Sunday Times, 6th November 2016

Comments

The Essential Apocalypse Skillset

Let me tell you a story. Several years ago, I was painting the bathroom of a house in Bristol. The window was open and it was a pleasant sort of day and people were wandering past. Around about four o’clock I heard a couple of sets of feet come down the hill and then stop. “Look, cherries!” said one voice (female, mid to late teens). “No, I don’t think they are. They can’t be.” Said the other, doubtfully (ditto). “Well, they look like cherries. Let’s try them!” “No, they are probably berries. Completely different. Some of them are not red, they are blackish. They are probably poisonous.” “Oh. Yes, I suppose so.” (disappointed) The feet moved on. I looked out of the bathroom window at the large and heavily laden cherry tree leaning over the wall of the garden opposite and wondered what the world was coming to. Red Sky in the Morning, Shepherds Warning ((c) N Slade) I am actually still wondering. When my grandfather was a child, he and his brothers (and a dog) ...

On The Road

Galanthus 'Fly Fishing' at Bellefield House . My latest snowdrop crush. Back in the dim and distant mists of time, when dinosaurs roamed the land and pterodactyls were frequent bird table visitors, I spent an enjoyable few years managing rock bands. There were headline gigs, support gigs. Mainstream venues and pubs. In some places the PA was state of the art, in others you thanked your stars for the decent size amp in the back of the van. Some nights the crowd was ecstatic. Others, the bar man, his dog and a couple of regulars would sit there, nodding and comparing the band to musicians that had died before the lead singer was born. Occasionally people listened to the first thirty seconds, got bored and went off to get drunk and find someone to sleep with. So it goes. I have just finished a modestly epic tour of the land, promoting The Plant Lover’s Guide to Snowdrops . And, as I pull myself vertical, brush off the debris and straighten out again, there are som...

A Different View

Sharp angles and offset rhomboids: Heligan in Winter I woke up this morning convinced that it was late. The light was grey behind the curtains and the room was silent. Reluctantly, I looked at my phone and discovered that it was in fact early. It has been a busy few weeks, but walking up the road, the magnolia buds are suddenly swelling in furry promise, and lilacs pertly tipped with green; Crocus tommasinianus have appeared where there were none. Acer griseum and white-barked birches stand bold, in full knowledge that their spare charms will soon be overwhelmed with spring. Time has passed while I was not looking. So as the season creeps forward - and faster it does, when ignored - I am looking back, with a kind of regret. The thing is, that although gardens are considered 'off peak' in winter, there is often no better time to see them. This is the point where they show their true colours and strengths. As a visitor, you can read their geometry and detail without ...

Electric Green

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