Author: HRH The Prince of Wales with Stephanie Donaldson
Publisher: Orion distributed in NZ by Hachette Livre
ISBN 978 0 297 84498 3

No, HRH did not actually write this book and my review copy was not, alas, signed by him but he is a very keen gardener and has been committed to organic and sustainable gardening practices for many years, enduring quite a bit of ridicule before it became fashionable. This is a book for gardeners, not for fans of the royals (though the latter may enjoy it too). What sets this book apart from other organic tomes is that it is not solely dedicated to the production of healthy food. Indeed, while chapter 2 is on growing fruit and veg, much of the rest of the book is dedicated to good land management avoiding the use of chemicals with particular reference to maintaining a very high standard in ornamental gardens.

The Prince has three gardens – at Highgrove, Clarence House and Birkhall and he takes a hands on approach to managing all of them. Naturally he is backed up by very capable gardening staff but these gardens are his projects. The book is full of handy hints on gardening and quite a bit of very precise information. Some practices clearly require a generous royal budget (the water recycling process at Highgrove is reasonably complex) but many of the other tips and hints are within the reach of all gardeners. There is even a chapter on how to start converting to organic gardening practices. It is good to see a book which demystifies organics, avoids the hocus pocus fringe element often associated with it and which promotes practical solutions in sustainably managing high quality ornamental gardens on a large scale. Well done, Prince Charles.