Comments on: The Intimate Garden: Book Review http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/ Hardy plants for hardy souls Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:24:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: A Garden Labyrinth | Cold Climate Gardening http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-16086 A Garden Labyrinth | Cold Climate Gardening Thu, 26 Apr 2007 12:02:05 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-16086 [...] garden is laid out well; each area has a purpose and you are gently lead from one area to the next. Gordon Hayward would approve. This time of the year, her garden is glorious with daffodils, which put me in mind [...] [...] garden is laid out well; each area has a purpose and you are gently lead from one area to the next. Gordon Hayward would approve. This time of the year, her garden is glorious with daffodils, which put me in mind [...]

]]> By: Ted B http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15747 Ted B Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:26:42 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15747 Kathy, I didn't mean to imply I can't grow any of the plants from these books, just not all of them. The main difference it seems between gardening here and New England/New York is we are a bit colder and drier in the winter and hotter and drier in the summer. Also the limestone bedrock here means most soils and well water are alkaline so all the ericaceous plants can be a challenge. Pam, Thanks for the recommendation - I'm always up for a new garden book. BTW - Gordon Hayward is also a good presenter, If you notice he's speaking in your area - go see him! Kathy,

I didn’t mean to imply I can’t grow any of the plants from these books, just not all of them.

The main difference it seems between gardening here and New England/New York is we are a bit colder and drier in the winter and hotter and drier in the summer. Also the limestone bedrock here means most soils and well water are alkaline so all the ericaceous plants can be a challenge.

Pam, Thanks for the recommendation – I’m always up for a new garden book.

BTW – Gordon Hayward is also a good presenter, If you notice he’s speaking in your area – go see him!

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15742 Kathy Purdy Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:27:56 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15742 Carol, just so you know, you can click on the photo or the text link in this review and it gives me the same commission as if you went to the "store." For anyone interested in the other books the Haywards wrote, they are all in my store under Great Garden Writers > Gordon Hayward. Carol, just so you know, you can click on the photo or the text link in this review and it gives me the same commission as if you went to the “store.”

For anyone interested in the other books the Haywards wrote, they are all in my store under Great Garden Writers > Gordon Hayward.

]]> By: LostRoses http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15733 LostRoses Mon, 09 Apr 2007 03:28:23 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15733 Kathy, I'm a sucker for this kind of narrative garden book also. Thanks for the informative review! Kathy, I’m a sucker for this kind of narrative garden book also. Thanks for the informative review!

]]> By: Carol http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15731 Carol Mon, 09 Apr 2007 00:27:42 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15731 Kathy, I am weak when it comes to gardening books, I'm about to click over to your Amazon store and get this one. Wonderful review. I've been thinking a lot about this topic of "making a garden" as I try to make my suburban lot less like a yard (with a big vegetable garden) and more like a garden throughout. Kathy, I am weak when it comes to gardening books, I’m about to click over to your Amazon store and get this one. Wonderful review. I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic of “making a garden” as I try to make my suburban lot less like a yard (with a big vegetable garden) and more like a garden throughout.

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15730 Kathy Purdy Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:49:46 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15730 Hi, Pam-- No, it doesn't go on about individual plants. The most you get is something along the lines of "we planted Cornus kousa here but they died after their second winter, so then we tried . . ." Hi, Pam–
No, it doesn’t go on about individual plants. The most you get is something along the lines of “we planted Cornus kousa here but they died after their second winter, so then we tried . . .”

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15729 Kathy Purdy Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:47:33 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15729 Hi, Ted-- Thanks for commenting. I have read all the books you suggested, and I am surprised you can't grow the at least most of the plants that Winterrowd and Eck grow in Vermont. Denver has cold temperatures but is much dryer in the winter, which makes a big difference in plants being able to winter over. Hi, Ted–
Thanks for commenting. I have read all the books you suggested, and I am surprised you can’t grow the at least most of the plants that Winterrowd and Eck grow in Vermont. Denver has cold temperatures but is much dryer in the winter, which makes a big difference in plants being able to winter over.

