Wondering what to get your garden-loving friend or family member (or yourself) for the holidays? Here’s a roundup of recent books with something for everyone, whether their interest leans more to ornamental design, edibles, or ecology.

Dreamscapes: Inspiration and Beauty in Gardens Near and Far by Claire Takacs (Hardie Grant, 2018), a wonderfully talented garden photographer from Australia, is at the top of my reading pile. From the cover text: “Dreamscapes invites you to explore an inspirational collection of superb gardens…that celebrate exquisite garden design, a passion for plants and the true originality of their creators. These are gardens from across the world that show nature’s elements being brought together with pure poetry.”

I’m reading GardenLust: A Botanical Tour of the World’s Best New Gardens by Christopher Woods (Timber Press, 2018) right now and savoring every page. From the book jacket: “Intrepid plant expert Christopher Woods set out on a global quest in search of inspired new gardens, and presents fifty of the best here….Sure to spark wanderlust.” I’ll have an in-depth review of this one soon, but maybe not before the holidays.

Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants by Stefani Bittner and Alethea Harampolis (Ten Speed Press, 2017) is a lovely hardback that, according to the jacket, “will make your garden more productive and enjoyable with a variety of step-by-step projects – from cocktails to flower arrangements, beauty products to handmade gifts – using unexpected and often common garden plants, some of which may already be growing in your yard.”

The History of Landscape Design in 100 Gardens by Linda A. Chisholm (Timber Press, 2018) is a tome of fascinating historical information, with plenty of eye candy too. As the book jacket promises: “In this sweeping, lushly photographed book, historian Linda Chisholm guides you through 100 notable gardens as she tells the story of how landscape design reflects and shapes culture. From the medieval splendor of Alhambra to New York’s High Line, she challenges old assumptions and provides new insights into great designers such as da Vignola, Capability Brown, Gertrude Jekyll, and others.”

News of rapidly accelerating climate change is causing an ever greater sense of urgency about what we all must do to slow the train down. A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future by Benjamin Vogt (New Society Publishers, 2017), who blogs at the always thoughtful and frequently provocative The Deep Middle, makes an intellectually passionate plea for changing the way we think about gardens. As the book jacket says, Vogt “examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens.”

Starting & Saving Seeds: Grow the Perfect Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers for Your Garden by Julie Thompson-Adolf (Cool Springs Press, 2018), who blogs at Garden Delights, promises to teach the would-be self-sufficient gardener how to save seeds from edibles and ornamental flowering plants in order to grow them again next season for free. “You’ll find hints to encourage stubborn seeds to germinate, lists of varieties to add to your garden, charts for quick growing reference, and simple DIY projects to aid your seed starting and saving adventure.”

So there you go: 6 recent books to interest gardeners of all stripes, including food growers, homesteaders, design enthusiasts, the ecology minded, and armchair garden travelers. Happy reading!

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Digging Deeper: News and Upcoming Events

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is hosting Luminations, a holiday light display in the gardens, December 6th through 9th between 6 and 9 pm. Tickets are $15 per person, $10 for members, and free for children up to 4 years old.

Join the mailing list for Garden Spark Talks! Inspired by the idea of house concerts, I’m hosting a series of garden talks by inspiring designers and authors out of my home. Talks are limited-attendance events and generally sell out within just a few days, so join the Garden Spark email list for early notifications. Simply click this link and ask to be added. I’ll be announcing the 2019 schedule soon to email subscribers.

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