Reading Between the Leaves A subjective evaluation of books. magazines, videos and websites about gardening, gardens and gardeners by Shirlee Iverson, appreciator of books and gardens
My evaluation method: 1. Title and subtitle - what can I expect from this book? 2. Author - am I familiar with this author? Is there a biography of the author on the back of the book or inside the back cover?
3. Date of publication and publisher - Some publishers have familiar format and/or subject matter - examples DK and Rodale. Date will indicate how current is the information and sometimes the style of writing. 4. Table of Contents and Index - gives an idea of organization and focus 5. Introduction - make sure it is written by the author - gives an idea of writing style 6. Find a chapter from the Table of Contents or open the book at random and read a paragraph or two to get an idea of writing style and presentation. 7. Illustrations - if they are photographs are they clear and appropriately placed? Are the drawings helpful?
General Information and Instruction Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 The Backyard Homestead Produce all the Food you need on Carleen Madigan, editor just a quarter acre
10 Gardening Without a Garden Gay Search
10 Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Barbara W. Ellis and Fern Marshall Bradley, editors Gardening
10 Nature-Friendly Garden Creating a Backyard Haven for Marlene A. Cordon Plants, Wildlife and People
10 Rodale's Successful Organic Gardening Controlling Pests and Diseases Patricia S. Michalak 10 Organic Plant Protection A Comprehensive Reference on R.B. Yepson, editor Controlling Insects and Diseases in the Garden, Orchard and Yard - Without Chemicals
10 Rodale's Successful Organic Gardening Companion Planting Susan McClure and Sally Roth
10 The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural A Complete Guide to Maintaining a Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis and Pest and Disease Control Healthy Garden and Yard the Earth- Deborah L. Martin Friendly Way
9 Rodale's Color Handbook of Garden Insects Anna Carr
9 Cold-Climate Gardening How to Extend Your Growing Season Lewis Hill by at Least 30 Days
9 Improve Your Gardening with Backyard Lois Levitan Research
10 America's Garden Book Louise and James Bush
9 The Dictionary of Useful Plants Nelson Coon
9 Right Plant, Right Place Over 1400 Plants for every situation Nicola Ferguson in the garden
9 Magic Gardens A Modern Chronicle of Herbs and Rosetta Clarkson Savory Seeds 9 The Complete Illustrated Guide to Everything (Except the plants) Steve Ettlinger Sold in Garden Centers
9 Gaia's Garden A Guide to Home-Scale Toby Hemenway Permaculture
9 The Joy of Gardening Dick Raymond
9 The Adventurous Gardener Nancy Bubel
10 The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual Barbara Pleasant
10 The National Wildlife Federation's Guide to How to Create a Beautiful Backyard Craig Tufts and Peter Loewer Gardening for Wildlife Habitat for Birds, Butterflies and Other Wildlife
Gardening Methods Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 The Complete Compost Gardening Guide Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin
10 Compost The Natural Way to make food for Ken Thompson your garden
9 Backyard Composting Your Complete Guide to Recycling Harmonious Technology Your Clippings 10 Let it Rot The Gardener's Guide to Stu Campbell Composting 10 Root cellaring Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Mike and Nancy Bubel Vegetables 9 Start With the Soil The Organic Gardener's Guide to Grace Gershuny Improving Soil for Higher Yields, More Beautiful Flowers and A Healthy, Easy-Care Garden
9 Pruning How-to Guide for Gardeners Robert L. Stebbins and Michael MacCaskey
Decorative Plantings Information and Instruction Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 A Book About Roses S. Reynolds Hole
10 A Garden of Wildflowers 101 Native Species and How to Henry W.A. Art Grow Them
10 Annuals for Connoisseurs Wayne Winterrowd
10 Better Homes & Gardens Gardening in the Anne Halpin Shade
10 Designing with Perennials Pamela Harper
