Sandra Mao. Cool Springs, $26.99 trade paper (176p) ISBN 978-0-7603-9511-0
This delightful debut guide from gardening influencer Mao demonstrates how to grow and harvest a variety of vegetables in one’s backyard. Cultivating a colorful garden, Mao explains, is not only pleasing aesthetically but also provides a variety of nutrient-rich foods. She begins by outlining cool-season crops (rainbow beets, purple asparagus, and yellow snap peas) and warm-season crops (multicolored potatoes, pink celery, purple basil, and blue corn), explaining how to best plant, harvest, and store them. Then, she delves into the factors one should consider when building a garden, like ensuring the location gets plenty of sunlight and has good drainage. Readers learn the different types of gardens they can create; those working with small outdoor spaces, for example, can create container gardens with pots or plastic buckets. Elsewhere, Mao shares insights for selecting a color palette, as well as tips for improving soil and preventing pests. Eye-catching photographs of Mao’s garden and recipes for mixed pickled vegetables and homemade tomato sauce round things out. Home gardeners would do well to seek this out. (Dec.)
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Reviewed on: 11/14/2025
Genre: Lifestyle
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