Matt Collins – författare

Make more of the outdoors with fifty new projects to engage in throughout the year. In this easy-to-follow illustrated guide, Head Gardener Matt Collins teaches us how to build, plant and enjoy our gardens. The perfect gift for any green-fingered adventurer who wants to make the most out of their garden. Matt Collins lends his expert voice to help readers discover joy in the garden: transforming even the smallest of spaces into an exciting new activity. Engage with wildlife, discover the importance of weeds, and turn over a sustainable new leaf. Includes: DESIGN: Plan your garden journey, create ‘no-dig’ borders, make a gravel garden, get creative with containers and potsPLANTS: Plant trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, evergreens, bulbs, easy vegetables, succulent plants and more – plus create cut and dried flowersFEATURES: Layer bulbs in a pot, make a cold frame, plant up a window box, wire a wall or fence, make a sandpitWILDLIFE: Make a mini pond, create a log pile and other habitats, attract birds and pollinators, sow wildflowersGROW: Sow seeds, grow climbing roses, divide and multiply perennials, take a root cuttingSUSTAINABILITY: Add mulch, make a water butt, harvest and collect seeds, make your own fertilizer, make a compost bin, make leaf mould, sow green manureWith projects suitable for a quick lunchbreak or a larger, more focused session, this beautifully illustrated book is the perfect gift for gardeners at any skill level.

Make more of the outdoors with fifty new projects to engage in throughout the year. In this easy-to-follow illustrated guide, Head Gardener Matt Collins teaches us how to build, plant and enjoy our gardens. The perfect gift for any green-fingered adventurer who wants to make the most out of their garden. Matt Collins lends his expert voice to help readers discover joy in the garden: transforming even the smallest of spaces into an exciting new activity. Engage with wildlife, discover the importance of weeds, and turn over a sustainable new leaf. Includes: DESIGN: Plan your garden journey, create ‘no-dig’ borders, make a gravel garden, get creative with containers and potsPLANTS: Plant trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, evergreens, bulbs, easy vegetables, succulent plants and more – plus create cut and dried flowersFEATURES: Layer bulbs in a pot, make a cold frame, plant up a window box, wire a wall or fence, make a sandpitWILDLIFE: Make a mini pond, create a log pile and other habitats, attract birds and pollinators, sow wildflowersGROW: Sow seeds, grow climbing roses, divide and multiply perennials, take a root cuttingSUSTAINABILITY: Add mulch, make a water butt, harvest and collect seeds, make your own fertilizer, make a compost bin, make leaf mould, sow green manureWith projects suitable for a quick lunchbreak or a larger, more focused session, this beautifully illustrated book is the perfect gift for gardeners at any skill level.

Forest celebrates the diverse ways in which trees and forests are as magnificent, economically relevant and profoundly enchanting today as they ever have been.Journeying across the continents, Matt Collins and Roo Lewis tie together both the historical context and modern-day applications of some of the world's most fascinating and iconic trees.Forest is a celebration of the diverse ways in which trees and forests are as magnificent, economically relevant and profoundly enchanting today as they ever have been.Journeying across the continents, writer Matt Collins and photographer Roo Lewis tie together both the historical context and modern-day applications of some of the world's most fascinating and iconic trees. They explore the heritage of woodlands from around the world and meet those whose lives are inexplicably bound to them.The book is divided into 10 main chapters, each of which explores a tree from a particular genus - Pine, Juniper, Oak, Hornbeam, Cherry, Beech, Birch, Chestnut, Douglas-fir and Poplar. Each chapter provides the reader with a short introduction to the tree, followed by a journalistic account of its relevance to modern day-life (from gin making on Isle of Islay to a truffle farm in Spain), and concludes with an account of the tree in its native forest (from hornbeams in the Ironwoods of Ontario to firs on Vancouver Island).Captured on medium-format film, Roo's stunning, rich colour images are the perfect companion to Matt's engaging storytelling and botanical knowledge. Forest crafts a captivating interpretation of the story of the forest through the trees.

