Count me among the legion of Beatrix Potter's fans. I love the illustrations in her children's books, and just as much--perhaps more--I love the language of those stories. It pleased my childish ear--and still does today--that the "friendly sparrows," overhearing Peter's sobs, "implored him to exert himself." And that Mr. McGregor "came up with a [...]
Book reviews
Mentors in the Garden of Life: Book Review
December 6, 2013 – Posted in: Book reviewsGardening teaches you about life, it's often been said, and Colleen Plimpton, in Mentors in the Garden of Life, makes this connection explicit. Each essay in her memoir pairs an influential person in her life with a plant. I always tried to guess how the plant and the person were tied together, and I was [...]
The Roses at the End of the Road: Book Review
November 29, 2013 – Posted in: Book reviewsThis is Pat Leuchtman. You may know her as the garden blogger Commonweeder. I first met Pat at a garden blogger's fling and chatted with her then and at other garden blogger gatherings. I thought she was a cheerful, conventional New Englander. When I started reading her book, The Roses at the End of the [...]
Slow Flowers: Book Review
July 12, 2013 – Posted in: Book reviewsDebra Prinzing's latest book, Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets from the Garden, Meadow and Farm, started as a challenge to herself to use only seasonal, locally grown floral elements in her weekly bouquets. (From my perspective that's two challenges in one, because with the many demands on my time, putting together a [...]
The Backyard Parables: Book Review
February 2, 2013 – Posted in: Book reviews"A writer who gardens is sooner or later going to write a book about the subject," opined Eleanor Perenyi. Certainly there is a meditative aspect to many gardening chores that lends itself to interior dialogue. I have had conversations with myself, or with a faraway friend, as I was pulling weeds or raking leaves, "speaking" [...]
The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns: Book Review and Giveaway
August 22, 2012 – Posted in: Book reviews, RosesI confess I haven't been reading much fiction lately, but when I was asked to review The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns I agreed for two reasons. One, there are precious few novels where a gardener is the protagonist and gardening is an integral element of the plot and theme. Two, I was [...]
New Gardens for Cold Climate Gardening
September 5, 2011 – Posted in: Acquisitions, Book reviews, Hardscaping and ProjectsWe. Are. MOVING!!! After 21 years, 9 months, 11 days* in the same location, Purdyville is relocating twenty minutes further out to the middle of nowhere. We are just about doubling our floor space, with 167% more bedrooms and 250% more bathrooms. Total acreage will be less than we currently have, but, trust me, there [...]
Gardening With Tulips: Book Review
March 27, 2011 – Posted in: Book reviewsI have clay soil and several kinds of rodents in my garden, and I'd pretty much given up on growing tulips, but Gardening with Tulips by Michael King is making me reconsider. Not just because of the gorgeous color photos on every page, but because it's filled with specific advice on using tulips as an [...]
Two Plant-Related Children’s Books
March 10, 2011 – Posted in: Book reviewsI have pretty high standards when it comes to children's books. I don't like them to be preachy or didactic or otherwise disrespectful of the reader, who may or may not be a child. Last night D., my eight-year-old daughter, and I read two children's books by Kathryn O. Galbraith that I received as review [...]
Grow the Good Life: Book Review
February 25, 2011 – Posted in: Book reviewsMy first reaction upon opening Grow the Good Life: Why a Vegetable Garden Will Make You Happy, Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise by Michele Owens was, "Ah, a gardening book without pictures." I am more of an essay person myself, and it seems like it has been a long time since I have found a newly [...]
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