Grow What You Love: 12 Food Plant Families to Change Your Life

Gardening blogger Murphy’s beautiful debut makes gardening just as much an art as a science and encourages readers to adopt a more plant-driven lifestyle, from the garden to the kitchen. The book is divided into three sections: instructions on getting started gardening, a directory of 12 edible plant families, and information on how to tend the garden. While there is a lot of technical information, such as how to combine plants and how to convert a trough into a raised bed, Murphy writes in a way that makes it personal and joyous, not at all like a dry how-to guide. Instead of focusing on inches, weeks, and weeding, the book is about cultivating a connection to the earth, the outdoors, and food. The plant pages include descriptions as well as information on planting, picking, and enjoying the harvest. Murphy throws in some recipes: mix-and-match pesto; slow-roasted tomatoes with fresh herbs; fava beans, greens, and fresh herb tartine; rosemary honey ice cream; and spiced rhubarb compote. This book is for anyone who’s interested in gardening, no matter how small or large the garden, or how limited the reader’s experience. (Mar.)