Read This: Bedrock, plus BOOK GIVEAWAY
Late one summer’s day in 2014, I fell into a dreamworld known as Bedrock Gardens. Set loose (with permission from the owners) to explore the 20-acre rural garden in Lee, New Hampshire, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. The garden was pure magic, by turns serene, whimsical, colorful, mysterious, and goofy. Yes, goofy, as it included a couple of funhouse mirrors and pantless stump people in the Dark Woods.
Bedrock was, at that time, a private garden, the creation of artist and plant obsessive Jill Nooney and her can-build-anything husband, Bob Munger. Today it’s a public garden — a near-miraculous transformation meant to ensure the garden’s survival for decades to come. And it turns out that Jill is as talented a writer and storyteller as she is a garden creator. Her book Bedrock: The Making of a Public Garden comes out on March 11th. I received an early copy, which I lingered over, often rereading paragraphs out loud to my husband. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
And I’m giving away a copy of Bedrock at the end of this post!
In Bedrock the book, as in Bedrock the garden, Jill’s frank humor and a sense of joyfully lived life shine through on every page. I laughed over Jill’s retelling of gardening mishaps, even as I marveled at her and Bob’s prodigious energy and dedication to their garden. For 40 years they’ve worked on it together, she as the self-described problem maker and he as the problem solver. It’s a match made in heaven, resulting in an incredible garden that they built and maintained themselves for decades. Meanwhile they also raised three boys and had full-time careers — how, I ask?
Never mind. Some people just make more of their hours and talents! I’m grateful to have met Jill and Bob and had the pleasure of seeing Bedrock twice, in spite of its distance from Texas. You can read about those visits here and here.
But for far more detail, read the book. It’s less about turning Bedrock into a public garden and more of a love story about Jill and Bob’s creative partnership and garden making. If you’re fascinated by the creative process of gardening — obsessing over plants, coming up with a new garden idea, figuring out a perfect focal point, making art out of found objects — you’ll love this book.
Jill tells the garden’s story with an ear for a good anecdote, self-deprecating humor, and clear recollection of her motivations and design decisions. The photographs tell the story beautifully too. I’m proud to say a few of them are my own, including the cover.
I’m also excited to announce that Jill and Bob will be traveling to Austin in October to speak for Garden Spark! Local readers, you’ll have a chance to meet these dynamos, learn more about Bedrock, and enjoy Jill’s storytelling in person. More info to come. Subscribe to Garden Spark for all the news.
Update 2/27/25: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to winner Lori Daul!
Book Giveaway
And now — I’m giving away a copy of Bedrock to one lucky winner, courtesy of author Jill Nooney!
HOW TO ENTER
To be entered in the giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post. One comment per person, please.
For an EXTRA entry, pop over to my Instagram and 1) FOLLOW @pamdigging, 2) LIKE my giveaway post dated 2/20, and 3) TAG a friend in the comments. Please include your own name if it’s not your Instagram handle, so I can connect you with your comment here.
Rules: The giveaway ends Thursday, 2/27, at 11:59 CDT. Open to U.S. state residents excluding Alaska and Hawaii, ages 18+ only. No purchase necessary to enter or win. I’ll randomly draw a winner on 2/27 and contact the winner by email. The book will be mailed from the author after its publication on March 11th.
Good luck, y’all!
Disclosure: The author sent me a copy of Bedrock, and I reviewed it at my own discretion and without any compensation. This post, as with everything at Digging, is my personal opinion.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
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Digging Deeper
Attend the annual Budding Out Plant Sale & Festival on March 15th at the John Fairey Garden in Hempstead. Shop for rare plants from the garden’s nursery and select plant vendors. Local artists and artisans as well as food, drink, and demonstrations will also be featured. Admission: $5 for members, $10 for non-members, children under 12 free. Hours: 10 am to 4 pm; members get early admission at 9 am (memberships available on day of event).
