Five years after writing her first nature memoir, The Bumblebee Flies Anyway, Kate Bradbury has a new garden.
It’s busy: home to all sorts of wildlife, from red mason bees and bumblebees to house sparrows, hedgehogs and dragonflies. It seems the entire frog population of Brighton and Hove breeds in her small pond each spring, and now there are toads here, too. On summer evenings, Kate watches bats flit above her and for a moment, everything seems alright with the world. But she knows habitat loss remains a huge issue in gardens, the wider countryside and worldwide, and there’s another, far bigger threat: climate change. Temperature increases are starting to bite, and she worries about what that will mean for our wildlife. In her uplifting new book, Kate writes passionately about how her climate-change anxiety pushes her to look for positive ways to keep going in a changing world. As in her first memoir, she invites you into her life, sharing stories of her mum’s ongoing recovery and her adventures with her new rescue dog, Tosca. One Garden Against the World is a call to action for all of us – gardeners, communities and individuals – to do more for wildlife and more for the climate. Climate change and biodiversity loss go hand in hand, but if we work together, it’s never too late to make a difference.
The greatest existential crisis we face distilled into the crucible of a tiny piece of paradise. * Chris Packham * Heartfelt and impassioned… an invitation to a deeper relationship with the world around us, and proof of what might be achieved if we became true custodians of our nearby nature. * Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the Barley * This beautiful book is both thoughtful meditation and practical guide. Through Kate’s journey of trial and error and her highs and lows, we learn how every one of us can transform whatever space we have, no matter how small, into an oasis for wildlife and a positive force for the planet. This book is a cure for eco-anxiety and a testament to the power of community. It’s an inspiring, empowering call to arms and a comforting companion on the road to a better world. * Isabella Tree, author of Wilding * Inside Kate’s wild garden lies the key to a gentle revolution. This beautiful story recognises the power we have to support our wildlife and climate through the humble act of cherishing our gardens. Each leaf, flower and animal that makes its home within Kate’s wild sanctuary is a symbol of hope and resilience. This book is empowering, it's joyous... and it's very important. I loved every page! * Megan McCubbin, author of Back to Nature * Kate Bradbury shows how a single determined person has the power to change things and how tiny actions combine to make a big difference. She is defending our beautiful planet and its wildlife, one caterpillar at a time. * Pam Ayres, poet * A wonderful vision of a world where every garden is nature-friendly and brims with life. * Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth * Just the tonic for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the climate crisis. -- Cleve West * Gardens Illustrated * If you ever doubted that you can help change the world, read this book. Part passionate call to arms, part intimate nature diary, One Garden Against the World shows how the actions we take in our gardens, allotments, balconies or window boxes can both nurture vital habitats and wildlife and offer a source of solace and hope. Lyrical and compelling, Bradbury makes a powerful case that, as the climate and nature emergencies deepen, gardening is not just a personal passion but a political necessity. * Caroline Lucas, Member of Parliament * Written with Kate’s signature purpose and passion, this beautiful, inspirational book shows us how we can channel our fears for the future into the here and now, into our gardens, our communities, and our nearby wild. Pulling no punches but bursting with love and hope, One Garden Against the World is a timely call for us to cherish and protect that which we love. * Brigit Strawbridge Howard, author of Dancing with Bees * This book spills joy all the way through. It made me want to do more of the little things that bring me closer to nature. I want to build a pond. I want to look for frogs. I want to continue trying to connect the land with the people. It is a joyful and justifiably accusatory memoir of hope set in an atmosphere where intimacy can often be lost in the sea of overwhelming helplessness. * Jasmine Isa Qureshi, journalist, poet and ecologist * One Garden Against the World is a brilliantly subversive, deeply humane, angry and passionate book. Kate Bradbury’s skill is to weave such huge forces with an enviable lightness of touch. * Hugh Warwick, author of Cull of the Wild * Like everything Kate Bradbury does, this book is a heartfelt cry for the wild creatures with whom we are privileged to share our lives. More than anything else, One Garden Against the World shows us what a deeply thoughtful, compassionate and committed conservationist Kate is. * Nick Acheson, author of The Meaning of Geese * An empowering reminder that we can all make a difference. Absolutely vital. * Hannah Bourne-Taylor, author of Fledgling * [Kate Bradbury] is hardwired to the rhythms and balances of the natural world. Her lyrical and intimate diary … skilfully balances the seriousness of the issues we face with a ‘best foot forward’ approach. -- Cleve West * Gardens Illustrated * Pockmarked with wisdom. * HortWeek *
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