Vegetable gardening often gets a bad rap when it comes to ease, accessibility, and style - the perception being a pastoral idyll, wax jackets, dirty fingernails, and humble, hearty produce being whipped up into something less Alison Roman, more Mrs Beeton. Good news then that Lucy Start - aka She Grows Veg - is here to turn this stereotype upside down.
As Lucy showcases in this truly innovative book, vegetable gardening doesn't always require outdoor space - let alone a significant patch of land. Through clever uses of space and containers, understanding of growing conditions and a unique, design-led approach, Lucy showcases how anyone can grow pretty much anything in their back garden, courtyard, balcony or kitchen, bringing every ounce of happiness that the great outdoors can provide with her.
The book begins with an explanation of her approach to edible gardening, followed by helpful how-tos for novice gardeners, explanations of planting seasons, and a list of the most practical herbs and vegetables to grow. Next, Lucy walks us through 20 edible gardening projects, from living vegetable walls that will thrive in even the shadiest corner, to hydroponics basics (an indoor growing technique that uses water instead of soil; Selfridges, Lakeland, Conran Shop, Ikea and Amazon all sell kits, among many others), from how to turn a set of shelves into a stunning indoor edible garden to indoor squash arches and home grown spices that have all the decorative style and visual interest of ornamental house plants.
As more and more people become aware and concerned about provenance, and the considerable financial, environmental and health benefits of producing their own food, the need for a book that dispels the typical gardening stereotypes has developed; with her young, engaged audience, off-piste approach and design credentials, Lucy is blazing a trail for new-wave gardening with a mantra of anything is possible, for anyone.
Lucy Start was once recognized as one of the rising stars of the fashion industry, and the go-to couture jewelry designer for the likes of Rihanna, Kylie Minogue and Cheryl Cole. Under her eponymous jewelry label, Lucy Hutchings, she was extensively featured in Vogue and other fashion publications, included in Red magazine's '30 under 30' list, and was recognized as one of the designers to watch by the Evening Standard.
But now, she is known by a different name: She Grows Veg. Lucy's transformation story has seen her transition seamlessly from leading jewelry designer to Instagram gardening sensation. Lucy has always found that gardening, in particular growing edibles, has made her happy, which she took to the next level in 2018 by becoming a part of the vast Instagram gardening community; her following is now up to 67k, and she has recently launched her own Youtube channel.
Lucy is now taking the gardening world by storm by turning her design eye to all things edible. She is on a mission to make gardening appealing to a younger and more style-conscious and food-loving audience, and to show that gardening doesn't have to be a science drowning in overwhelming rules, rigid frameworks and Latin names - she wants to break a few rules, and have fun while doing it. Lucy, who is based in Suffolk, believes that gardening can be fun, creative and beautiful, no matter your skill level or background.
