Garden Reading: The Curious Gardener's Almanac by Niall Edworthy

What a delight Niall Edworthy’s The Curious Gardener’s Almanac is! Recently released here in the USA, we can now benefit from and enjoy Mr. Edworthy’s inquiring mind. Because he is right, you see, we do want to know all these things! We just didn’t know where to find it, how to ask for it, or in some cases, that it even was a possibility.

(Image courtesy of Penguin Group USA. )

Here in one tidy volume are all the answers to those questions other books don’t answer. Tied together and arranged by seasons are tips for gardeners, lists of plants for certain situations (or even categories), relevant quotes, uncommon facts (with some amusing comments from the author), recipes, lists of all sorts of things and anything else you can imagine wanting to know relating to gardening.

Maybe you have the habit, as I do, of turning down the page when you read something you know you’ll want to remember or come back to. What I didn’t realize was that the entire book is a “page turn downer”! You can see in the picture that nearly every page is marked in my book (just so you’ll know you don’t have to do that!).

I love the feel of this book. It’s smaller and fits in my hand nicely. There’s a ribbon for marking your place and, here, have a look at how charming it is inside.

Although Mr. Edworthy resides in England, this wonderful volume will be of equal interest and use to all of us “across the pond”. Did you know (I didn’t) that “Daffodil bulbs can last up to eighty years” (page 119)? Or, that “Prince Charles, AKA the Duke of Cornwall, is paid one daffodil a year as rent for unattended lands on the Scilly Isles” (page 115)?

I was surprised to learn that “ten million Britons, one-sixth of the population, are said to be dedicated gardeners, while roughly 90 million Americans engage in some form of gardening” (Introduction…which you must read…page 11). Think of that!

There are so many marvelous quotes in the book; however, given that I have daffodils on my mind, I did especially enjoy the quote from Margaret Atwood, “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” (page 39). We gardeners, of course, know the bliss of working in our soil after waiting all winter.

You won’t want to miss “The five worst things about spring gardening” but you’ll have to read the book! As I mentioned, do read the introduction. It’s very funny and will give you such insight into Niall Edworthy as well as great appreciation for his efforts in bringing together all this information into one place. And, yes, there is an index.

You know how much I love my gardening books. I am so pleased to add this one to my collection and I know you will be also. We'll have great fun (when you get yours) entertaining others with all the things we've learned. Perhaps we'll make mint juleps (page 107)!

Many thanks to Penguin Books for such a delightful read!