My shelves are full of gardening-related titles that get used rarely. But there are a select few that are always within arm’s reach. Michael Dirr, author of the most widely used books on trees and shrubs, speaks with students at Middlebury College in Vermont during a 2009 visit to the campus. I’ve collected hundreds of […]
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New Succulents for 2009
Here are a few of my favorites, including aloes, agaves and echeverias. I took this photograph in the garden of Thomas Hobbs, author of The Jewel Box Garden. His garden in Vancouver is filled with tiny wonders like this one. Here, he has combined some incredibly beautiful, tender succulents called echeverias, with some seashells, bits […]
Think Before You Eat
Michael Pollan Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. When I read those words last year, written by Michael Pollan, all of my questions about what to eat were answered. Simple, clear and direct. As we struggle to eat rightwhether it’s for personal health or global sustainabilitywe are presented with many labels: low-fat, organic, vegan, […]
Essential Reference Books for Gardeners
Several years ago, I wrote a book called Passport to Gardening. Each chapter included a brief overview of a particular gardening topic (from annual flowers to water gardening) and recommendations for best books on the topic. In order to make these recommendations, I reviewed more than 400 gardening books. Most of them were sent to […]