]]> By: Pam/Digging http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15728 Pam/Digging Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:36:29 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15728 I'll look for The Undaunted Gardener, Ted. Thanks for the tip. You might like A Yard Full of Sun, by Scott Calhoun. Its subtitle reads: The Story of a Gardener's Obsession that Got a Little Out of Hand. It's a good personal memoir about creating a garden (and house) in Arizona. Lovely pics as well. Kathy, I don't at all mind reading about gardens in other regions and substituting, in my mind's eye, plants for my area that could achieve the same effect. The thing I don't like is having to wade through chapters of text devoted to specific plants that I can never grow in my area. I’ll look for The Undaunted Gardener, Ted. Thanks for the tip. You might like A Yard Full of Sun, by Scott Calhoun. Its subtitle reads: The Story of a Gardener’s Obsession that Got a Little Out of Hand. It’s a good personal memoir about creating a garden (and house) in Arizona. Lovely pics as well.

Kathy, I don’t at all mind reading about gardens in other regions and substituting, in my mind’s eye, plants for my area that could achieve the same effect. The thing I don’t like is having to wade through chapters of text devoted to specific plants that I can never grow in my area.

]]> By: Ted B http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15725 Ted B Sun, 08 Apr 2007 16:50:26 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15725 I really like this book also. Both inspiring and usefull. I have several other of Gordon's books and enjoy them all, but this is the best of the bunch. This genre of garden writing is my favorite - Exploring a personal garden while providing a lot of information. A few other that I really like along the same lines are: A Year at North Hill, by Wayne Winterrowd and Joe Eck. A great garden made by two plantsmen in rural Vermont The Undaunted Garden, by Lauren Springer. A cottagey garden in Denver. (Might be good for Pam) A Getle Plea for Chaos, by Mirabel Osler. A wild and wonderful garden on the border of Wales and England. Even though all the books use plants that won't do well for me in Wisconsin, it's the gardeners relationship with thier garden that inspires me. I haven't read the Mary Keen book but will track it down. I really like this book also. Both inspiring and usefull. I have several other of Gordon’s books and enjoy them all, but this is the best of the bunch.

This genre of garden writing is my favorite – Exploring a personal garden while providing a lot of information.

A few other that I really like along the same lines are:

A Year at North Hill, by Wayne Winterrowd and Joe Eck. A great garden made by two plantsmen in rural Vermont

The Undaunted Garden, by Lauren Springer. A cottagey garden in Denver. (Might be good for Pam)

A Getle Plea for Chaos, by Mirabel Osler. A wild and wonderful garden on the border of Wales and England.

Even though all the books use plants that won’t do well for me in Wisconsin, it’s the gardeners relationship with thier garden that inspires me.

I haven’t read the Mary Keen book but will track it down.

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-15719 Kathy Purdy Sun, 08 Apr 2007 14:44:15 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2007/04/08/the-intimate-garden-book-review/#comment-15719 There is an appendix that lists all the major plants used in the garden, and another that gives the dates of (peak?) bloom. But in the text itself, specific plants aren't mentioned unless they were especially part of the problem--or the solution. Most of the time the discussion is focused on how a particular type of plant--trees, shrubs, grasses, etc.--was used to a certain effect. The thing is, it most definitely looks like a New England garden, designed for a New England climate. So a Texan gardener such as yourself has to make plant substitutions in her head, imagine a different color palette, and a different maintenance schedule. To some people this skill comes naturally; to others, it just about makes the book unusable. That's why I said it would be even better to have a book like this for each region. Maybe you'll write the book for Texas. There is an appendix that lists all the major plants used in the garden, and another that gives the dates of (peak?) bloom. But in the text itself, specific plants aren’t mentioned unless they were especially part of the problem–or the solution. Most of the time the discussion is focused on how a particular type of plant–trees, shrubs, grasses, etc.–was used to a certain effect.

The thing is, it most definitely looks like a New England garden, designed for a New England climate. So a Texan gardener such as yourself has to make plant substitutions in her head, imagine a different color palette, and a different maintenance schedule. To some people this skill comes naturally; to others, it just about makes the book unusable. That’s why I said it would be even better to have a book like this for each region. Maybe you’ll write the book for Texas.

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