Page numbers in italics refer to
illustrations.
A
achocha 158
alfalfa 143, 144, 145, 146, 147
Allium ampeloprasum var. babingtonii SEE leek, Babington; A. sativum SEE garlic
A. schoenoprasum SEE chives
Anethum graveolens SEE dill;
A.g. var. sowa SEE dill, Indian
angeliki SEE Pittosporum tobira
ant 131, 132, 140–43; black a. 132; red a. 132; yellow meadow a. 132, 133, 140, 141
apple ‘Braeburn’ 142;a. ‘Gala’ 142
aquatic plants 57, 97; fixed-floating a.p. 57;free-floaters 57
Aristotle 21
arrowhead 56
artichoke, Japanese 10
artichoke, Jerusalem 96, 97, 108, 114; J.a. salad 124
ash, wood 102
asparagus 16
aubergine 4, 23, 27, 85, 106, 114, 130; ‘Slim Jim’ a. 45
B
bacteria, root 103
bamboos 144
Barbarea verna SEE cress, American land
barley 144
barometers 127
basil 12, 23, 27, 28, 43, 78, 108, 137, 138, 139;b. ‘Anise’ 138; bush b. 34, 50, 106, 114, 138; b.b. ‘Greek’ 138–39; b. butter 107; b. ‘Cinnamon’ (‘Mexican’) 139;b. ‘Dark Opal’ 138; b. ‘Fino Verde’ 138; b. ‘Genovese’ 138; b. ‘Green Globe’ 138; b. ‘Green Ruffles’ 138; holy b. (sacred ka prao, purple tulsi) 138–39; Horapha b. 139;b. ‘Lemon’ 138; lettuce-leaved b. 138; b. ‘Lime’ 139;b. ‘Liquorice’ 139;b. ‘Mrs Burns’ 139;b. ‘Napolitano’ (‘Mammoth’) 138; New Guinea b. 139;purple b. 138; b. ‘Purple Ruffles’ 138; b. ‘Red Rubin’ 138; b. ‘Spicy Globe’ 139;sweet b. 34, 50, 106, 114, 138; Thai b. 139–39; tree b. 139
Battersea Park Horticultural Therapy SEE Thrive
bean 43, 59, 78, 108; azuki b. 143, 144; Beijing b. 83, 105, 114, 119; blackeyed b. 144; broad b. 143; b.b. ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ 135; climbing French b. ‘Cherokee Trail of Tears’ 158; dwarf French b. 4, 23, 42, 49, 53, 65, 71, 85, 130; d.F.b. ‘Sprite’ 53, 65, 105; French haricot b. 143; lima b. 144; mung b. 143, 144, 145, 146; runner b. 23, 27, 49, 52, 59, 68, 74, 85, 86, 105; r.b. germination 115–20; r.b. ‘Scarlet Emperor’
53, 116; soya b. 143, 144; b. sprouts 143
bedding, animals’ 103
beetles 166; darkling or flour b. SEE mealworms
beetroot 84, 96, 97, 114, 130; b. ‘Detroit 2-Tardel’ 23, 62, 92
Belloc, Hilaire 48
Beta vulgaris SEE beetroot; B.v. Cicla Group SEE chard, Swiss
birds 28–33; bird feeders 29, 32, 36
blackfly 87
borecole, cavolo nero 135
bougainvillea 82
bouillabaisse 114
box 50
brandy bottle 56
Brassica oleracea Acephala Group SEE borecole
Brassica rapa Chinensis Group SEE cabbage, Chinese
bread, Roman 34
broccoli 144
Browne, Sir Thomas 143
bugle 56
burdock 144
busy Lizzie 34
butterflies 17; cabbage white b. 93–96; b. chrysalis 94, 95; b. eggs 87, 92, 93; b.
imago 95; b. larva 93, 94;b. pupa 94
C
cabbage 144; Chinese c. 23, 144; C.c. ‘Tah Tsai’ 92; c. ‘Primo’ 149
Cape gooseberry 45 Capsicum annuum Grossum Group SEE pepper, sweet
cardamom 113
Carroll, Lewis 164
carrot 84; c. ‘Amsterdam Forcing 3’
caterpillars 134
cavolo nero SEE borecole, c.n.
