Build a Better Vegetable Garden

From kitchen-garden guru Joyce Russell, author of best-selling The Polytunnel Book, this book presents 30 decorative vegetable-growing projects that anyone can make and enjoy.
Whether you are an experienced gardener looking for an edge to help boost your fruit and vegetable yields, or are new to gardening and need some gentle guidance in how to make a start, this book will help you create a beautiful, bountiful garden filled with delicious fruit and veg!


All the projects are devised to extend the season, protect crops from pests or improve yields. Apart from the obvious cost-savings from growing or making your own, the desire to work with craft fulfils the need to improve your patch of land. These compelling projects transform your vegetable plot into somewhere more productive, more attractive and more secure.
From simple cloche projects to making tunnels and frames or creating design solutions that deter slugs and carrot root fly, these projects are well-designed, functional and decorative. Each project has photographed step by step instructions, a list of materials and tools needed, and a relative skills rating.


Projects include:
simple cloche
raised bed
herb bed
plant propagator
mini greenhouse
compost bins
fruit cage
bean support
leaf mould container
folding bean frame
poly cloche
carrot fly protector
boot scraper
drying cabinet


Alongside the projects are growing tips and specific advice to make the most of your crop. These 30 projects will be enjoyed by gardeners of all levels and anyone who loves growing their own produce.

“"With the advice from this West Cork-based expert, your garden will become more attractive, productive and secure."”

"If you buy them in, wooden structures such as cold frames, obelisks and raised beds will make a serious dent in your veg plot budget. Making such things from scratch yourself will save you money, but it can be daunting especially if you've never picked up a drill before. Build a Better Vegetable Garden is just what you need to get you started, with clear instructions for 30 projects of all skill levels." Grow Your Own
"5 stars - If you're partial to a bit of DIY in the garden department and want to save yourself some money at the same time, this eminently practical book will definitely ignite the flame."  Kitchen Garden
"Beautiful photography and clear instructions make each project a tempting prospect, and should inspire homeowners to help make their little patches more attractive, productive and more secure." The Smallest Smallholding
Irish Country Magazine
"How about a little DIY garden project to get your teeth into? West Cork-based gardener Joyce Russell, already well-known to many Irish gardeners because of her book on polytunnel growing has just brought out an excellent new book." Irish Times

"This book offers focussed, practical advice and is aimed at the complete beginner"  

"There is a good mix of practical versus more decorative projects" 

Joyce Russell has thirty years of practical experience of fruit and vegetable growing, while feeding a family from the garden. She writes each month for Kitchen Garden Magazine, as well as regular contributions to other magazines and newspapers. She wrote for Organic Gardening magazine for ten years.



Ben Russell is a skilled craftsman, photographer and journalist. He has written more than a 100 step-by-step making articles for woodworking magazines and had over 6,000 photographs published in books and magazines.

Following on from the hugely successful Polytunnel Book, Joyce and Ben Russell have devised 30 kitchen garden projects that will transform your vegetable plot into somewhere more productive, more attractive and more secure. Following on from the hugely successful Polytunnel Book , Joyce and Ben Russell have devised 30 kitchen garden projects that anyone can make and enjoy. Not only do the projects add decorative detail to the garden, each project is devised to either extend the season, protect crops from pests or improve yields. Apart from the obvious cost-savings benefits from growing or making your own, the desire to work with craft fulfils the need to keep improving our patch of land. These compelling projects transform your vegetable plot into somewhere more productive, more attractive and more secure. From simple woodwork projects for cloches, tunnels and frames to gadgets that deter slugs and carrot root fly, these projects are well-designed as well as decorative. Each project includes step-by-step instructions as well as a list of materials and tools you'll need and a relative skills rating. Projects include: Leaf mould container; simple cloche; fruit cage; bean support; plant labels; herb bed; large bean frame; raised bed; poly cloche; plant propagator; boot scraper; mini greenhouse; drying cabinet; carrot fly protector; compost bins.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.