Category Archives: A Gardener’s Reading

A Quartet of Garden Memoirs

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 17-20 of 30 In this season of choir concerts and holiday musicales, I’ve been thinking about the many voices that sing of the importance of gardening – not just as a way to create beauty or grow … Continue reading →

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The Writer in the Garden

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 16 of 30 Edited by Jane Garmey (Algonquin Books, 1999) Jane Garmey’s expansive collection of poems, essays and excerpts includes writers absolutely identified with a life in the dirt (Vita Sackville-West, Elizabeth Lawrence, Katharine S. White) as … Continue reading →

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The Garden in Winter

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 15 of 30 By Suzy Bales (Rodale Press, 2007) Gardeners in the North are often told to console themselves through the long winter by planting a garden with “winter interest.” Give yourself something to look at during … Continue reading →

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The Edible French Garden

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 14 of 30 By Rosalind Creasy (Periplus Editions, 1999) Several years ago, I heard Rosalind Creasy talk about her garden as part of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts’ annual Arts in Bloom event.  Listening to her describe … Continue reading →

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A Gardener’s Guide to Frost

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 13 of 30 By Philip Harnden (Willow Creek Press, 2003) At first glance, Philip Harnden’s treatise on frost seems to be a children’s book. It’s the size and heft of many picture books, its cover is colorful, … Continue reading →

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Prairie-Style Gardens

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 12 of 30 By Lynn Steiner (Timber Press, 2010) I’ve written before about Prairie-Style Gardens: Capturing the Essence of the American Prairie Wherever You Live, Lynn Steiner’s 2010 book on garden design done in the spirit of … Continue reading →

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10,000 Garden Questions and Ask the Garden Doctor

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 11 of 30 Even though I’ve been gardening for many years now, I’m often stumped by plants. Why is that leaf curling under? What do those black spots mean? What happens when the blossom falls off? Sometimes … Continue reading →

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Wildflowers of Minnesota

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, 10 of 30 By Stan Tekiela (Adventure Publications, 1999) This wildflower guide is one of several by Minnesota-based naturalist and photographer Stan Tekiela. (The bird and mammal guides are great for nature watchers.) In this guide, Tekiela … Continue reading →

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In the Garden with Jane Austen

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, ninth of 30 By Kim Wilson (Frances Lincoln Ltd., 2009) I’m a long-time Jane Austen fan, long before Colin Firth transformed Mr. Darcy into a hunk or film directors riffed off of Jane for movies like Clueless, … Continue reading →

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Berry Lover’s Cookbook (and Other Veg Favorites)

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Mary Schier

A Gardener’s Reading, eighth of 30 By Lee and Shayne Fisher (Golden West Publishing, 2000) I can’t remember when I picked up this thin cookbook. It’s simple and not at all fancy. But if you cook and you grow a … Continue reading →

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