Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children's Tales

 

Title: Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children's Tales

Author: Marta McDowell

Genre: gardening, nonfiction, biography memoir,  nature, British literature, history, books about books, animals, Patsy, audio

Summary: (Goodreads) A New York Times Bestseller
There aren’t many books more beloved than The Tale of Peter Rabbit and even fewer authors as iconic as Beatrix Potter. Her characters—Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck, and all the rest—exist in a charmed world filled with flowers and gardens. In Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life , bestselling author Marta McDowell explores the origins of Beatrix Potter’s love of gardening and plants and shows how this passion came to be reflected in her work.

The book begins with a gardener’s biography, highlighting the key moments and places throughout her life that helped define her. Next, follow Beatrix Potter through a year in her garden, with a season-by-season overview of what is blooming that truly brings her gardens alive. The book culminates in a traveler’s guide, with information on how and where to visit Potter’s gardens today.

Rating: Excellent!

Why I Like It: So well done & interesting,

Other: I did audio & also got the book out of the library so I could follow along with the beautiful pictures. Both were excellent & so easy to follow!

Reviewer: Patsy

Unearthing the Secret Garden

 Title:  Unearthing the Secret Garden

Author:  Marta McDowell

Genre: Nonfiction

Summary:  In Unearthing The Secret Garden, best-selling author Marta McDowell delves into the professional and gardening life of Frances Hodgson Burnett. Complementing her fascinating account with charming period photographs and illustrations, McDowell paints an unforgettable portrait of a great artist and reminds us why The Secret Garden continues to touch readers after more than a century. This deeply moving and gift-worthy book is a must-read for fans of The Secret Garden and anyone who loves the story behind the story.

Rating: Good
Why I Like It:  Frances Hodgson Burnett had an interesting life and I am familiar with the horticulture catalogs and references she used.

Reviewer: Nancy Bucher

The Last Garden in England

Title: The Last Garden in England

Author: Julia Kelly
Genre: Gardening, historical fiction, romance

Summary: Present day: Emma Lovett, who has dedicated her career to breathing new life into long-neglected gardens, has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate, designed in 1907 by her hero Venetia Smith. But as Emma dives deeper into the gardens’ past, she begins to uncover secrets that have long lain hidden.

1907: A talented artist with a growing reputation for her ambitious work, Venetia Smith has carved out a niche for herself as a garden designer to industrialists, solicitors, and bankers looking to show off their wealth with sumptuous country houses. When she is hired to design the gardens of Highbury House, she is determined to make them a triumph, but the gardens—and the people she meets—promise to change her life forever.

1944: When land girl Beth Pedley arrives at a farm on the outskirts of the village of Highbury, all she wants is to find a place she can call home. Cook Stella Adderton, on the other hand, is desperate to leave Highbury House to pursue her own dreams. And widow Diana Symonds, the mistress of the grand house, is anxiously trying to cling to her pre-war life now that her home has been requisitioned and transformed into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. But when war threatens Highbury House’s treasured gardens, these three very different women are drawn together by a secret that will last for decades.

Rating: Very Good

Why I Like It: This book was very interesting because it covered a range of topics: garden design, gardening, war history, land girls, etc.

Reviewer: Nancy Bucher

Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms

Title: Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms

Author: Erin Benzakein

Genre: gardening

Summary: From Amazon: From Erin Benzakein, a leader in the locaflor farm-to-centerpiece movement and owner of internationally renowned Floret Flower Farm, Cut Flower Garden is equal parts instruction and inspiration—a book overflowing with lush photography of magnificent flowers and breathtaking arrangements organized by season. This beautiful guide to growing, harvesting, and arranging gorgeous blooms year-round gives readers vital tools to nurture a stunning flower garden and use their blossoms to create showstopping arrangements. With irresistible photos of Erin's flower farm that showcase exquisite blooms, tips for growing in a variety of spaces and climates as well as step-by-step instructions for lavish garlands, airy centerpieces, and romantic floral décor for every season, Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden informs and entices gardeners of all skill levels.

Rating: Very Good

Why I Like It: A few years ago, a friend from California sent me a couple dozen dahlia tubers. (Her brother owned a dahlia business out there) So, thus, my sudden interest in dahlias! This book caught my attention because of the beautiful pictures & instructions for growing, not only dahlias, but many varieties of flowers. I got this book from my library about a year ago, renewed it all year – now I have to return it! But I’ll get it out again soon.

Reviewer: Patsy