Rough Patch: How a Year in the Garden Brought Me Back to Life

Paperback Published on: 05/02/2026
Price: £12.99
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Synopsis

When Kathy was forced to quit her high-flying career in London, she was a wreck - burnt out, anxious, consumed by depression. But she found solace in an unlikely place - the veg patch. She put her hands in the soil and found a way to grow, to sow some small seeds of hope.In Rough Patch, Kathy draws us into the world of the kitchen garden to reflect on the lessons she learnt from the soil, along with sharing recipes inspired by the land. Weaving together her own story of recovery with the year she spent growing and cooking her harvests, Kathy realises that the two are tightly bound together and that reconnecting with the earth could restore her hope and renew her life. Along the way there are tales of marauding pigs, transformative insights from planting leeks, recipes for an unchecked courgette glut and the discovery of why a radish seed is worth staying alive for. The result is a candid, hopeful and sometimes funny story about the healing powers of nature; a quiet manifesto for a more connected life.

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
  • ISBN: 9781472148865
  • Number of pages: 288
  • Dimensions: 196 x 124 x 22 mm
  • Weight: 240g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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Rough Patch
Delightfully Honest
Kathy Slack once bought into the whole consumer culture. Working in advertising, being at the head of global strategies to figure out what the overarching ... READ MORE
Katy Wheatley
Rough Patch
A beautiful and moving memoir - the power of outdoor living and connecting to plants
"The vegetable patch was becoming a daily haven. It offered safety and comfort and peace. An escape." Having been a reader of Kathy Slack's blog- Tales ... READ MORE
Stephen - The Bookworm
Rough Patch
An emotional journey with hope using nature as a guide
After seeing a short review and not reading other books by Kathy slack I was so pleased I chose this beautiful book . The author opens up about a subject m... READ MORE
Alison Green
Rough Patch
Beautifully written, inspiring read
A beautifully written book, full of relatable thoughts and emotion. Grounding, inspiring and reassuring. Delicious (and do-able) recipes scattered among ... READ MORE
Sarah Jones
Rough Patch
I would advise buying this in quantities of 6
I would advise buying this book in quantities of 6. One to read yourself and 5 to give to friends. Because you're going to want to. I was gripped fro... READ MORE
Heather Miller