Tour 5 unique Houston gardens on Saturday, April 26, from 10 am to 4 pm, during the Garden Conservancy’s Open Day Tour for Houston. Tickets must be purchased online in advance through the Garden Conservancy.
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Read all about the Season 8 lineup here!
All material © 2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Hiiiiii, it’s me! I would love to read this! And maybe Jill and Bob could sign it when I see them next month! XD
I’m sorry I missed this garden when passing through New Hampshire, hopefully next time. Looks lovely!
It all sounds absolutely enchanting! Thanks for the chance to win a copy
I’m in!
Those are such beautiful gardens. I can’t imagine how they did all that and had careers and a family!
Beautiful pictures!! Would love to read the book!!
I love all of your insights and book recommendations! Thanks!
Sounds like a great read! Thanks for recommending.
I’m hoping to visit this garden in the not-too-distant future.
I always look forward to reading your blog. Thank you
I’ve just discovered your writings today. But will be looking for more! Thanks, Pam.
It looks like a beautiful garden. How lucky you were to have a tour while it was still private.
Thank you Pam for your lovely review. When the story is all laid out in a book, I can’t believe we did it either. One step at a time, I guess. Thank you for your generous spirit which we all enjoy.
Wonderful garden! Don’t know that I’ll ever make it back to New Hampshire but if I do Bedrock will be on the top of my To Visit list.
I see Jill has left a comment. Wouldn’t it be funny if she won the copy of her book, haha! It sounds like a lovely book. The few pics you’ve included here are very interesting and beautiful. Crossing my fingers 🙂
Such lovely garden photos, both from 2014 and 2021. Thanks for this post!
Exciting news! I would love to attend the October Garden Spark featuring this gardening couple. Their book sounds fascinating.
Sounds fascinating! I’d love to see it in person!
I’m trying to wrap my head around how this couple were able to build such an hugely amazing & creative 20 acre garden themselves! I mean the volume of sculptures they made from found objects & so much plant beauty to take in that I’m star struck with awe! I absolutely love they’re making this glorious garden public to preserve this paradise hopefully to the end of time! I’d love to win the book! I also definitely want to be part of the garden spark October event when it’s available!
Oh my gosh, what a beautiful garden! And, of course, I’d love to win the book.
Beautiful gardens and clever use of interesting things as ‘garden art’.
Thanks for the lovely photos.
Traveling with you to such amazing, delightful, and inspiring garden sanctuaries is best I can hope for in this stage of my life. You graciously share your photos and commentaries in such an observant way that one feels like they are there also. Thank you. One stands in awe of the beauty created by gardeners…we can beautify our own home gardens, thereby making our neighborhoods better. Jill and Bob accomplished an incredible, monumental project on their own. Kudos to them.
I regret not getting to watch Jill’s recent talk for the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon live, but I look forward to watching the recording as soon as I’m home from the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. I love to win the book!
I love reading your posts! Beautiful garden.
Bedrock Gardens is a hidden jewel, one of my favorite places!
I have this book and I love it it’s well written and the photos are amazing. I had them sign the book. I have lent it out to my gardening friends and all of them love it.
Truly a remarkable place. I am so looking forward to visits to come in 2025!
One of my favorite places☺️. Peaceful and timeless in a crazy world. ️ Thank you for creating it, sharing it and now capturing it in a book. I can’t wait to read it…one way or another 😉
Enchanting, inspiring, delightful, surprising and calming. These are the adjectives which come to mind. I have taken the extended family here several times and thereis always something new to see. My favorite place!
As I’m in the process of redesigning portions of my garden, I am always interested in others’ ideas. Would love to delve into this garden for ideas!
Can’t wait to see this book…and to visit the garden again, once the snow melts and spring arrives in NE. Have placed an order for a copy to be send to my sister but would love to have one for myself!
I have visited many times. I feel a kindred spirit!
Sounds like a wonderful garden book. If I don’t win I’ll have to purchase it!