Beautiful, highly readable and passionate. Dan's garden and all that he explores really shines through.

What a superb book! As an avid gardener I loved all the evocative descriptions of Dan Pearson’s gardens (his own as well as the gardens he has worked on and in) But it is his ability to describe individual plants that is so exceptional – his love of plants and understanding of what it is that makes a certain plant just right for a certain setting got me reaching for my notebook to make a list of plants to add to my collection.
But it is not just his enthusiasm for gardening that makes this book special. The writing is beautiful! Even if the details on plants did not interest me, I would still have enjoyed this book. I find myself still opening it to choose a random chapter to read.
For me, this was not a book to sit and read in the garden! I found myself stopping to check my rather tattered encyclopedia of plants, or searching the web to find out more about the plants mentioned. For that reason too, I have ordered a paper copy of the book – just so that I can scribble notes in the margin!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.

It's a perfect book for any gardener. If you haven't read Dan's newspaper articles in the Observer you are going to love the book even more. I have been a"fan" since first seeing him on TV but had not read the Observer. The book takes some of that writing month by month. for a year.

I decided to randomly read the months in no order and loved it. I found it full of information and so much detail I was writing lists of things to do and buy.

It is well presented and would make any gardener a wonderful present.

I loved his writing from his farm in Somerset and this book exceeded my expectations. He is so experienced, his personality comes through in the book.. Do read it or buy it for a gardener, or even someone who isn't yet a gardener. I think this could tempt many people to start growing things.

Pearson observes 12 months in the garden, from cold and rainy January to blowsy and soft June, there is always something happening. His keen eye for nature, often the smallest things most of us would not even notice, brings the beauty of the English countryside to life. A beautiful, thoughtful treatise on the wonders of the natural world. Highly recommended

If you are familiar with Dan Pearson's Observer columns, then you will know what to expect from this selection from the past ten years. If you aren't then you are in for a treat. The book takes a selection of his columns, month by month throughout the year, although there is much joy to be derived from just dipping into at random. Pearson's approach is very much in tune with the natural world so these monthly observations, and the design ideas they sometimes inspire, are filled with little details based on close observation. He is prepared to leave things a little untidy around the edges, allow imperfections. What I like is that the book incorporates his early columns when he was living and gardening in Peckham, and the more recent columns following his move to a smallholding in Somerset so we get town and country inter-mixed. The writing is also very personal - we hear of his childhood gardening activities, people from his gardening life Alongside all this is a deep knowledge of plants and planting which is conveyed in an understated way, with masses of valuable horticultural and design advice.

. All in all then a lovely read and the perfect gift for a gardener.

Dan Pearson's love of the land and nature in general provide this book with an abundance of information on growing, loving, and appreciating plants. A journey through the seasons, from winter's seeming bareness to the summer's harvest.