United States
£ GBP
This book presents 10 receipes for seedbombs. Some are designed to attract birds, butterflies, and much needed bees, others are created for color, scent, wellbeing, allotment produce and wild salads. The book explores and explains what seedbombs are; digs up the roots of their Japanese origins; unearths the contemporary background for guerrilla gardening; and reveals the benefits to nature, the urban environment, and community health.
Josie Jeffery grew up living in a bus with her family who collected and distributed seeds and rescued tree saplings from roadsides on their travels. Josie studied Horticulture & Garden Design in Brighton and has been seedbombing for three years. In 2009, her business SeedFreedom sprouted and developed into a successful livelihood with commissioned workshops and appearances at key gardening events.
On the face of it, dedicating a whole book to a glorified mud pie seems a little much. But my god, has this book got heart. Seed bombs are a vessel for distributing flowers (and sometimes edibles) into tucked-away places, along with all they need to germinate. Sometimes they are made of mud and clay with seeds rolled in, other times from biodegradable balloons with water, or paper bags. As one might expect, there's a great deal of detail in the book on how to make various bombs, and on the whys and ways of bombing, including a pertinent bit about the importance of ecology. Author Josie Jeffrey also explains how to seed-bomb safely. Jeffrey works a lot with children and this comes across in a wonderful, charming way throughout the book. This is an excellent resource for schools (as well as parent and grandparents). It is also a funky-looking book that will appeal to young teenagers, and is detailed enough in botany to use as a teaching aid. This is the hip, alternative side to gardening, which I think could attract all sorts of new gardeners. Alys Fowler is a gardener, writer and broadcaster.
- Gardens Illustrated March 2011