10 Encyclopedia of Perennials A Gardener's Guide Christopher Woods 10 Flower Gardening Secrets Sensible Advice from Seasoned Cynthia Van Hazinga Gardeners
9 From Seed to Bloom How to Grow Over 500 Annuals, Eileen Powell Perennials and Herbs
9 Hardy Bulbs Louise Beebe Wilder
10 Heirloom Flowers Vintage Flowers for Modern Tovah Martin Gardens 10 How To Select and Care for Shrubs and Hedges Cort A. Sinnes
9 Lys de Bray's Manual of Old-Fashioned Flowers Lys de Bray
9 Magic of Trees and Stones Secrets of Japanese Gardening Katsuo Saito
10 Newcomb's Wildflower Guide Lawrence Newcomb
10 Ornamental Grasses The Amber Wave Carole Ottesen
9 Specialty Cut Flowers The Production of Annuals, A.M. Armitage and Judy M. Laushman Perennials, Bulbs and Woody Plants for Fresh and Dried Cut Flowers
9 The English Flower Garden William Robinson 10 The Essence of Paradise Fragrant Plants for Indoor Gardens Tovah Martin
10 The Gardener's Palette The Complete Guide to Selecting John Dale and Kevin Gunnell Plants by Color
10 Butterfly Gardens Luring Nature's Loveliest Pollinators Alcinda Lewis, editor to Your Yard
10 Herbaceous Perennial Plants A Treatise on Their Identification, Allan M. Armitage Culture and Garden Attributes
Vegetable Gardening Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 Four-Season Harvest How to Harvest Fresh, Organic Eliot Coleman Vegetables From Your Home Garden All Year Long
10 Grow Great Grub Organic Food from Small Spaces Gayla Trail
10 Gardening for Good Eating Helen Morgenthau Fox
10 Growing Fruits and Vegetables Organically Jean Nick and Fern Marshall Bradley
10 Oriental Vegetables The Complete Guide for the Joy Larkcom Gardening Cook 10 The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener A Guide to Growing Your Garden Karen Davis Cutler Organically
10 Backyard Fruits and Berries Everything You Need to Know About Miranda Smith Planting and Growing Fruits and Berries in Your Own Backyard
10 Rodale's Successful Organic Gardening Vegetables Patricia S. Michalak and Cass Peterson
10 The Fruit Gardener's Bible A Complete Guide to Growing Fruits Lewis Hill and Leonard Perry and Nuts in the Home Garden
9 Greene on Greens Bert Greene
9 The New Victory Garden Bob Thompson
9 Crockett's Victory Garden James Crockett
9 Lasagna Gardening Patricia Lanza
9 Blue Corn and Square Tomatoes Unusual Facts about Common Rebecca Rupp Garden Vegetable
9 All About Tomatoes Walter L. Doty & A. Cort Sinnes 10 The Harrowsmith Salad Garden A Complete Guide to Growing and Turid Forsyth and Merily Simonds Mohr Dressing Fresh Vegetables and Greens
10 The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener How To Grow Your Own Food 365 Niki Jabbour Days a Year No Matter Where You Live
10 Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention Lee Reich
10 The Salad Garden Joy Larkcom
9 Vertical Vegetables and Fruit Creative Gardening Techniques for Rhonda Massingham Hart Growing Up in Small Spaces
9 The Garden Primer Barbara Damrosch
Herbs Information and Instruction Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs Claire Kowalchik and William H. Hylton, editors
10 Herbs and Herb Gardening Eleanour Sinclair Rohde
10 Herbs for Every Garden Gertrude B. Foster 10 The Complete Book of Herbs A Practical Guide to Growing and Lesley Bremness Using Herbs
10 Herb-Drying Handbook Nora Blose and Dawn Cusick
9 A Garden of Herbs Eleanour Sinclair Rohde
9 Herbal Bounty The Gentle Art of Herb Culture Steven Foster
9 The Herb Society of America Encyclopedia of Deni Brown Herbs & Their Uses
9 The Herb Gardener A Guide for All Seasons Susan McClure
Landscaping Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 The Book of Garden Design John Brookes
10 The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping Home Landscaping with Food- Rosalind Creasy bearing Plants and Resource-saving Techniques
10 Garden Paths Inspiring Designs and Practical Gordon Hayward Projects 10 Natural Landscaping Gardening With Nature to Create a Sally Roth Backyard Paradise
9 The House of Boughs A Sourcebook of Garden Designs, Elizabeth Wilkinson and Marjorie Henderson, Structures and Supplies editors
9 Design in the Little Garden Fletcher Steele 9 Rodale's Landscape Problem Solver Plant-by-Plant Guide Jeff Ball and Liz Ball
