By Lucy Chamberlain
Published by Dorling Kindersley, January 2025
Hardback and ebook 223 pages. £20
ISBN 978-0-2416-5649-5
The publishers have kindly sent one copy to give away in a prize draw. Please leave your name in the comments box below to be included in the draw. UK entries only.
One of my favourite writers is Lucy Chamberlain who manages to capture the magic of gardening and makes us want to rush outside and get growing! In her new book published today she tells us exactly how to grow just about anything anywhere. And it’s all written in an easy to understand format, without being either too simple or too complicated. That’s the beauty of Lucy, she’s able to strike just the right note and make it relevant to all gardeners.
Lucy uses her own fruit and vegetable plot as a case study. I’ve watched Lucy create this garden over the past few years and admired just how much produce she manages to pack in there, as well as making it look beautiful with dwarf hedges, espalier apples and raised beds.
Growing plants in the wrong place is one of the main reasons for crop failure. Lucy splits the book into ‘growing zones’ covering all the situations growers are likely to face when starting to garden. Sunny and sheltered, sunny and moist, open and cold, shady and wet, shady and dry, for example.
Several case studies are related, including a garden attached to large detached property, a compact garden, and an allotment. Lucy shows how to map areas of the garden to work out what will grow successfully in each position.
In each area, top performing plants are suggested. I grow hazelnuts in dry shade, and each year I harvest a bumper crop of tasty nuts for making cakes and biscuits. They really are far more delicious than anything you can buy in the shops.
I’ve known Lucy for about 20 years and have always admired her get-up-and-go. Her enthusiasm for growing fruit and vegetables translates so well in her writing for newspapers, magazines and books. I also love the podcast ‘Talking Heads’ which she hosts with Saul Walker. Real gardeners, talking about real gardening. It’s a joy to listen to them, to be honest.
I have no hesitation in recommending Lucy’s latest book. The ‘right crop, right place’ principal is beautifully explained. Lucy breaks down the environments found in gardens into seven zones, even incorporating indoor spaces. The book is packed with expert guidance on maximising your growing through making the best of what you have. Grow Food Anywhere will soon get you harvesting fresh, healthy pesticide-free fruit, veg and herbs. What a great way to start 2025!
Please leave your name below and one winner will be randomly selected on Sunday 6pm. Editor’s decision is final and there’s no cash alternative.
Thank you for reading my blog and Happy New Year everyone!
Bramble Garden 
Hi Karen, I’ve been inspired by your review of Lucy’s book. I don’t spend much time on social media lately (maybe I should!) but found this on Insta today, read your review and added it to my book wishlist – after many years of growing food and edibles I still have so much to learn and I know Lucy has a great track record for this.
Congratulations to John for winning the prize draw; if it’s not claimed, and you re-draw, please include me – although I assume the book will be claimed! 🙂
Caro from Urban Veg Patch
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Karen, I don’t spend much time on social media lately but found this on Insta, read your review and added it to my book wishlist – after many years of growing food and edibles I still have so much to learn!
Congratulations to John for winning the prize draw; if it’s not claimed, I would love to be in the re-draw!
Caro
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Caro! Lovely to hear from you. I’m in awe of your London garden. Do you still write about it. You should try substack which sometimes leads to a book offer. Glad you liked my review. Best book of the year I think. Will be a winner for Lucy. All the best. Karen x
LikeLike
Aww, thank you for the kind comment about my garden; my writing tailed off after I lost both my parents and in the last couple of years I’ve concentrated on building a small gardening business – something that’s taken up much of my time but doing well now. I’m planning to start writing again on the blog and have been looking at both Substack and Scribehound. Hope to see you at various events this year, Caro x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve seen her garden before in pictures and it looks amazing! Certainly something to aspire to!!
Wanda E Sussex
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Wanda. It really is a beautiful garden. Lucy has put her heart and soul into creating it. Thanks for reading my blog and leaving a comment. All the best. Karen.
LikeLike
Thanks for a great review Karen. Lucy’s book seems to contain all sorts of interesting snippets that I am already googling in follow up from your post … like gaultheria producing edible berries and agretti liking sunny, windy spots (I’ve failed at least twice with this crop, so need pointers!). Best wishes for 2025!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Yes, I’m going to try some of the more unusual plants suggested by Lucy. Thanks for reading my blog. Happy New Year in return! All the best for 2025. Karen
LikeLike
Looks fabulous – great to peruse during a slow winter morning when the weather is too cold to get outside, and the ideal guide to setting up a veg plot (which I’ll admit I need – I’m good on ornamentals, but yet to get properly started with edibles).
LikeLiked by 1 person
You would really love this book! It’s so easy to follow and makes perfect sense. I can’t think why I always buy plants and then try to shoehorn them into unsuitable spaces in a haphazard way! 2025 is going to be more methodical! Happy New Year. Best wishes, Karen
LikeLike
Karen is an incredible, beautiful book to put into practice all of Lucy Chamberlain’s wise knowledge and advice. I love it. Karen, I hope you have an excellent New Year in which you and your family look forward with much hope, strength and love, leaving behind the problems of the past. I wish you the best for 2025. Hugs. Warmest regards from Margarita xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Margarita! I have great hopes for 2025. Putting the past behind me and forging ahead. Hoping for the best of health for you and your mother too. Strength, hope and love in return to you and yours. Happy New Year. Lots of love. Karen xxx
LikeLike
Looks like a comprehensive book, last summer I tried growing cauliflowers in pots with mixed results, I enjoy reading your blogs.
