I'm a book worm, book collector, book lover. Old books, new books, any books. Just
give me books, and I'm happy. Here are some gardening books—good to curl up with over a
nice hot cup of tea or coffee in a comfy chair, and plan your garden.
The American Gardener's World of Bulbs, by Judy Glattstein. From wonderful line-drawings
that show stages of growth above and below ground throughout the year for selected
bulbs, to close-ups of incredible specimens, to sweeping landscapes full of masses
of blooms, the illustrations in this book are sure to delight. Plant descriptions
include history, growth habits, cultivation, and flower descriptions.
All About Herbs. I've had this book for a few years, and every once in a while I dig it
out and read
the descriptions of all the plants. It's by no means a complete listing of herbs, that
would be a much larger book, but it has most of the common ones. It provides photos
of each herb, a description of the leaves, flowers, growing habits, and garden
requirements. It also gives information for usage in the home, cooking, medicinally,
and major things to watch out for. All in all, a good general reference.
Old-Fashioned Roses by Elvin McDonald. The photography alone is worth its cover
price. The roses shown are elegant and beautiful, from the simple to the complex.
Separate sections are devoted to really old, sampler, new English, romantica,
companions, and bouquets. This splendid book reflects the author's passion for this
incredible flower.
Pelargoniums. Another remant from living in San Francisco is a deep rooted love
of pelargoniums.
People down here in So Cal think they know what they are, but they don't. Only
the boring geranium varieties are grown here, found here, available here. Ho hum.
I miss the Martha Washingtons that were so prevalent in the City.
I haven't actually looked at this book in person yet, but it appears promising if
you have a similar love.
Again, thanks to Grandma, I now have three editions of the classic Western Garden
book. If you live out west, this is a gardener's must-have. Newly updated and revised
in 2001, the Western Garden Book is, and always has been, your basic gardening bible.
It provides hundreds of pages of descriptions, growing habits, pests, and all that
you need to know to successfully grow tiny flowers and towering oaks and everything
in between.
Easy Orchids: Simple Secrets for Glorious Gardens-Indoors and Out by Mimi Luebbermann.
Sounds like the perfect book for lazy people like me. It was written for
people who love orchids, but don't like to fuss. She talks about which types are which, what
the easy ones to grow are, and how to take care of them.
And when you're too lazy to venture out to your own yard, or summer's heat or winter's
snows prevent you from being outside, you can curl up with one of these.
People with Dirty Hands: The Passion for Gardening by Robin Chotzinoff. My copy of
this book was given to me by a very good friend who somehow just knows the secrets
of my heart. Like gardening, and reading about other people's gardens, and America.
This book is a celebration of gardening. The author traveled America and talked
with a variety of gardeners who have one thing in common: an obsession for gardening.
The best way to describe it is by letting you read the first paragraph from the
jacket flap:
"Why do some people have their hands in dirt? What causes someone to become
obsessed with the process of growing something, whether it be a tangle of flowers,
chiles hot enough to make your eyes water, or a rambling rose plucked from a
tumbledown house? Author Robin Chotzinoff took a road trip (several, actually) across
America to find the answers."
Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes (two-book boxed set).
Discover a whole new world from Ms. Mayes eyes as she and her husband explore the
wonders of buying a centuries-old home in Tuscany, renovating it, and replacing the
glorious gardens. The books make up her memoirs of nine years of travels to this rich
Italian countryside. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will rejoice with them. And
eat! What is Italy without home-grown vegetables, savory dishes, luscious wines, and
hand-pressed olive oil from your own trees? Yes, she includes some recipes as well.
In Tuscany by Frances Mayes. Here are the photographs that accompany the prose of the
previous two books. Photos of glorious countryside, old buildings, frescos, people
at outdoor cafes, storefronts, ruins, statues, street vendors, grapes ripe on the
vine. Here are essays and recipes to bring it all together. Fantastico!
You'll want to check out the great selection of
home and garden magazines
magazines at
Amazon.com, and save up to 74%.
If you have a garden and a library,
you have everything you need.
