Two Good Books - Cheap !

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Dave W, May 13, 2011.

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  1. Dave W

    Dave W Total Gardener

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    I was in our local cut price book shop (The Works) today and came across a couple of books publsihed by Dorling Kindersley. Original price was £6.99 and they were on sale for under £3 ( I think it was £2.60 but have taken the lables off !)

    'Simple steps to success' series -

    'Vegetables in a Small Garden'
    'Herbs'

    Both books very well illustrated and even at the orginal price good value and an absolute bargain at under £3.00
     
    Dave W, May 13, 2011
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  2. music

    music Memories Are Made Of This.

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    I also picked up a bargain last year from the charity shop:).
    It is a book by Sue And Roger Norman- Title , Patios,Pots,And Window Boxes.:).
    It Also is well illustrated :thumbsup: All this for 50 pence:thumbsup:.
     
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  3. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    I mooch around in charity shops looking for really old gardening books, but without much success, but I keep mooching because you never know!!:D But every now and then I find a gem of a book in small second hand shop which will make my day:thumbsup::yahoo::hapfeet:
     
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  4. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    And if there's only one worthwhile new tip in a book that's only cost 50p - £1 it's a gem.
     
    Scrungee, May 13, 2011
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  5. Lad

    Lad Gardener

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    Best buy was a whole run of Collins guides to garden plants, bulbs roses etc with dust covers for £3 at a car boot sale. I find boot sales the bests place in North Suffolk to buy old gardening books.
     
    Lad, May 13, 2011
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  6. music

    music Memories Are Made Of This.

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    Hi Scrungee. There is one illustration in very good detail- " HYPERTUFA" :thumbsup:.

    How To Make Your Own Stone Troughs, which are increasingly rare and also Expensive.

    So 50 pence well spent.:thumbsup:.
     
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  7. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    You're right, Scrungee.:D But, as you probably know, I do like reading how they did things two or three hundred years ago and if those tips, tricks, and methods are still relevant and being used today.

    I think you get to a point where you've collected all the modern good books on gardening and you're just buying the same information in a different book! :scratch: Every now and then I'll buy a modern book on a special subject as I did a few weeks ago on Cannas.:hapfeet:
     
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  8. Lad

    Lad Gardener

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    My father in law is 88 years old and has never heard of digging a sweet pea trench but I have books published then and they describe trenches.

    he is a know all know nothing but I am always learning
     
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  9. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    When ever we step out into the garden, Lad, we learn something new.:scratch: I think
    most of us gardeners will admit we're not Experts but we're knowledgeable in some areas of gardening that interest us.

    But it is amazing how little basic gardening has changed over the years. A lot of methods we use today were used a long time ago and have been passed on via different means because they do work.:thumbsup: May that continue!:D

    Having said that, I do like reading books and sometimes read them at least three times to get maximum enjoyment of of them.
     
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  10. NewGardener

    NewGardener Gardener

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    I got a book called 'War Time Gardening' from a charity shop in Lancaster I think it was. :)
     
    NewGardener, May 13, 2011
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  11. Dave W

    Dave W Total Gardener

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    My first gardening book was inherited from dad. "Mr Middleton Suggests" published in about 1939 just when dad went off to defeat Adolf Schicklgruber and had to leave his garden behind.
    The old hints and tips are interesting and there's many money and plant saving ideas, but horticultural science has moved on and today's knowledge base is vastly greater.
     
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  12. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    Granted that's true, Dave. Horticultural science has move on a great deal, especially in the genetic areas, but my point was that in day to day practical gardening the basic methods have not changed greatly. A lot of the "new" tips, advice and methods are no more than repeats of practices from "way back when", albeit with a few modifications to allow for chemicals, etc.

    Hang onto that Book,NG, as it will get valuable.:thumbsup: I don't buy old books though for that reason, just for the fact you can get a sense of what it was like when the book was written, I find that interesting.:D
     
    ARMANDII, May 13, 2011
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  13. NewGardener

    NewGardener Gardener

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    It's brilliant to be honest Armandii, it does tell you a lot of the same stuff the new books do. Only more emphasis on growing to provide food.
     
    NewGardener, May 13, 2011
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  14. ARMANDII

    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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    It is good to read the old books, NG. I've got some printed just before the Great War [WW1] and just after, showing how allotments were started to provide food for the country and how they did it.:thumbsup:
    Have a quick browse through the Thread "FROM THE OLD BOOK" and you'll see what I mean.
     
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  15. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    It's the array of chemicals they used then (most now banned) that gets me. I've got some not so old books with passages about the new wonder pesticide - DDT.
     
    Scrungee, May 14, 2011
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