A beautifully presented, practical gift guide to the age-old art of whittling. There are 50 projects featured in the book, ranging from quick makes to more elaborate projects, and even a chapter on creating things from cork. The 8 main themes are:Quick Things – including a doorstop, a bookmark and a gift-box book;Into The Woods – including a willow whistle, walking stick, fish hook and slingshot;Around The House – including chopsticks, coat and crochet hooks;Cork Creations – including a succulent pot, stamp, and earphones spool;Ornamental Carving – including a boat, a deer and a spinning top;Kitchen Carving – including a carrot flute, apple candle and onion flower;The Natural World – including a bird feeder and instructions to prepare a fish for cooking, a graft an apple tree.The projects cater for a range of skill levels and the instructions are complemented by smart step-by-step illustrations, which highlight the tactile quality of the material in hand. The book also includes an introduction with advice on selecting a penknife, maintaining your blade, choosing your caving material, and carving techniques.Featuring the ultimate crossover of cool craftsmanship and savvy survival-skill projects, this book is the perfect gift for creative adventurers.

Think you don’t have enough room for beautiful blooms? My Tiny Flower Garden is bursting with amazing ideas and savvy solutions to help you transform any small space into a floral feast.With colourful cutting patches, sweet-scented city streets and pickup trucks perfect for pollinators, we’ve unearthed 25 amazing unconventional plots. Meet the couple packing pavements with flowers, the landscape architect who has constructed a meadow in the middle of London, and the Detroit florists who created an awe-inspiring installation in an abandoned building (before deconstructing the site and turning the land into a community flower farm).You’ll pick up all the best tips and tricks as each gardener shares their small-scale expertise, from crafty containers and sequential displays to expert advice on establishing creative community spaces. Plus, practical projects including seed bombs, a pallet planter and a homemade flower press will ensure that every inch of your space is always in bloom.Whether you’re looking for a floral fix or a bee-friendly bed, get inspired, let your imagination grow and enjoy your tiny flower garden.Word count: 25,000

Forest is a celebration of the diverse ways in which trees and forests are as magnificent, economically relevant and profoundly enchanting today as they ever have been.Journeying across the continents, writer Matt Collins and photographer Roo Lewis tie together both the historical context and modern-day applications of some of the world's most fascinating and iconic trees. They explore the heritage of woodlands from around the world and meet those whose lives are inexplicably bound to them.The book is divided into 10 main chapters, each of which explores a tree from a particular genus – Pine, Juniper, Oak, Hornbeam, Cherry, Beech, Birch, Chestnut, Douglas-fir and Poplar. Each chapter provides the reader with a short introduction to the tree, followed by a journalistic account of its relevance to modern day-life (from gin making on Isle of Islay to a truffle farm in Spain), and concludes with an account of the tree in its native forest (from hornbeams in the Ironwoods of Ontario to firs on Vancouver Island).Captured on medium-format film, Roo’s stunning, rich colour images are the perfect companion to Matt’s engaging storytelling and botanical knowledge. Forest crafts a captivating interpretation of the story of the forest through the trees.

A beautifully presented, practical gift guide to the age-old art of whittling. There are 50 projects featured in the book, ranging from quick makes to more elaborate projects, and even a chapter on creating things from cork.The 8 main themes are:Quick Things – including a doorstop, a bookmark and a gift-box book;Into The Woods – including a willow whistle, walking stick, fish hook and slingshot;Around The House – including chopsticks, coat and crochet hooks;Cork Creations – including a succulent pot, stamp, and earphones spool;Ornamental Carving – including a boat, a deer and a spinning top;Kitchen Carving – including a carrot flute, apple candle and onion flower;The Natural World – including a bird feeder and instructions to prepare a fish for cooking, a graft an apple tree.The projects cater for a range of skill levels and the instructions are complemented by smart step-by-step illustrations, which highlight the tactile quality of the material in hand. The book also includes an introduction with advice on selecting a penknife, maintaining your blade, choosing your caving material, and carving techniques.Featuring the ultimate crossover of cool craftsmanship and savvy survival-skill projects, this book is the perfect gift for creative adventurers.