chaffinch 29
champignon SEE mushroom
chard, Swiss 4, 24, 43, 46, 70, 71, 101, 107, 114, 130, 135, 137; ‘Bright Lights’ c. (‘Jacob’s Coat’, ‘Rainbow’ c.) 45, 46
Chelsea Flower Show 91
Chelsea Physic Garden 82
chia, Mexican 144
chicken consommé 54
chicory 23; c. ‘Sugar Loaf ’ 71, 92, 106
chives 23, 47, 108, 130;garlic c. 4, 23, 34, 114, 130
chrysanthemum greens 144
Cichorium intybus SEE chicory
claytonia SEE purslane, winter
Clematis montana 26
cloche, plastic 12
coir bricks 120
Colchicum autumnale SEE saffron, meadow
compost 11, 39–42, 58, 102, 161;c. activators 58; Bokashi composting 162, 163; c. heap 10, 43; John Innes No. 3 c. 42; seed-sowing c. 6, 8; tumbler c.-maker 161
Compost-a-Cube 40
containers, supermarket 6, 7, 8, 49, 57
cooking 70
corn salad SEE lamb’s lettuce
cornflower 16
cotton grass 56
courgette 78
creeping Jenny 56
cress, American land (Belle Isle c., early winter c., upland c.) 23, 39, 53, 101, 114
Crocus sativus SEE saffron;
C. speciosus 26
crossness 67
crowfoot, water 56
cucumber (Cucumis sativa) 23, 27, 78, 85, 96, 108, 114; c. ‘Marketmore’ 115 c.
‘Simpson’s Sweet Success’ 53
cut-and-come-again vegetables/salad 24, 68, 88
Cyclanthera pedata SEE achocha
D
dandelion 88
Darwin, Erasmus 94
Daucus carota SEE carrot
David, Elizabeth 106, 130, 151
dibber 65
dill 23, 53, 78, 107, 114, 139, 140;d. ‘Dukat’ 140;d. ‘Fernleaf ’ 140;Indian d. 140;d. ‘Mammut’ 140;d. ‘Vierling’ 140
dragonflies 97
Dryden, John 95
ducks 166
E
earthworms 19–22, 152, 154; common e. 21
Effective Micro-organisms (EMs) 162
Eisenia andrei SEE worm, red; E. fetida SEE worm, tiger
Elodea crispa 98
Epicurus 167
Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa SEE rocket
F
fairy moss 56
feed, liquid 85
fennel 84
fig 74, 78; f. ‘Brown Turkey’ 25, 123
fleece 129
floating heart, yellow, or water fringe 56
formicary SEE antery
fountains 55
Franchi seeds 84
freesia 26
frogs 16
frogbit 56
Fuller, Thomas 39
fungi 126
G
garden 74
Garden Organic 157
garlic 23, 129, 135; Chinese single-clove g. 10, 129; elephant g. 158; Greek g. 83; g.
gayfeather 56
Gilbert, Samuel 112
ginger, root 166
gnats 96
goldfinch 29
greenfly 87
greengrocers 10
hair, animal 103
Heritage Seed Library 157
Higa, Professor Teruo 158
Hippocrates 113
Homer 113
honeydew 134
honeysuckle 74
Horticultural Therapy SEE Thrive
humble plantsee sensitive plant
hyacinth 134
I
ice cream, clotted cream and saffron 80
Impatiens 27; I. walleriana SEE busy Lizzie
Innes, E.A. & G.M. 123
insect theatre 17
Ipomoea batatas SEE sweet potato
J
Jefferson, Thomas 158
Joe Pye weed 56
K
kale 144; SEE also borecole
Keats, John 127
Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens 82
komatsuna 23, 53, 92, 101, 107
L
La Mancha, Spain 109
lacewing 17
Lactuca sativa SEE lettuce
lamb’s lettuce 4, 23, 39, 101, 107, 129, 130, 135; l.l.
