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The Abundant Garden : A Practical Guide To Growing A Regenerative Home Garden
Niva and Yotam Kay of Pakaraka Permaculture, on the Coromandel Peninsula of Aotearoa New Zealand, share their long experience in organic gardening in this comprehensive book on how to create and maintain a productive and regenerative vegetable garden. They work with nature, enhancing the soil life and fertility, and providing plants with what they need to thrive. This is grounded in the latest scientific research on soil health, ecological and regenerative practices.
Vegetable gardening, in this way, repeatedly demonstrates that every loved garden bed can produce high-yielding, resilient, nourishing and delicious vegetables year after year. The Abundant Garden has simple, reliable strategies and techniques to help maximise your ability to feed yourself and share the abundance with those around you.
With information on growing a wide variety of vegetables, there are also helpful charts to help you plan and plant your garden year-round. In addition there are details on how to grow microgreens and great recipes for ferments, preserves and pickles you can stock the pantry with your garden's bounty.
Vegetable gardening, in this way, repeatedly demonstrates that every loved garden bed can produce high-yielding, resilient, nourishing and delicious vegetables year after year. The Abundant Garden has simple, reliable strategies and techniques to help maximise your ability to feed yourself and share the abundance with those around you.
With information on growing a wide variety of vegetables, there are also helpful charts to help you plan and plant your garden year-round. In addition there are details on how to grow microgreens and great recipes for ferments, preserves and pickles you can stock the pantry with your garden's bounty.
- GenresNonfictionGardening
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2021
17 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 11, 2022
Saying I know Yotam & Niva is pushing it, as where I know them from is the Saturday markets in our town, when I was often served by a smiling, curly haired young man or a serene dark haired young woman.. But my husband has done one of Yotam's workshops about basic vegetable gardening. Marty came home really inspired- & I soon became sick of the words "Yotam says..." Marty had already developed a strong interest in vegetable & fruit tree gardening (he isn't keen on plants he can't eat!) in part due to the ever rising price of all food in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Other than my herbs (& Marty has now muscled in on those too!) I'm not a keen gardener, but I am enjoying reaping the benefits!
How did the Kays get a book deal? I've been told someone employed at Allen & Unwin (NZ) did one of Yotam's workshops, was impressed & said he should write a book. Yotam & Niva did just that, one of Aotearoa's best photographers (Jane Ussher) took some amazing photos & the book became a runaway best seller. Unfortunately the publisher seriously underestimated demand & what with COVID & the book being printed overseas, we had to wait quite some time for our second edition copy.
The book is very well laid out, with lots of photos, b/w drawings & graphs. The Kays think about gardening in a different way from anyone else I've seen. For example, Yotam doesn't turn (dig) the garden over, as you lose the top 4 inches of nutrients. Instead he just forks it.
Quite a different way for us Kiwis to think about gardening. But the proof is in the pudding (so to speak)
From the back cover;
Other than the tomatoes & flowers (we grow our own tomatoes & you won't catch Marty eating flowers!) I've eaten all of these from Yotam's stall. I particularly recommend the baby turnips. The products are always fresh & tasty.
I know this book is available in Australia - I hope it is available throughout the Southern Hemisphere. & Yotam is supposedly working on a cookbook now.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
How did the Kays get a book deal? I've been told someone employed at Allen & Unwin (NZ) did one of Yotam's workshops, was impressed & said he should write a book. Yotam & Niva did just that, one of Aotearoa's best photographers (Jane Ussher) took some amazing photos & the book became a runaway best seller. Unfortunately the publisher seriously underestimated demand & what with COVID & the book being printed overseas, we had to wait quite some time for our second edition copy.
The book is very well laid out, with lots of photos, b/w drawings & graphs. The Kays think about gardening in a different way from anyone else I've seen. For example, Yotam doesn't turn (dig) the garden over, as you lose the top 4 inches of nutrients. Instead he just forks it.
Quite a different way for us Kiwis to think about gardening. But the proof is in the pudding (so to speak)
From the back cover;
Other than the tomatoes & flowers (we grow our own tomatoes & you won't catch Marty eating flowers!) I've eaten all of these from Yotam's stall. I particularly recommend the baby turnips. The products are always fresh & tasty.
I know this book is available in Australia - I hope it is available throughout the Southern Hemisphere. & Yotam is supposedly working on a cookbook now.
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
June 12, 2024
Excellent- a book you’ll read over and over if you’re a gardener and want to be eating delicious organic vege. So much to learn from this couple!
December 28, 2021
A beautiful book, nicely laid out and edited well. If you are looking for information on growing a permaculture food forest you'll be disappointed, otherwise this is an excellent guide to growing annuals regeneratively.
February 27, 2022
I felt a buzz when I heard they were producing a book as Ifollowed them since they came to Thames. When it came I was impressed as so many athers are about its connection to NZ Gardening & use it as I do with my own Garden Diary to refresh & remind every month. I have gardened sustainably for decades in my journey & as one should & always look to learn more as we never know it all. The incredable energy, skill, love for their community as well as developing the follow on work to what Jeanette & Hary established. Has been a inspiration to continue my quest to help our planet personally through my actions while I am here & recomend this book & their workshops to all gardeners.
December 11, 2021
A great book on home gardening it covers so much from soil, keeping seeds, planning your garden etc. it’s packed with a lot of information, it will be really good to refer back to over the years. I love how well all of the sections are split up and how easy it to understand etc.
June 7, 2021
This book should be on the shelf of every serious gardener.
Yotam and Niva lay out the lessons of their efforts to run a productive permaculture garden in a way that is accessible and comprehensive.
I ordered 4 books recently to learn no-dig, from the gurus you read about and see on Youtube.
Yotam and Niva's book trumps them all. It is well-written, clear and beautifully illustrated.
Like the YaThe Abundant Garden : A Practical Guide To Growing A Regenerative Home Gardentes Gardening guide, it will become a treasure for generations.
Yotam and Niva lay out the lessons of their efforts to run a productive permaculture garden in a way that is accessible and comprehensive.
I ordered 4 books recently to learn no-dig, from the gurus you read about and see on Youtube.
Yotam and Niva's book trumps them all. It is well-written, clear and beautifully illustrated.
Like the YaThe Abundant Garden : A Practical Guide To Growing A Regenerative Home Gardentes Gardening guide, it will become a treasure for generations.
October 9, 2021
I was given this book Thursday as a work leaving present by Friday morning I had finished it. This is easily going to be my "gardening bible". Perfect for beginners and seasoned vegetable gardners alike. I am a New Zealander and find it difficult to find books other than the standard Yates or Tui guides that relate specifically to NZ. I found this very relatable and throughly enjoyed it.
September 17, 2021
Exactly what I was looking for! A comprehensive and accessible guide to growing healthy and nutritious food that is centred around working with the land rather than increasing yield via unnecessary and harmful inputs.
October 21, 2023
An amazing, must-have book for beginners and experienced gardeners. Great cover-to-cover read to develop the basic understanding for designing your new garden systems, and a great reference book to go back to for specific issues!
June 1, 2021
This book is absolutely wonderful! It has all the information one could hope for when establishing a private/market garden. It's beautiful, thorough, and very readable. Highly recommended!
June 8, 2025
Insightful
September 8, 2025
gathered a few good things from this one
December 30, 2025
Great go to book for learning about regenerative vegetable gardening. I thought this book may involve some fruit and permaculture gardening techniques. but learnt a lot.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews