Such an inspiring book! I never would have thought beyond the same old same old garden. This book really shows how to think outside the norm and how to thrive doing it.

Good book to have for reference or inspiration for your garden or if you are first starting out with gardening.

As the author’s introduction explains, this book is about the joy of gardening, connecting with nature, AND growing food. Lots of practical tips, ideas, and outside-the-box thinking. And lots of the “woo-woo” (as Margaret Roach should say) of gardening. A delightful book that will introduce new gardeners (and remind old-timers!) to the fun, creativity, and joy of gardening. Recommended for new gardeners and experts alike. Thank to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a preview copy.

EYE CANDY! This book such a treasure and redefines vegetable gardening. If you have hit a wall in making your garden work or you've just gotten bored with what you’ve got going on, this book will get you inspired and out of your rut. I love that all of the information is firsthand knowledge and experience from Trimble. Her unconventional approach will revitalize your garden and get your creative juices flowing to make your space and your plants work together in harmony.

Thank you, NetGalley!

A fresh take on a gardening book with no pressure or guilt, just the notion that if it brings you joy, you should probably consider it!

Beautiful pictures, creative and playful put together in order to explain to the reader that growing in a garden need not be complicated.

Some really great pieces of advice in this and my absolute favourite is "learn from what you have killed" because it's such a down to earth, author reader connecting piece of advice. I've done this many times but to have someone just say it means that the level of perfection to be measured against is only what we bring upon on ourselves and that yes, we may try and fail and simply you must try again!

The information in this book is simply priceless and I so wish it had been my first true gardening book because there is just no pressure to be the best at a new found hobby, there's no superior experience over the reader, it's good old fashioned, plain old gardening!

With thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my free ARC in return for my honest review, I enjoyed it immensely!

I will freely admit something: I have a black thumb. But I’d love to have a little garden and to grow some of my own food so when I saw this book on NetGalley I grabbed it thinking it could help me to do that. While this book is quite a gardening reference filled with information on what to plant together, how to create a garden to fit your space and needs, etc it is not a book for a gardening newbie like myself. But if you’re a gardener with the desire to expand your knowledge with some creative new ideas and information then I think this book could help you with that.

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc I received.*

This is a great guide for the would-be gardener who doesn't think they have the tools/space/whatever to garden "correctly". Trimble encourages her readers not so much to break the rules, but to throw away any rule that stops them from enjoying their garden. It is packed full of ideas and options. It'll make you want to immediately run out and dig out six new beds and get dirt under your fingernails.

Kelly Smith Trimble’s The Creative Vegetable Gardener includes a variety of ways to break the rules of traditional gardening. Trimble encourages her readers to create a garden space that is as unique as they are. I voluntarily read this complimentary copy of this well-written, beautiful book – a book I will refer to often as I continue to master the art of gardening.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful book which puts the art and fun back into gardening. There are some great photographs and fabulous tips for every gardener. Recommended.

Intriguing but hard to pin down

This book is a quirky mix. Part philosophy, part spirituality and part ecological gardening. How interesting and useful readers will find it may depend on their personal tastes, beliefs and where they are in their lives and gardening journeys.

The way the book is laid out didn’t really fit with the ‘60 ways’ in the title for me. Perhaps the title lead me to expect a more formulaic approach but there was no count of the number of ways in the book itself. This isn’t that important but I’ve no idea how many ideas were actually presented.

The book is a gentle read and is structured to support the ‘cultivating joy, playfulness and beauty’ in the title. I found useful ideas, information, connections and reminders that gave me food for thought. But for me the way the content is laid out misses some important connections and reduces the overall potential impact of the book. Don’t let my views out you off as we’re all different.

I was given this book from the author via netgalley only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.

An in depth look into growing your own vegetable garden.

The book is packed full of guides and inspiration to get the most out of your outdoor space.

The author doesn't stick to the usual guidelines of raised beds, instead there are ideas to use rocks and other things in the garden to create a unique space.

We also get to see other gardeners and be inspired by what they created.

Great photos and detail throughout.

I really enjoyed this. It had lots of facts and information that I didn't know about and I'll definitely use it in the future.

Great book for beginners

This book is for a more advanced gardener, and explores using mixed beds for landscaping plants. The author likes to mix perennials with vegetable and herb plants to create a more diverse border. It is an more interesting way to garden, and doesn't restrict you to raised beds or certain areas of your yard. The author also covers the mental health benefits of gardening, so it is an enjoyable book to read.

If you tend to follow the rules laid out in many gardening books, you might approach gardening as a bit of a chore. But Trimble's latest offering shows readers how to find ways to bend the rules and take a more creative, joyful approach to gardening, using both head and heart to design a food landscape that meets your particular needs and dreams.

Trimble suggests we rethink the rules of gardening: garden beds don't need to be straight rows or rectangular raised beds, perennials and annuals can grow side by side, plantings can be mixed, and some herbs and vegetables can be used as living mulches. She reminds the gardener to work with nature, choosing native plants and allowing space and resources for beneficial insects and pollinators. Above all, she wants gardeners to experience abundance: not just of the food produced in the garden, but of good health, joy, calm, play, and connections with others.

This delightful full-color book includes many photos as well as profiles on other gardeners along with their design ideas, small charts on things like pairings for companion planting or the medicinal properties of food plants, and tables on plant families and life cycles. While it could benefit from a brief bibliography that would offer titles with more information on some of the topics covered, overall this guide offers ideas for readers who are ready to put a more personal stamp on their gardens.

A lovely book with some great ideas. I really enjoyed this; the pictures are beautiful and really set the tone for the book. It's full of really fantastic alternative views on garden layouts, set-ups and ideals. I loved that this made me rethink things I thought I knew about gardening, and really helped me to see my garden in a new light.

What I lived most about this book was the beautiful photography. It makes this the potential for a fabulous gift for anyone who enjoys gardening. Coming with clear and informative instruction, it has advice for most from the competent gardener down to especially the novice. My favourite bit being the tip about controlling bugs using herb planting, certainly something I am including in my garden.

It's a joy for eyes and there's plenty of interesting and useful hints and ideas. I loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This book was very enjoyable to read and had both factual information, as well as inspirational gardening ideas. I came away with many new ideas, and really hope to revisit this book in subsequent gardening seasons. A great pick for those new to gardening, as well as experienced gardeners. This was a handy how-to book with research to back up the content.

The Creative Vegetable Gardener is all about findings ways to have fun with gardening while still embracing the science behind plants. From soil to plant type to layout, Trimble covers it all. The examples she has of gardens from other people were so fun. I have a garden area in my backyard from the original owners of our home, but I've struggled to really figure out the best way to use it. I've had okay yields, but I felt like there had to be more I could do. I attempted a three sisters garden this year after reading Braiding Sweetgrass, so I was super excited when she discussed it. The pictures were also amazing and vibrant, and they kept me engaged throughout. This book gave me so many ideas for my garden next year. I'll definitely purchase it so I can start planning!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In her second book, Smith Trimble expounds upon Vegetable Garden Wisdom with The Creative Vegetable Gardener. Full of beautiful photos, garden wisdom, and practical advice this is a gardening book that feels accessible. A master gardener, Smith Trimble still writes like your neighbor: practical, approachable, and understanding of the desire to break out of the mold of perfection. All levels of gardener can revel in this book, from seed selection to deciding on your garden layout, and feel good about the creation of their gardening space as a place of refuge for the soul. Fresh and full of gardening joy, this book is a must for the gardening section of any library.