The dark evenings and wild weather mean that practical gardening is somewhat limited, so this is the perfect time to pick up a book that can be read for pleasure as well as instruction. A Countrywoman’s Notes (Frances Lincoln £9.99)* is just such a book. Written by one of the 20th centuries iconic gardeners, the late Rosemary Verey, this small volume is a reprint of the original which was published in 1989. The notes follow the year and are accompanied by attractive contemporary engravings. It would make a very nice Christmas present.