9 Gardens by Design Step by Step Plans for 12 Peter Loewer Imaginative Gardens
9 Outdoor Floors The Design and Maintenance of Peter McHoy Lawns, Patios and Ground Covers
9 Creating Small Formal Gardens Roy Strong
9 What Plant Where Roy Lancaster
10 The New American Landscape Gardener A Guide to Beautiful Backyards and Phebe Leighton and Calvin Simonds Sensational Surroundings
Coffee Table Books Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 American Grown The Story of the White House Michelle Obama Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America
10 Moments in Eden Garden Photographs Richard W. Brown
10 Victoria Moments in the Garden A Tour of America's Most Romantic Tovah Martin Landscapes 10 Landscape Design A Cultural and Architectural History Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
10 In The Garden Stacy Bass
10 Gardens, Plants and Man Carlton B. Lees
10 Natural Companions The Garden Lover's Guide to Plant Ken Druse Combinations
10 The Greater Perfection The Story of the Gardens at Les Francis H. Cabot Quatre Vents
10 The Private World of Tasha Tudor Richard W. Brown
9 Braking Ground Garden Design Solutions from Ten Page Dickey Contemporary Masters
9 Rosemary Verey's Making of a Garden Rosemary Verey
9 The Pressed Plant The Art of Botanical Specimens, Andrea DiNoto & David Winter Nature Prints and Sun Pictures
9 Country Gardens Nina Williams and Rebecca R. Sawyer Essays Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 Green Grows the City Beverley Nichols
10 Down the Garden Path First of the Allways Trilogy Beverley Nichols
10 My Vegetable Love A Journal of a Growing Season Carl H. Klaus
10 My Favorite Plant Writers and Gardeners on the Plants Jamaica Kincaid, editor They Love
10 Silent Spring Rachel Carson
10 A Blessing of Toads A Gardener's Guide to Living With Sharon Lovejoy Nature
10 The One-Straw Revolution An Introduction to Natural Farming Masanobu Fukuoka
9 Old-Time Gardens Newly Set Forth Alice Morse Earle
9 Farther Afield A Gardener's Excursions Allen Lacy
9 Of Gardens Selected Essays Paula Deitz 9 The Gardener's World Joseph Wood Krutch
10 Children and Gardens Gertrude Jekyll
9 Two Gardeners A Friendship in Letters Emily Herring Wilson, editor
10 The Essential Earthman Henry Mitchell
9 Embroidered Ground Revisiting the Garden Page Dickey
10 Writing the Garden A Literary Conversation Across Two Elizabeth Barlow Rogers Centuries
10 An Island Garden Celia Thaxter
10 We Made a Garden Margery Fish
10 Second Nature A Gardener's Education Michael Pollan
10 Hollyhock Days Garden Adventures for the Young at Sharon Lovejoy Heart 10 From the Ground Up The Story of a First Garden Amy Stewart
History and Biography Rating Title Subtitle Author 9 Green Immigrants The Plants That Transformed Claire Haughton America
10 Seeds of Change Six Plants that Transformed Henry Hobhouse Mankind
10 Seeds of Wealth Four Plants That Made Men Rich Henry Hobhouse
9 The Garden as a Fine Art F.R. Cowell
9 The Story of Corn Betty H. Fussell
10 Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg 18th Century Methods for Today's Wesley Greene Way Organic Gardeners
10 Once Upon a Windowsill A History of Indoor Plants Tovah Martin
9 Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Fruits Charles M. Skinner and Plants
9 An Illustrated History of Gardening Anthony Huxley 9 Gardens of Illusion The Genius of Andre Le Nostre Franklin Hamilton Hazelhurst
Gardening with Children Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 Project Garden A Month-by-Month Guide to Stacy Tornio Planting, Growing, and Enjoying All Your Backyard Has To Offer
10 First Garden The White House Garden and How It Robbin Gourley Grew
10 Gardening Wizardry for Kids L. Patricia Kite
10 Learn and Play in the Garden Games. Crafts and Activities for Meg Herd Children
10 Green Thumbs A Kid's Activity Guide to Indoor and Laurie Carlson Outdoor Gardening
10 Ready Set Grow Quick and Easy Gardening Projects DK
10 Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots Activities to do in the Garden Sharon Lovejoy
9 I Love Dirt! 52 Activities to Help You & Your Kids Jennifer Ward Discover the Wonders of Nature 9 Blue Potatoes, Orange Tomatoes How To Grow A Rainbow Garden Rosalind Creasy Illustrated by Ruth Heller
