Companion Planting in Australia - B Little

Companion Planting in Australia by Brenda Little. An ideal guide to working with nature.l.

When Brenda Little asked a friend what he understood by companion planting, he replied 'marigolds with everything'. From snippets of wisdom like this, and a wealth of experience gleaned from years of coping with unruly gardens, Brenda Little devised a system of gardening relying on observation of nature, a respect for plants and animals and common sense. Companion Planting is the result - a notebook of gardening tips compiled from her own observations as well as suggestions from like-minded gardeners.

Entertaining and often anecdotal, Brenda's notes are arranged alphabetically, allowing the reader to easily search for a particular plant or garden pest. In many cases, Brenda offers a method for encouraging a healthy crop, or discouraging a nuisance to the gardener: parsley for instance, grows well with chives, but away from mint; while a light spray of seaweed solution will help to combat mildew. Her summary of good and bad garden companions is a useful quick reference tool for gardeners planting beds or containers of vegetables or herbs.

In this age of increasing hostility towards chemical control of the food we eat, Companion Planting is the ideal guide to working with nature, to produce cabbages that squeak with health and beans that snap like a gunshot. Every tip in this book has worked for somebod

- why it worked may be a mystery, but the result of a healthy crop is the greatest reward for which a gardener can hope.