Happy New Year !
Kind Regards
John Tilton
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you John. I grew cauliflowers in some Elho raised beds in the poly tunnel. I used Plant Grow fertiliser and got some small but pest-free plants. I’m afraid everything eats them if I grow them outdoors. Thank you for your kind comments. I’m just starting to pick up the writing again after a challenging year of family caring duties and illness. Happy New Year I’m return! I hope you have a successful growing season. All the best. Karen Don’t forget to look back on Sunday for the winner.
LikeLike
Hello John. Please e mail me your address. You’ve won the prize draw book. Thank you for reading my blog and Happy New Year. Karen k.gimson@btinternet.com
LikeLike
Hello John, I’ll leave it until tomorrow for you to reply and then if no response, I’ll redraw the prize. Hoping you see this in time. All the best. Karen
LikeLike
this looks a fab book a great spring read to help anyone tweak their growing space me included.
what a lovely prize.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Yes, it’s a beautiful book. Very well photographed and illustrated. And Lucy’s writing is so inspirational. I’m raring to go now! Best wishes. Karen. Please look out on Sunday for the winner’s name.
LikeLike
How generous you are Karen,
It actually looks to be a very exciting book for me personally. I have areas and places I could do better with and no doubt areas I haven’t considered.
I need to look out for Lucy Chamberlain and Talking Heads. I always learn a lot from you.
Wishing you and yours the very best wishes for the new year.
Cheers,
Suella
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s made me look at my garden with fresh eyes, Suella. I’ve always decided what I want to grow, then tried to shoehorn them in to any spare space. Understandably, some have been failures or died completely. This book has made me more analytical of my plot and it will make a difference going forward. I’m also going to try a lot of unusual crops that Lucy mentions in the book, and also microgreens on the kitchen windowsill over winter. Lucy gives you confidence to try new things. And she certainly has the experience to back up ideas. Thanks for reading. Happy New Year!
LikeLike
Lovely review Karen. Happy New Year! Hope 2025 treats you and your garden well! 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Cathy. Hope 2025 is wonderful for us all. The last year was challenging in all areas, to be honest. I feel like I’ve just about survived it all. But I’m looking forward with lots of enthusiasm and hope. Happy New Year to you and your family. Xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
this looks an amazing book for someone (me!) who is trying and often failing to grow vegetables in a part of the country challenging weather conditions. Gail
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Gail. Lucy has plenty of experience with challenging conditions. She has a long history involved in gardening and she gives us confidence to try new things. Thank you for reading my blog. Happy New Year!
LikeLike
what a good review, it looks a very interesting book
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much. Glad you enjoyed the review. I feel Lucy’s book has come at just the right moment! We are all planning what to grow in 2025 and her book will help us have more success. Happy New Year!
LikeLike
Thank you for your review, this sounds like a brilliant book and definitely one to look out for in the library. I had a wonderfully productive allotment for 18 years and seven years ago I moved and now have a large one acre garden which I struggle with nowadays although I still love growing veg and fruit and my half acre natural perennial wildflower meadow is my proudest achievement. Who knew that I succeed with red and white currants and red gooseberries because they grow in the leafy shade at the very bottom of the kitchen garden and that I can pick chard all year round (from two direct sowings in March and August) on my extremely sandy soil. I planted asparagus crowns in April 2019 and they produce a fantastic crop. I compost absolutely everything and last September sowed a green manure over a 5 x 5 metre area in an effort to improve the structure and soil for greedy crops, but maybe I should just concentrate on carrots and parsnips. I am on a hill and the wind can be very damaging too although I succeed with sweetcorn. There is no doubt that growing veg is a challenge!
Sarah in Sussex
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sarah. Your plot sounds wonderful. I too grow fruit in the shade. I find raspberries stay nice and plump, where as those in full sun dry out and are not as juicy. I’m on a windswept hill. In fact,when we moved in, we looked on an ordinance survey map, and our plot is called ‘Windy Hill.’ It certainly is very challenging and each year I think I’ll loose the poly tunnel and greenhouse in the storms. Thanks for reading the blog. Keep in touch in 2025. All the best. Karen
LikeLike
Looks like an interesting book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Margaret. Thanks for reading my blog. I hope your gardening in 2025 is happy and successful. Best wishes, Karen
LikeLike
this looks like an amazing book! Would love to win a copy! Mary Pritchard
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for reading my blog Mary. What a great book to start the 2025 growing season. Literally everything you need to know about growing food. Happy New Year. Karen
LikeLike
Great review looks a really interesting and helpful book 🥀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙏
LikeLike
pixieinigel@gmail.om
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for reading my blog. Best wishes and Happy New year Nigel. Karen x
LikeLike
Thank you and happy New Year Karen. x
LikeLiked by 1 person