9 The Gardening Book Jane Bull
9 The Victory Garden Kid's Book A Beginner's Guide to Growing Marjorie Waters Vegetables
Children's Story and Picture Books Rating Title Subtitle Author 10 Seed Folks Paul Fleschman Illustrated by Judy Pederson
10 Down to Earth Michael J. Rosen and 41 Children's Book Authors
10 Jody's Beans Malachy Doyle Illustrated by Judith Allibone
10 The Dandelion Seed Joseph Anthony Illustrated by Cris Arbo
9 Ten Seeds Ruth Brown
9 Jack's Garden Henry Cole
9 Planting a Rainbow Lois Ehlert 9 The Curious Garden Peter Brown
9 The Vegetables We Eat Gail Gibbons
Fiction and Mystery Series Rating Series Title Book Title Author 10 Old Herbaceous Reginald Arkell
9 The Ladies of Covington Joan Medlicott
8 Elizabeth and Her German Garden Elizabeth Von Arnim
9 China Bayles Susan Wittig Albert
10 The Darling Dahlias Susan Wittig Albert
9 Dirty Business mysteries Rosemary Harris 8 Three Dirty Women Landscaping Julie Wray Herman
8 Queen Bee Mysteries Hannah Reed
9 Celia Grant John Sherwood
9 Surprise Garden Makeovers Heather Webber
9 Thyme Will Tell Audrey Stallsmith
9 The Literary Garden Anthology
Magazines Rating Title Comment 9 Birds and Blooms More about birds but wonderful pictures of both birds and flowers 10 Country Gardens Good articles and practical ideas - less ads than some - full color pictures - gardens and craft 10 Garden Gate No longer published - no ads - great information - very informative - try to get them from your library - worth the effort! 9 Mother Earth News Big on community and homesteading - ads not intrusive - articles are good - practical 9 Organic Gardening Good color pictures - about half ads - clear and well-done articles - easy to find 10 A New Look at Vegetables Good in-depth with illustrated articles - relevant 9 Fine Gardening Very good articles - good information and step by step pictures - less ads than most 9 The Herb Quarterly Good substantial articles - ads gathered in front and back so not intrusive
Websites Rating Title Comment 8 www.productionlane.com From Get Up and Grow TV series - go to "Garden Clips" tab to find instruction videos - need 6 www.yougrowgirl.com VeryQuicktime limited for information most videos - more of a blog - a bit 10 www.chicagobotanic.org gotrendy to "your garden" - "plant information service" for a great resource plant by plant 10 www.urbanext.uiuc University of Illinois extension website - very informative - user-friendly and fun. 8 www.plants.usda.gov Good articles - a little harder to find specific plants 7 applieseco.org conservational and ecological emphasis 7 www.northerngardening.com Great lists - however they are tied to selling sites
DVD - How to Garden Rating Title Comment 10 Rebecca's Garden: Several Subjects Excellent tips - very energetic - basic information and some advanced
10 Seventy Three Skills to Create Your Dream Excellent resource - Canadian TV program - can get some ideas from this video online - Garden see www.productionlane.com
9 The Complete Gardener: Great Gardening Tips Host Steve Brookes gives lots of handy tips and gardening lore - very personable but moves from one subject to the next a bit quickly
10 Garden Story "How gardens transform our lives" Inspiring Spaces, Healing Places - 10 different gardens - each recognized by theme - includes garden of Anne Spencer, poet, University of Virginia designed by Thomas Jefferson and restorative gardens designed for healing by David Kamp. Absolutely Excellent!!! 10 Gardens of the National Trust Several (18) gardens in Great Britain which are owned and managed by The National Trust - beautiful photography - zooms in on certain plants and identifies that plant - good overview of the features which makes each garden unique - seen at all seasons 10 The Beauty of Flowers and Gardens Nature and flower videos set to familiar music selections - some pieces are amazing - #2 time-released photos of close ups of flowers with background music of In The Garden
