The upside to a late spring snowstorm and unseasonably cold weather, is that I have more time to stay indoors to read. I’m reading three wonderfully different and totally engaging books about gardeners. It’s a good reminder that I can always learn from other gardeners, and not just by visiting their gardens, but through stories, photographs, garden design, garden history, tales of adventure and perseverance, and building a career in the garden world. If you are stuck in between the seasons, here’s a few books that I’d recommend:
Rosemary Verey: The Life and Lessons of a Legendary Gardener by Barbara Paul Robinson
A few weeks back, I attended a lecture given by Barbara Paul Robinson at the Arnold Arboretum, and left with this fascinating account of a powerfully influential and brilliant plants woman. Rosemary Verey was a self-taught gardener, who did not give a care about landscaping until she was in mid-life. She wrote her first book, at age 62 and continued writing for the next 20 years producing 17 books. This engaging account of her life, documents her strong personality and obsessive love of plants to carve out a successful career. It’s a good read for anyone interested in Rosemary’s’ work or the behind the scenes of building a horticulture career through pure determination and passion. Don’t expect to find any garden tips or planting technique, save those for Rosemary’s books. Barbara Paul Robinson is on speaking tour thanks in part to the Garden Conservancy – try to attend one of her lectures. You’ll be glad you did.
The Flower of Empire: An Amazonian Water Lily, The Quest to Make it Bloom, and the World it Created
I’ve just started reading this exciting tale of adventure and the pursuit of a horticultural wonder, told by gifted writer, scholar and Victorian literature expert, Tatiana Holway. Through meticulous research, this book comes alive with rich, sumptuous details about a passionate obsession with a giant water lily, that inspired and left its affect on nearly every aspect of the Victorian life, art and culture. The story revolves around the efforts by an early explorer to map new territory in the Amazon, while simultaneously obtaining plants for private collectors, which led to the surreptitious discovery of a giant water lily, and thanks to well documented diaries and careful research by Holway, this book transports the reader back to an era of exploration and innovation. Wonderful prose, combined with charming old photographs, The Flower of Empire is a fascinating account that will appeal to gardeners and non-gardeners featuring a cast of colorful, historic characters who weave a remarkable story. A royal tribute to the important role that plants have played throughout history.
Monticello: A rich spot on earth by Peter Hatch
Earlier this spring, I was delighted to be on the same speaking engagement with Peter Hatch at the Fernwood Botanic Garden. We hung out after the event with his sister and friends, enjoying a lovely dinner with a view of Lake Michigan. He’s a fascinating person, with a knack for writing and love of history, and of course, a delightful gardener. Since his book just arrived by post, I’ll include a bit about Peter from the Amazon site: From 1977 until last year, Peter has been the Director of Gardens and Grounds at Monticello, responsible for the maintenance, interpretation, and conservation of its 2,400-acre landscape. He has written several previous books on Jefferson’s gardens and is an adviser for First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House kitchen garden. This richly photographed and brilliantly written story of Jefferson’s unique vegetable garden and the medley of plants he enthusiastically cultivated in the early nineteenth century, is a living expression of Jefferson’s genius and his distinctly American attitudes, and continues to have an impact on the culinary, garden, and landscape history of the United States. Be sure to visit Peter Hatch’s website to find out where he will be appearing, and invite him to be a lecturer at your next event.
