Most people would know Hannah Moloney as a presenter on Gardening Australia on ABC TV. She is the one with the pink hair in pigtails and that broad infectious smile that can’t help but inspire enthusiasm. She often shows us around her Hobart garden at the base of Mount Wellington.
In Good Life Growing Hannah has produced a go-to-guide for gardeners who would like to create an edible garden. Into this book she has put all she has learned over the years. Hannah says that, ‘I garden towards a good life for everyone. So I’m a good life gardener, if you like. A good life gardener is anyone who is keen to leave a mark on the earth in one of the most beneficial ways possible – with a pumping garden.’
Hannah covers everything from gardening without breaking your budget, designing and building your edible garden, including where to locate it to garden bed options. She helps us to grow food from scraps on your kitchen bench, understand the climate in your area, soil types, composting, water, to what vegetables to grow, companion planting, pests, weeds and so many more than I can fit into this review.
This book has broad coverage of its subject and Hannah has such an easy-to-read, friendly writing style that it feels like everything will be a breeze to do. There are lots of lovely illustrations and photographs making this book extra appealing for the novice. But if you’re a seasoned gardener, I would also recommend you check this book out as it’s chock full of inspiration.
I for one have been inspired to build an edible forest garden but also left to yearn for a bigger block of land.
Reviewed by Emily Ross
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hannah Moloney has over 15 years of hands-on experience in designing, building, managing and doing projects around urban agriculture, small-scale farming, permaculture and community development. In 2015 she was awarded the Tasmanian ‘Young Landcare Leader Award’ for her work with Good Life Permaculture and co-establishing Hobart City Farm.
In 2018, she took part in the Tasmanian Leader’s Program and in 2019 started appearing as a guest presenter with Gardening Australia on ABC TV and featured in the Women Of The Island project. When she’s not working on other people’s gardens and farms, she’s working on her own and designing educational tea towels.