‘Dante’ 124; l.l. ‘Suttons’ Large
Leaved’ 124
Lasius flavus SEE ant, yellow meadow; L. niger SEE ant, black
Lathyrus odoratus SEE sweet pea
lawns 87
leaf salad 78
leaves 128
lemon 82
lettuce 42, 43; l. ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ 23, 53, 135; l. ‘Catalogna’ 62, 65; Indian l. SEE purslane, winter; l. ‘Loos Tennis Ball’ 158; l. Mesclun 135; miner’s l. SEE purslane, winter; l. ‘Red Salad Bowl. 45; l. ‘Rougette de Montpellier’ 135; l. ‘Salad Bowl’ 4, 23, 24, 45, 58, 60, 65, 137; l. ‘Tom Thumb’ 24
lightning 103
lilac, Persian 26
L. Maker 66
Lumbricus terrestris 21, 152, 154
lupin, Arctic 8
M
mâche SEE lamb’s lettuce
Maclean, Donald 123
maintenance-free plants 130
maize 144
mangetout SEE pea
manure, chicken 85
marginals 57
Martinson, Harry Edmund 20
Matthiola longipetala subsp. bicornis SEE stock, night-scented
mercury 127
metamorphosis 93
mice 32
millet 144
Mimosa pudica SEE sensitive plant
mitsuba 4, 23, 39, 62, 101, 144
monkey flower 56
moths 17
mushroom 124, 125–28, 150, 155, 156, 158, 166; m. boxes 92; m. compost 151; inorganic m. 125, 127; lion’s mane m. 155;organic m. 125, 126, 127; oyster m. 63, 155, 159, 166; shiitake m. 155;m. spores 156; tree oyster m. 155
mustard 144; Abyssinian m. 22, 62, 92, 101, 107, 114; Chinese m. ‘Green in Snow’ 135; potherb m. SEE mizuna; m. spinach SEE komatsuna
Mycetophila fungorum 96
Myrmica SEE ant, red
N
nasturtium 8, 23, 27, 45, 47, 87, 93, 96, 97, 137
nectar 95
Nero 113
nitrogen 103
nyjer seed 29
oak, evergreen 82
oats 144
Ocimum basilicum SEE basil, green; O.b. var. purpurascens SEE basil, purple; O. gratissimum SEE basil, tree; O. minimum SEE basil, bush
organic, definition 6
owl, tawny 16
oxygenators 57
P
paella 114
pak choi 4, 23, 27, 70, 90; p.c. ‘Joi Choi’ F1 71, 101;p.c. ‘Canton Dwarf ’ 71, 101
parrot’s feather 56
parsley 9, 22, 23, 26, 27, 34, 38, 44, 51, 52, 130; curly-leaved p. 4, 130; fried p. 18;
Italian flat-leaved 8, 18, 28, 108, 114, 130, 166; seed sowing 7
parsley, Japanese SEE mitsuba
pea 23, 28; green p. 144; mangetout p. 23; m.p. ‘Sugar Dwarf Sweet Green’ 135;
salad p. 69; sugar snap p. 23; yellow p. 144
pear 57, 96; p. ‘Conference’ 25, 78, 142;p. ‘Doyenné du Comice’ (‘Comice’) 25, 97, 140, 142
pepper, sweet 24
Pereira, Jonathan 113
Petroselinum crispum SEE parsley
Phaseolus coccineus SEE bean, runner; P. vulgaris SEE bean, dwarf French, b.
