WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SATURDAY AT 10 A.M. EST.
Remember Sonia Day’s engaging guest post here about heirloom tomatoes, lawns, native plants, and other hot button topics?
You should also know that the Toronto-based garden writer has two recent books out that represent the yin and yang of garden writing in many ways. Her latest, The Untamed Garden (McClelland and Stewart, 2011), comes in one of the most alluring packages I have seen in some time. The abbreviated wrapper suggesting a brown paper bag unfolds to reveal a gorgeous reproduction of Alma-Tadema’s Roses of Heliogabalus. Inside this pretty package is a diverse and humorously told selection of plant lore, lavishly illustrated with photography and reproductions of botanical drawings and paintings. Day poses and answers such questions as: Which suggestive plant caused a queen to faint when it was presented to her at court? Why are figs and pomegranates thought to be the real culprits for getting Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden of Eden? Why is coco de mer “the most erotically charged plant on the planet?” Fun.
Day’s earlier title is at the opposite end of the spectrum—a how-to for urban gardeners and perfect for beginners’ level. Incredible Edibles: 43 Fun Things to Grow in the City (Firefly Books, 2010) runs down a list of vegetables, fruits, and herbs that are suitable for urban cultivation, with brisk advice, recipes, and a bright, photo-centric design. This is a book I might give my husband, who just started growing food last summer.
Most of my garden reading these days tends toward the essay end of the spectrum—Lloyd, Lawrence, Pavord, White, and others. Now that my garden is pretty much designed and full, I tend to enjoy finding affinities in the writing of other gardeners rather than frustrating myself by learning about projects and plantings I’ll never undertake. But I can appreciate a how-to as uncomplicated and attractive as this one. Oh, and it has recipes too.
We’re giving away these two books, and this is how it will work. Where do you land in the spectrum between how-to and essay? Answer in comments and there will be two winners.
I'm drawn to how-tos. But then essays work out fine too. What really draws me in is a clever HEADLINE and some great PHOTOS. I sure hope i win the Incredible Edibles book.
Posted by: Beth | February 18, 2012 at 05:56 AM
Truthfully? I fall right square in the middle. I've got enough garden know-how to appreciate the essays when I do, but there is always something that I'd like to, or need to know when it comes to certain how-to's. So either book is cool. Although if I had to choose I'd probably lean more toward the "how-to" book if it dealt with a specific subject, and now that I'm really interested in urban gardening (since I have one), that would be my choice.
Posted by: Catie | February 19, 2012 at 03:58 AM
i have been vegetable gardening for over 35 years and judging by the results i have been getting lately, i think the vegetable oriented book might just help me. i enjoy reading all of the posts here and i can say that at times some are inspiring. peppero
Posted by: jon polvado | February 19, 2012 at 04:54 AM