Vegetables; The Definitive Guide for Gardeners by Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix (Book Review)

My ‘go-to’ book for vegetable growing has to be ‘Vegetables‘ by Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix. It claims to be ‘The Definitive Guide for Gardeners’ and if you want to grow any of more than 500 vegetables this book tells you how. Not only does it have growing advice and information on a vast and bewildering range of available varieties, it also gives their origins and the history of their introduction into the UK.

The fascinating introduction outlines the characteristics of the plant families to which our commonly grown vegetables belong, such as Brassicaceae -the cabbage family and Solenaceae – home of the potato, the tomato and the aubergine. Throughout the book the authors explore the origins of our favourite vegetable plants. Onions and carrots are thought to have originated in Afghanistan which gives us a clue to what soil they might favour. Potatoes were cultivated around Lake Titicaca in Peru from around 8000 BC.

Continuing with the history of vegetable gardening the book explores the origins of kitchen gardens in the UK, the provision of allotments, the use of fertilisers and composts, organic growing and pest and disease control. Knowing the origins of different vegetables gives clues to where and how to grow them. Each section of this beautifully illustrated book inspires me to try something new. This season it is Wasabi, the source of the hot peppery accompaniment to sushi.

Finally, there is a page with addresses of useful organisations and a list of seed suppliers. While cultivation notes exist throughout the text they are summarised towards the end of the book together with information on pests and diseases.

Roger Phillips MBE who died in 1991, was an award-winning photographer, writer and botanist who is best known for his photographic books on plants grown in Britain.  He wrote and presented two major series on gardening for the BBC and Channel 4.  His co-author, Martyn Rix, is a botanist, collector, horticulturalist and writer.  In 2025 he was awarded the RHS Victoria Medal of honour for services to horticulture.

 Reviewer:  Margaret Williamson             –              Allotmenteer and Horticulture student