climbing French
Philemon 163
Physalis edulis SEE Cape gooseberry
pine-nut soup 167
Pisum sativum SEE pea
Pittosporum tobira 62
planting plan 59
plants as presents 81
plum 78, 96; p. ‘Victoria’ 25, 78, 97
pond skater bug 97
potato 14–16, 24, 26, 47, 51, 53, 57, 81, 96, 139; p. blight 126; p. ‘Edgcote Purple’ (‘Gloucester Flukes’ or ‘Port Wine Kidney’) 122;p. ‘Etoile du Nord’ 122;p. ‘International Kidney’ (Jersey Royal®) 135; p. ‘King Edward’ 122;p. ‘Magnum Bonum’ 122;p. for making rösti 81; Maori p. 15, 78, 81; p. markets, Indian 82; p. museum, Lima, Peru 82; p. ‘Pink Fir Apple’ 15; purple p. 15, 81; p. ‘Purple Congo’ 122;p. ‘Salad Blue’ 122;p. ‘Salad Red’ 122;Scottish p. 78; p. ‘Sefton Wonder’ 122;p. ‘Shetland Black’ 122
pricking out 13
procrastination 67
propagator, electric 7, 9, 11, 22
pruning 25
pumpkin seeds 144
pumps 56
purslane, winter 4, 24, 39, 99, 114, 129, 130
Pyrus communis SEE pear
Q
quinoa 144
R
radish 24, 144; r. ‘China Rose’ 135; r. ‘Red Meat’ 101, 107, 124; r. salad 62
Raphanus sativus SEE radish
raspberry 140; r. ‘Autumn Bliss’
rats 166
red spider mite 87
redcurrant 140
rice 144
risotto alla Milanese 114, 136
robin 29
rocket 4, 24, 27, 39, 42, 53, 58, 89, 90, 114, 130, 137; rucola coltivata 84
Rosa ‘Zéphirine Drouhin’ 26
Royal Horticultural Society 82
Rumex acetosa SEE sorrel
rush, zebra 56
S
saffron 24, 26, 63, 64, 71, 80, 82, 108–114, 135, 136
saffron, meadow 111
salad flowers 80
scale insects 87
scarole 24; s. ‘Cornet de Bordeaux 71
seed 45, 124, 125, 135; s. germination 105; heirloom s. 157; organic s. 10; s. catalogues 22; s.-sowing 7, 42, 43, 88; s. second sowings 60; sprouting seeds 143, 144, 166; terminator-gene s. 10; s. tray 7
seedlings 51
sesame seed 144
Shakespeare, William 48, 104, 112, 164
Shaw, George Bernard, Shaw’s Corner, Herts. 127
shrew 166
sieve 7
Simpson, Matt 135
Simpson’s Seeds 135
siskin 29
skunk cabbage 56
slugs 165
soap, insecticidal 87
Solanum tuberosum SEE potato; S. melongena SEE aubergine
Solomon, Song of 109
sorrel 158
sparrow 16
spinach, New Zealand 45, 46, 101
spinach, perpetual 4, 23, 45, 70, 114, 130, 137
Spinacia oleracea SEE spinach
sterilization 7
stock, night-scented 23, 27, 45, 59; Virginia s. 8, 27, 45, 114
strawberry 78; alpine s. 22, 34, 50, 58, 86, 96; a.s. Jersey ice cream 101; s. propagation 52; wild s. 4, 28, 105
sunflower hearts 29; s. seeds 29, 144, 148, 149
supermarkets 10
sweet flag 56
sweetcorn 78
T
Tenebrio moltior SEE mealworm
Tetragonia tetragonioides SEE spinach, New Zealand
Texsel greens SEE mustard, Abyssinian
thermometers 127
Thomson, J. Arthur 133
Thrive 83, 159; Battersea Park T. centre 160
tiredness 68
toad lily 56
tomato 10–14, 34, 42, 43, 47, 57, 65, 74, 78, 85, 96, 97, 98, 108, 137, 139; t. ‘Brandywine’ 100, 106; t. ‘Estonian Yellow Mini Cherry’ 158; t. ‘Gardener’s Delight’ 14, 18, 90, 100, 106, 123, 137; t. ‘Marmande’ 14
Tournefort, Joseph Pitton de 113
Trachelospermum jasminoides ‘Japonicum’ 26, 80
Tropaeolum majus SEE nasturtium
tubs 50
tulip 82
turtlehead 56
V
Valerianella locusta SEE lamb’s lettuce
vanilla 113
vegetables, feeding 85; miniature root v. 84; v. flowers 89
Vicia fava SEE bean, broad
W
water boatman 97
water soldier 56
watercress 144
waterfalls 55
watering 65
weeds 131
wheatgrass 149
whitefly 87
Whitman, Walt 38
wildlife 16,17
Wisteria sinensis 26
woollen clothing 102
woodlice 96
worms 19–22, 43, 44, 47, 48, 104, 120, 121, 128, 152–55; SEE also earthworms; W. Digest 104; red w. 21, 43, 152; tiger w. 21, 43, 152; Tiger Worm Compost Bin 21
wormeries 10, 19, 20, 21, 43, 47, 102, 103, 104, 120, 121, 152–55; Can-O-Worms w. 104
wren 16