TV and Movies - Set in Gardens Rating Title Comment 9 Greenfingers Prisoners on an experimental program become gardeners and learn to take care of each other along with plants - based on a true story 10 Enchanted April Beautiful gardens in Italy - wonderful gentle movie - about how a beautiful place can influence who we are and how we look at things 10 The Secret Garden (BBC) At least 3 movies have been made - the one truest to the book and most realistic is the BBC Production from 1975 - wonderful flute music! 10 Rosemary and Thyme BBC television series- 3 seasons - starring Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris who play gardeners who keep "digging up" mysteries. Light and fun! 9 The Good Life (Good Neighbors) BBC television show in the 1970's about an upper-middle-class couple who turn their suburban yard into a self-sufficient farm - stars Felicity Kendal (much younger than the Rosemary and Thyme series) and Richard Briers. Great fun. 7 Saving Grace Movie from 2000 starring Brenda Blethyn, Craig Ferguson and Nigel Cole - set in small town England an impoverished widow and her Scottish gardener finds a modern (and illegal) method to keep their head above water through gardening 6 Adaptation Starring Nicholas Cage and Meryl Streep - a strange movie about orchid poachers 9 Linnea in Monet's Garden Combination of animation, still photos and video about a little girl and an old man who visit Monet's garden in Paris - about art and gardens
Journals Rating Title Subtitle Author 9 A Year at North Hill Four Seasons in a Vermont Garden Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd 9 Week-by-week Vegetable Gardener's Make the Most of Your Growing Ron Kajawski and Jennifer Kajawski Handbook Season
9 The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady Edith Holden
10 Duck Hill Journal A Year in a Country Garden Page Dickey
10 The Gardener's Year Karel Capek
My recommended book list Title Author The Gardener's Year Karel Capek From the Ground Up: The Story of a First Garden Amy Stewart Second Nature: A Gardener's Education Michael Pollan The Allways Trilogy starting with Down the Garden Path Beverley Nichols
Silent Spring Rachel Carson Hollyhock Days: Garden Adventures for the Young at Heart Sharon Lovejoy
We Made a Garden Margery Fish Old Herbaceous Reginald Arkell An Island Garden Celia Thaxter Writing the Garden: A Literary Conversation Across Two Centuries Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
Outstanding Garden Authors Author Biography Beverley Nichols Lived all his life on England 1898 - 1983. Wrote on several subjects but best known for his gardening books. His best remembered trilogy is about Allways, his home in the village of Glatton. Loved cats, music and had a wonderful sense of humor. Highly entertaining.
Gertrude Jekyll 1842 - 1932 British horticulturist, garden designer, artist and writer - her brother was a friend of Robert Louis Stevenson who borrowed the name for his book Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Arts and Crafts movement - Impressionist style most famous book Colour in the Flower Garden
Tovah Martin Contemporary - high gloss, full color books - currently Writer-in-Residence for Victoria magazine
Peter Loewer Writer and botanical artist - currently has a garden show on public radio - writes on flowers, indoors and out, and ornamental grasses and water gardens among other subjects - very readable and informative
Elizabeth Lawrence 1904-1985 Wrote about southern gardens and gardening in the south - she was an avid letter writer - letters between her and Katherine White in Maine's (Two Gardeners: A Friendship in Letters)
Allen Lacy "Show me a person without any prejudice of any kind on any subject and I'll show you someone who may be admirably virtuous but is surely no gardener."--Allen Lacy. Is a professor of philosophy at Richard Stockton College in New Jersey Christopher Lloyd 1921 - 2006 British - wrote about the country garden, also into the Arts and Crafts movement - specialized in unusual plants
Henry Mitchell Wrote columns for newspapers, The Washington Post and the Memphis Commercial Appeal - many of his books are collections of his writings - died in 1993
If you would like the complete listing of the books I have reviewed and the ratings I have assigned please email me at [email protected]