Books of the Month: December 2012

Gardening at Longmeadow by Monty Don
Monty Don made a triumphant return to television as presenter of Gardeners' World. A firm favourite with viewers, Monty's infectious enthusiasm for plants,attention to the finer details of gardening technique and easy charm have mad him a family name. Here Monty invites the reader into the garden at Longmeadow, to show how he created this beautiful garden.

Making a House Your Home by Clare Nolan
Using her 15 years of experience as an interiors writer and stylist, Clare Nolan shows how to achieve a beautiful, balanced, individual space. Lavishly illustrated with over 300 photographs, and with expert tips on how to avoid needless stress and expense, it includes simple projects to work on, and gives step-by-step guides from buying key, last-a-lifetime items, to finishing touches; the flowers, fripperies, photos and fragrance that make a house a home.

James Wong's Homegrown Revolution by James Wong
James's idea is simple and revolutionary. For 100 years, gardening books have said the same old thing about growing the same old fruit and vegetables. But in the wider world, as well as closer to home, there is a huge variety of delicious and often simple-to-grow incredible edibles suitable for temperate climates. Often common plants grown for flowers, like fuchsia, have delicious fruits or hips but we have long forgotten their use as edible plants.

Kirstie's Vintage Home by Kirstie Allsopp
Transform your home from shabby to chic, with the help of Kirstie Allsopp. Looking to the past for inspiration and embracing vintage style to create something unique and beautiful, Kirstie continues her love affair with everything handmade. Re-using, restoring and upcycling, Kirstie shows how to transform vintage fabrics, furniture and other everyday things into modern day treasures using a range of crafting skills and techniques.

Let's Eat: Recipes from My Kitchen Notebook by Tom Parker Bowles
Tireless in pursuit of a good dinner, Tom Parker Bowles has eaten some of the best food in the world - and then recreated his favourite dishes in his own kitchen. Some of the 140 recipes in this book are inspired by food cooked for him by friends and family, some by more formal dinners, some by his travels. Let's Eat is an irresistible hotchpotch of delicious recipes; a trusty cookbook and a very good read.

Celebrate by Pippa Middleton
Celebrate by Pippa Middleton is a fully illustrated and beautifully designed book packed with recipes, crafts and inspirational ideas. Beginning with autumn and ending with summer, Celebrate is a one-stop guide to entertaining throughout the British year. Pippa Middleton provides easy and affordable ideas for a successful celebration and offers charming and little-known facts and historical anecdotes for each occasion.

Love Your Garden by Alan Titchmarsh
Much-loved broadcaster and bestselling author Alan Titchmarsh has returned to his gardening roots as presenter of ITV1's Love Your Garden. Here he goes through the practical projects, step by step - showing how to build a pond or create a wildlife area - and includes the ideas offered by his co-presenters.