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, and inside pictures dominate nearly every page. But this is no bedtime story — especially for those of us who…
Read More
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 the North American prairie. Lynn has written about native plants extensively, and this book does include a large section of…
Read More
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 you have a very specific question and need a more experienced gardener to answer it. In the past year, I’ve…
Read More
A Gardener’s Reading, 10 of 30 By Stan Tekiela (Adventure Publications, 1999) Wildflowers of Minnesota is one of several guides by Minnesota-based naturalist and photographer Stan Tekiela. (The bird and mammal guides are great for nature watchers.) In this guide, Tekiela identifies about 200 Minnesota wildflowers, giving information on how and where they grow, what their leaves and flowers look…
Read More
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, Bride and Prejudice, The Jane Austen Book Club, and the fairly ridiculous movie take on Jane’s life, Becoming Jane. Like…
Read More