Rekha Mistry

‘A special, important book of hope, action and integrity.’ Mark Diacono, food and garden writer ‘After reading Adam’s book, I won’t look at a handful of seed the same way again!’ Joe Swift, garden designer; writer; presenter, BBC’s Gardeners’ World Across the world, chefs, farmers, plant scientists and backyard growers are doing something extraordinary: creating new generations of fruit, vegetables and cereals, all bred specifically to flourish locally, taste delicious, and contribute to our food future. In The Accidental Seed Heroes, Adam Alexander dons his seed detective homburg to meet these twenty-first century seed heroes, who are not only championing traditional varieties but also breeding delicious new ones that will help create a sustainable future for our planet. We don’t all need to become backyard breeders or even, like Adam, accidental ones. We don’t even need to eschew, as growers, the modern hybrid cultivars our seed catalogues are stuffed with or, as consumers, boycott those same uninspiring specimens that populate our supermarket shelves. Adam just wants that choice to be better informed and infinitely more diverse and enjoyable. This story is a celebration of the locally and sustainably grown produce, whether traditional or innovative, that is at the heart of all our food cultures and empowers our rural communities and farmers. Adam believes these new varieties of fruits, vegetables and even grains will not just offer us all nutritious and delicious food but also be part of the solution to combating climate change and returning fertility to our soils and biodiversity to our land.

Welcome to Rekha's Kitchen Garden: a North London allotment that is bursting with the very best seasonal produce all year round. With more than 30 years' experience as both an amateur and professional gardener, there is no better guide to home-grown produce than Rekha. Let her teach you the tricks and share the lessons she has learned from a lifetime of sowing, digging, and harvesting. This isn't your average introduction to growing your own vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Packed with personality and stunning photography, this is a celebration of more than 40 seasonal crops that will inspire you to make the most of your allotment or kitchen garden. So what are you waiting for? Dive straight in to discover: - More than 40 profiles on different allotment crops, including vegetables, fruit, and herbs, with each one showcasing Rekha's personal experience and advice for achieving the best results.- Profiles organized by harvest season, emphasizing the importance of seasonality.- "Garden tips" offer advice and solutions that Rekha uses in her own allotment, while "Kitchen tips" reveal how Rekha makes the most of her harvest.- "Planting partners" introduce readers to companion planting, while suggested varieties reveal the crops that Rekha recommends from her own experience.- An introductory section at the start of the book sets out Rekha's ethos as an organic gardener, her approach to seasonality, general allotment tips and her favorite tools. The section also features a table highlighting some of the key tasks on the plot and in the greenhouse each month..- All photography has been shot at Rekha's own allotment over the course of a full year, to emphasize her hands-on experience with growing every crop featured in the book and to reveal what can be achieved with a single plot. Whoever you are and whatever gardening experience you have, pick up a spade and join Rekha - so that you too can enjoy the very best of what each season has to offer.