4 comments about Beds I Have Known: Confessions of a Passionate Amateur Gardener.

1. This is a must read for anyone who loves the joy of gardening and knows it's Nature's Prozac. Smith is a funny, witty, spirited writer and my only woe was that it was too short. Yes, 300 plus pages was simply not enough of her wonderful outlook on life and gardening and people and giving. As a writer and writing teacher, I'm sensitive to good writing and Martha Smith's work exceeded my expectations.

   Please take my advice and read this collection. Then go out and get your hands dirty. You'll be in good company. I'd say more, but my garden and my dog are waiting!




2. My husband and I are both avid gardeners and on a recent road trip, I read this book aloud to him as he drove and he almost wrecked from laughing so hard. This is a very funny book and the author knows too well the joys as well as the back-breaking hard work that gardening can be. My favorite chapter - "Canna lily kill you?" - a must read for gardeners who enjoy a spike of humor.



3. I found this gardening memoir to be both feisty and funny. I love the way Martha Smith describes her "Mae West Memorial Garden". I could almost smell the lilacs and dahlias as I was reading. For anyone who loves gardening essays with a humorous slant this book is a must read!!



4. Martha Smith is entertaining and light. A great read to lighten your heart and load after working outside in the heat all day.

No comments about Touching Earth.

1 comments about The Virago Book of Women Gardeners.

1. The full title of this anthology is "The Illustrated Virgo Book of Women Gardeners". Virago is the division of international publisher Little, Brown &Co that pays serious attention to women's writing. They chose an editor who is herself a student of English Literature as well as a gardener and gave her the daunting task of selecting the most evocative writing from the pens of devoted women gardeners of the last few centuries.

   Deciding what to leave out must have been far more difficult than choosing what to include. The editor says "The book aims to be useful, to inspire or amuse. But another editor, even given these three aims, might well have made an entirely different selection." One choice that had to be made was that, with two exceptions, the book contains no fiction. The first exception, and the first extract, is from Frances Hodgson Burnett's "The sEcret Garden".

   The editor has divided this anthology into ten sections, starting with "Weeders and Diggers" and ending with "Visionaries". You'll find many famous garden names in there and also some that are new to you. You'll find writers from over a hundred years ago and modern writers, writers with vast acres and paid gardeners with small back gardens and soil under their finger nails. There is a beautifully illustrated section on flower arranging (which is an advanced art in England) and bracing words written by Gertrude Jekyll in 1899 ""I have no patience with slovenly planting..."

   This anthology is handsomely illustrated, showcasing the work of women photographers. Buy this book for a woman friend or treat yourself to it. You can open it at any page, the extract coming from any century, and you know you are in the company of friends.

No comments about Travels in China: A Plantsman's Paradise.

5 comments about Clippings from Orene's Garden: A Sourthern Gardener's Year.

1. Orene Horton's wise advice works for beginners and experts alike. She obviously loved her gardening and sharing that feeling with others. This is a book that can be read straight through and then kept as a continuing reference.



2. It's in my blood but I never appreciated what gardening meant to my mother and her mother until reading "Clippings." The "open letter" at the end sums it up.

   I have been a homeowner for 30 years and searched for a practical guide to gardening. This book provides a layman's perspective--enough detail to understand pansies, crape myrtles,camellias, azaleas, etc. but not be overwhelmed--there are references if you want that.

   Orene's style is that of a patient mother teaching an eager leaner. I appreciate that and recommend "Clippings" to my fellow weekend "gardening" warriors.




3. This afternoon is gray and cold, but I've really been unaware of it, as I've had the companionship of Orene as she "walked me through" her winter garden. With her today, I have seen things I have never dreamed existed outside in winter. Having lived all my life in North Carolina, I have always taken for granted the flowers and trees that are indigenous to this area. My mother had a "green thumb" and worked in her roses tirelessly, humming to her heart's content. I merely enjoyed the fruits of her labor. Until today, as I walked with Orene. I was totally unaware of the wonders that take place before and during the growing season. For her to hold my attention so completely and to bring several chuckles to my lips as she describes her world has been a thing of beauty. I have several hobbies that are so different from hers (although hers was a way of life) that it really surprised me just how much I learned from her sharing and how much it kindled my interest in gardening. I can readily see how gardeners share her interests and have knowledge of the names and habits of the different flowers and trees she so beautifully describes gain much from the pages of her book. It is easy and enjoyable reading and written in such a personal way that one feels she is talking strictly to them. After having shared this adventure with Orene, I know that I will be more mindful of the surprises that lurk in my own yard and seek to see them through her eyes. How grateful I am that she has left these thoughts and the vast knowledge she had about her love of gardening so that we may benefit from her life forever. Such love and beauty should be preserved and treasured. How like her to devise a way to continue to give and to share her passion, not only for gardening, but for God's people!



4. After years of trial and error gardening that's hard on the back as well as the budget, I welcome this practical guide that tells me as much or as little as I want to know.

   I like the author's conversational, neighbor to neighbor style. And she presents the reader with regular bouquets of gardening tips from experienced friends and professionals, specific ways to make gardening easier and more pleasant for both the gardener and the plants.

   Using the book's helpful calendar month organization, I easily found instructions on how and when to prune my Crape Myrtle -- and the mistakes to avoid. In the accompanying table, I found its height, flower color, trunk color, and fall color.

   Whether she's discussing Monet's garden, her garden, or mine, I like the wit and humor with which the author explains "rose rustlers" and "passalong plants" and "xeriscaping". Her guidance in how to choose the right plant for the right place will help any gardener eliminate landscaping disappointments. And I especially welcome her "southern fried" section on how both gardeners and plants can beat the heat.

   This book is fun to read, easy to use, and my new gardening companion.




5. Orene Stroud Horton, renowned garden writer and true southern lady gives us a wealth of practical and artistic information in this book. It is a wonderful resource for novice to expert gardners, as well as pleasant reading. Espically important are the numerous plant combinations that provide guidance to southern gardners for beautiful color and texture. It wonderful to have her wisdom in one place and not scattered on many slips of paper. A special thanks to her family who have made this gift available to all.

1 comments about Weeds in My Garden: Observations on Some Misunderstood Plants.

1. This is an interesting book about weeds. I personally would like more pictures but that was not the authors purpose in writing the book.

1 comments about The English Garden: Meditation and Memorial.

1. When you think of gardening and great gardeners you immediately think of the English. For hundreds of years this tiny island has produced some of the most influential gardens and architecture. This book provides a most picturesque view of country estates and the architecture of gardening. PERFECT for us weekend gardeners with visions of grandeur

No comments about Alexander Pope: The Poet and the Landscape.

No comments about The Well-Considered Garden.