They look as though they would just need a good scrubbing to prepare and are apparently very tasty, sweet and a good source of carbs cooked or raw. You should not sit down to read this book without a notepad to hand – you will probably need to keep a dedicated notebook for all the ideas and tips you will pick up and want to record and try out next season. Patrick Whitefield (1949 – 2015) was an early pioneer of permaculture, adapting Bill Mollison’s teachings with a strong Southern Hemisphere bias to the cooler, maritime climate of the British Isles. His minimalist approach uses techniques such as no-dig, raised beds, perennial vegetables and self-seeding salads as ground cover, and mulching when appropriate.

He used to tell students that the ultimate permaculture design would require one simply to get out of bed in the morning, walk into the garden, lay on the ground and allow the food to fall into your open mouth! After Patrick's death, there were obituaries in The Telegraph, The Guardian and on BBC Radio 4, and tributes to him from all over the world on social media. If this was his aspiration, he came fairly close at times, with his modest suburban garden looking something like a miniature Garden of Eden.Written by an acknowledged expert, this friendly guide will help you grow food in whatever space you have large or small, rural or urban with minimal bought in inputs, and maximum satisfaction. Patrick Whitefield (11th February 1949 27th February 2015) was an early pioneer of permaculture, adapting Bill Mollison s teachings with a strong Southern Hemisphere bias to a cooler, maritime climate such as the British Isles.

The lovely garden of my mentor Charlotte Molesworth is featured here in the Financial Times in the last week or so… She has been interviewed lots of times but I thought this was a particularly great piece, with some photos done at unusual angles and different parts… so well worth a read. The Minimalist Gardener makes it all possible – we can all benefit now from the depth of experience and wisdom handed down to us by Patrick.Patrick Whitefield spent many years tending his vegetable garden and feeding himself and his wife Cathy with it’s produce. His acquired wisdom from this life-long passion is now distilled into the pages of a new book, published by Permanent Publications, entitled The Minimalist Gardener. Patrick has appeared in several BBC TV programmes, made popular YouTube videos and was a consulting editor of Permaculture magazine since its launch in 1992.

terraces are well-built, paths lead somewhere and sculpture has a sense of scale and grandeur that fits in with the rest of the garden. While the home had a garden, since they were only staying a short time, not too much was done with it.The advice that Patrick offers through his articles is so helpful because of the way he encourages the reader to think.