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Easy Growing by Gayla Trail

Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces

For more than fifteen years, Gayla Trail, the gardening expert behind the wildly popular YouGrowGirl.com, has grown gorgeous produce on her rooftop and windowsills, and in a community garden in Toronto—and she was the first gardening blogger ever to write about doing so. In Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces (Clarkson Potter/Publishers; February 2012; $19.99), Gayla offers guidance on growing hundreds of herbs and edible flowers at home, placing special emphasis on organic gardening in small spaces.

Chock-full of in-depth advice and tons of tips and tricks for growing in pots and maximizing yield in cramped quarters, this book will help anyone make a beautiful garden that is also useful—as Gayla shows with 10 fabulous DIY projects and more than 45 wonderful recipes using the harvest. It’s every home cook’s dream: an impromptu caprese salad made with pungent basil leaves from the garden; fish cooked with lemon and fresh dill snipped from a window box; honey infused with rose petals from a potted plant growing outside the front door. Many herbs will grow just about anywhere and require much less coddling than vegetables. Gayla starts with the basics of creating a healthy herb garden, helps readers achieve their dream style (grow a garden by color, shape, or texture), and then walks readers through everything they need to know for dozens of specific plants from alliums to violas and violets.

In addition to the herb varieties commonly seen in the produce aisle, Easy Growing presents dozens of equally accessible but lesser known herbs and flowers, including unusual plants to pique the curiosity of more adventurous gardeners (such as ‘Cinnamon’ basil, lemon verbena, and Mojito mint). Gayla also offers lots of inspiring ways to enhance meals or to preserve the harvest for future use and includes a range of recipes throughout—from savory delights to sweet treats and tasty beverages (both alcoholic and not). Experiment with new recipes, such as:

• Mint and White Wine Granita
• Sorrel and Potato Soup
• Ramekin Frittatas
• Lavender Shortbread
• Orange, Rosemary, and Honey Ice Cream
• Homegrown Bloody Mary Mix

Not everyone has the space or sunlight to grow a big, juicy tomato, but with only a windowbox, some potting soil, a few good plants, and Gayla Trail’s guidance in Easy Growing, anyone can create a delicious and thriving herb garden to enliven meals at home.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

GAYLA TRAIL is the creator of the YouGrowGirl.com, the hit community for enthusiastic gardeners, where she has spent over twelve years sharing her experiences growing food in difficult urban spaces. She is a regular contributor to magazines and frequently speaks on urban gardening, ecology, and community at major garden events. Her work as a writer and photographer has appeared in the New York Times; O, the Oprah Magazine; Newsweek; ReadyMade; Domino; Gardening Life; Los Angeles Times; and more. She is the author of Grow Great Grub and You Grow Girl.

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