The Gift Of A Garden

A book of wisdom and life. Welcome to Alice Taylor's garden: 'Just inside the gate, hand-painted on a rickety piece of timber, is a little sign: Miracles only grow where you plant them. I saw it in a garden centre and could not resist it. This garden is full of my lack of resistance. I have no in-depth gardening knowledge and I work on impulse. 'My gardening expertise, acquired through trial and error, is nurtured by the unbelievable pleasure that I have discovered in simply digging the earth. Where does that satisfaction come from? Maybe buried deep in each of us is the secret need to cultivate the soil. Digging the earth breathes life back into us.' A reflective and uplifting account by Alice Taylor of her love of nature and gardening.

A collection of evocative personal essays about the practical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of gardening, including gardening tips, recipes, and ideas. With warmth, wit, and wisdom, author Joyce McGreevy looks to gardening as a source of creativity, spirituality, and inspiration, and she offers practical ideas for gardening--and living life--to the fullest. Her essays include "Gardening Without a Clue," which asserts that one's sense of wonder coupled with nature's own revelations are the greatest gardening teachers; "It's All Rented," which begins as a humorous account of a gardening experience in Ireland and becomes a gentle call for stewardship, rather than ownership, of the Earth; and "Eating, Sleeping, and Living in the Garden," which invites readers to rediscover the traditional rituals of leisure. With so many of us longing to slow our frantic pace and live more authentically, this timely book shows us how gardening "by Heart" can help us do just that and thereby enrich all aspects of our lives.

“A Way to Garden prods us toward that ineffable place where we feel we belong; it’s a guide to living both in and out of the garden.” —The New York Times Book Review For Margaret Roach, gardening is more than a hobby, it’s a calling. Her unique approach, which she calls “horticultural how-to and woo-woo,” is a blend of vital information you need to memorize and intuitive steps you must simply feel and surrender to. In A Way to Garden, Roach imparts decades of garden wisdom on seasonal gardening, ornamental plants, vegetable gardening, design, gardening for wildlife, organic practices, and much more. She also challenges gardeners to think beyond their garden borders and to consider the ways gardening can enrich the world. Brimming with beautiful photographs of Roach’s own garden, A Way to Garden is practical, inspiring, and a must-have for every passionate gardener.

“Kranz’s facility at simplifying the process of raising fava beans or beets or lemon verbena—yes, anywhere—will have you scouring seed catalogs.” —Newsweek Edible Gardens LA founder Lauri Kranz shares her secrets for planning, planting, growing, and maintaining luscious edible gardens, no matter the setting or size of the plot. Through gorgeous gardens created for her well-known clientele, including James Beard Award–winning chefs, celebrities, rock stars, and more, Lauri shares her essential methods for growing abundant organic food. This practical guide is built around Lauri’s philosophy that nourishment and beauty are not separate goals. It’s also at the forefront of a gardening revolution, where more and more people are craving a patch of land for growing and the trend is toward edible gardens over ornamental gardens. A Garden Can Be Anywhere reveals Lauri’s knack for providing both beauty and bounty in her clients’ outdoor spaces. “Every time I see Lauri, I come away feeling nourished. Her superpower is her warmth, and her ease that makes any conversation about your garden feel empowering. She is a grounding force that strips away any gardening intimidation and makes you feel strong, capable, joyful. There’s no ego in her approach; she’s really rooting for you. Being around Lauri is such a gift.” —Maya Rudolph, actor, comedian, singer “The book takes readers through the process—step-by-step—of designing and growing a beautiful home garden.” —Gardenista “Lauri Kranz not only set up my edible garden, but also created and established a relationship between me and my backyard. She is the Tinder for me and my vegetables.” —Nicole Richie, fashion designer, author, actor

Now a New York Times bestseller! "Dodinsky's gentle wisdom and wit are like a breath of fresh air." —Karen Salmansohn, bestselling author of How to Be Happy, Dammit! Beloved by hundreds of thousands from every walk of life and in every corner of the world, Dodinsky strikes the perfect balance of delightful whimsy and powerful emotion, inspiring you with the power to be your best self. When I reach the place of my dreams, I will thank my failures and tears. They too, kept me going.

One of our finest writers on one of her greatest loves. Jamaica Kincaid's first garden in Vermont was a plot in the middle of her front lawn. There, to the consternation of more experienced friends, she planted only seeds of the flowers she liked best. In My Garden (Book) she gathers all she loves about gardening and plants, and examines it generously, passionately, and with sharp, idiosyncratic discrimination. Kincaid's affections are matched in intensity only by her dislikes. She loves spring and summer but cannot bring herself to love winter, for it hides the garden. She adores the rhododendron Jane Grant, and appreciates ordinary Blue Lake string beans, but abhors the Asiatic lily. The sources of her inspiration -- seed catalogues, the gardener Gertrude Jekyll, gardens like Monet's at Giverny -- are subjected to intense scrutiny. She also examines the idea of the garden on Antigua, where she grew up. My Garden (Book) is an intimate, playful, and penetrating book on gardens, the plants that fill them, and the persons who tend them.