It is the Tenth Edition, published in 1953, and has been passed on from my Grandad to my Mum, to me.
In spite of the many online Gardening Guides, and glossy, modern books, this is the source I go to most often.
Up until now I had no inkling who Mr. Middleton was, I just knew he talked sense.
He was, in fact, "the first in a long line of British 'celebrity' gardeners" and you can read more about him here.
The book is jam-packed with information and I am always amazed at just how much they have actually compacted into it.
My most frequent reference is to the 'Gardening Guide for Every Week of the Year' but I also love the small tips printed across the bottom of some pages.
I also like the fact that you will be reading one week and it will say "If you haven't done XYZ, you need to do it now." In other words, I told you to do this 3 weeks ago and if you haven't got round to it, get it done now.
1.Clear land still occupied by crops.
2. Beware of Cabbage Aphid on a Brussels that are still in the ground.
3. Prepare trenches for Peas and Beans.
4. Prepare an outside Seed Bed.
5. Prick out Leeks, Onions and Celery.
6. Pot Tomatoes.
7. Spray Strawberries, Support Raspberries and Prune Gooseberries.
8. Prepare land for Herbaceous Perennials, Annuals and Shrubs.
The book does develop on each of these, explaining in more detail what is to be done and why.
It is not a strict regime, and we are reminded in the opening sections of the book that Mr. Middleton used to say that "gardening needs common sense".
We are also reminded that "It is obvious that the times for doing certain jobs must vary according to the part of the Country you are in."
We also need to bear in mind that this book was published in 1953 and our modern sensibilities may not like the use pesticides.
All I can say is, I have Common Sense.
I would also like to share the snippet printed across the page I have illustrated above:
"Give everything room to grow. See how much you can get out of your garden, not how much you can get into it."
This may seem to go against the grain of publications that encourage people to make the most of what may be a small area.
I don't think it does.
I think it serves as a reminder not to try and grow too much; not to sacrifice quality for quantity.
I don't care if Mr. Middleton was the 'celebrity' gardener of his day, I'm just happy to have this book on my shelf.
If you could keep only one of your Gardening Books, which one would it be?
What a lovely old book - I must admit to a bit of a collecting fetish around old gardening books...
ReplyDeleteI have lots of gardening books I have yet to even start reading, but over the last few years (since starting my veg growing) I do tend to return to 'The Kitchen Gardener' by Sir Alan of Titchmarsh. Aside from being a really nice read, the paper used is wonderfully tactile (I'm an ex-publishing editor, so a bit of a page nerd as well...).
We don't have any Titchmarsh books, but your paper comment intrigues me. I'm tempted to buy one jsut to feel the pages :)
DeleteSteve's Mum rates his fiction work too.
I've been looking out for a Mr. Middleton book in the charity shops but I haven't come across one yet. I think the Joy Larkcom book, Grow Your Own Vegetables, is the one I refer to the most.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea they were so desirable, I thought it was just a good old book of my Grandad's. I won't be parting with mine :)
DeleteGardening definately does need common sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolute treasure of a book. My Grandad has gradually been passing all of his old gardening books on to me and the information in them is absolutely fantastic. I think that modern reads make everything altogether too complicated and would just about put anybody off, but the older books were written by authors with sensible heads who had had a reality check.
Martin :0)
I have quite a lot of old gardening books that I inherited and, as you say, some of the stuff in them is just great. I find them a much better read than modern versions.
DeleteI have so many it would be hard to choose one. I use Joy Larkcom's books a lot.
ReplyDeleteAgree that common sense is an important garden nutrient...and enjoyed reading your thoughts regarding gardening suggestions and advice. Thanks for leaving a comment on my Feb's Scavenger Hunt ~ glad you got a kick out of the teapot formation. If you wish, you can drop back and meet Quigley!
ReplyDeleteThanks Glo. I have been very lax in my Blog visiting lately. When I go to Google Reader and see hundreds of posts it rahter over faces me. Why are the people I follow so prolific? :) You're in my Faves though, so you'll float to the top when I do catch up.
DeleteI have a Geoff Hamilton organic gardening book. That's all I can imagine ever needing. I've been giving my others away. (Though I did buy a wonderful garden pests book last week.)
ReplyDeleteEek! I need a stiff drink if I have to get rid of books :) It's nice though, that you are passing them on... even if you are still buying more!
DeleteOld books can contain so much wonderful information - I'll have to see if I can find Middleton's online somewhere (Ebay?).
ReplyDeleteI find a lot of great gardening information and tips online but my library of gardening books is still indispensable. I have a list of some of my favourites in the Amazon module on my blog's sidebar if you want to have a browse through. But my favourite has got to be John Seymour's 'The New Self-Sufficient Gardener'.
I thought I'd left a comment here, but don't see it! Perhaps if you have word verification on still, I might have missed that step...I think I've done that before. How delightful to have such a meaningful gardening book...like a perennial, passing through generations. You always share such interesting information, and I agree that common sense is one of the most important garden nutrients :) Spring is on its way.
ReplyDeleteYou did :) It's up there ^. I have turned the verification off, I think, but I still get to decide what gets published, so there's a time lapse.
DeleteThank you for your comments, Glo, I enjoy your 'visits'.
I remember these among my mother's, many, gardening books. Much of the information in them, and others, is still worth following today.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more that gardening needs common sense!
If I could only keep one gardening book it would be my favourite The Natural Gardener by Val Bourne. Flighty xx
I shall have to look that one up, Flighty.
DeleteI have one I treasure by Alan Titchmarch. I treasure it, not so much for its content but because my husband's step father bought it for me and I was really fond of him. He loved his garden and when he lived alone he only did his housework if the weather made it impossible to work in his garden.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like my Mum :) The house was never a mess, but the garden always won over housework.
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