Garden Reading: Married to my Garden

You'll never guess what the mail brought me today! If you like guessing games and you've been reading along here, your first guess is probably a plant. A good guess, but it would be incorrect. (A gold star for you, however, if you thought daylily.) Maybe you think I ordered some of those clever garden shoes (I did, but that's for another post). Perhaps a signed book contract?? (Hahahaha...I think one actually has to submit something, but I could be wrong.) So, enough already.... It was a signed copy of Married to My Garden, a stupendous, entertaining, soul satisfying, look-in-the-mirror, endlessly readable garden book! (Do you think I like it a little??!)



There are garden books and then there are garden books...if you know what I mean. Now, I like and appreciate the how-to type of books and the books that give the necessary and informative plant information but what I really want, what I crave, is good garden writing. Describe your garden to me, tell me why you garden, explain to me how you lose yourself in your garden and especially entertain me and inspire me. I want to sigh with you when nature gets the upper hand and exclaim with delight when that moment (or moments) in your garden is so magical and special that you would burst if you didn't share it. Your book should so grab my attention that I 1) either can't put it down and/or 2) savor each reading, sometimes reading it again immediately, bending the page down to remind myself to come back or even underlining something you've written that resonates with me. It should end up on my nightstand or at least on the bookshelf close to my bed.

You know where I'm going here. There aren't many books like that and while there are many garden writers out there (very good ones), let's face it...in the Henry Mitchell category there are, well...not many. I herewith nominate another. From the moment I came across the title to this book (Married to my Garden), I knew I would like this book! What I didn't know was that I would love it and that it would jump to the top of the pile. (You've noticed, right, that it is the only garden book in my profile under Favorite Books? I did mean to add a few others, but never got around to it...it's telling, isn't it, that this was the one that my brain pulled up immediately.)

Now, I'm not going to quote the book to you (you gotta read it for yourself!), but if you like genuine writing and have such a passion for gardening that you miss your garden while vacationing (hint!), then this is a book you need on your garden bookshelf. If gardening is not just something you enjoy, but something you couldn't imagine not doing...if your garden is where you go to make sense of things that don't make sense...or if you are someone who wants not just sunflowers, but one of every type of sunflower....well, you get the picture!

Here's the thing. Married to my Garden was out of print until just recently. Now, it's back out there and available. I found this book on the Powells website while browsing garden books (don't you??) some time ago. You can find it there or at Amazon or at your local bookstore (ask them to order it, if they don't, for some strange reason, have it). It's my nomination for the next or a Garden Bloggers Book Club selection...Click here for May Dreams Gardens, headquarters central of the GBBC.

If you'd like to learn more or simply enjoy garden columns, Barbara Blossom Ashmun has a regular column in the Portland Tribune...just put her name in the writer search box. She also has a website.

I hope you enjoy it...happy reading!

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Disclosure: Ms. Ashmun's publisher saw that I had listed MTMG in my profile and emailed me. I also heard from Ms. Ashmun herself (!) and she actually thanked me for liking her book! Almost immediately, a signed copy was sent to me (as you read, it came today). They did not ask me to do this post. I am happy this book is back in print and available! They made my day! (Okay, my week...my month...my year!!)